Page 85 of Pulled Away

She’s fishing for information, information I’m not inclined to share with her. I haven’t told her about my and Ryan’s episode after my shift, and I’m not sure why. It’s not because of this awkwardness between us. Maybe it’s because I’m not sure how I feel about what happened. Once I got over the heart-pounding terror and my anger at him for causing it, a kernel of warmth bloomed inside me. Besides Mom and Dad, nobody has cared enough about me to put my safety above all else. To wait in his car, shift after shift, and then follow me home, without me knowing, just to ensure nothing happened to me. Who does that?

It’s clear that he still cares for me. Deeply.

So, I’m taking the flowers home where I’ll most probably stare at them while torturing myself further.

“Are you free tonight?” Piper asks, pulling me from my thoughts.

“I have a shift tomorrow, but I’m off tonight.”

“Good. Would you like to come over?”

“Why? Any specific reason?” I ask carefully. It saddens me because a couple of weeks ago, I would have immediately said yes, and I’ll bring a bottle of wine.

“There’s something we want to discuss with you.”

Tapping the file on the counter, I squint at her. “That sounds ominous.”

“No, not at all. It’s just something we want to run by you.”

“Does it have something to do with this secret that you need my trust for?”

And yeah, not knowing bugs me. A lot. I’m hoping if I needle her a lot, she’ll spill. But Piper is a vault where secrets are concerned. I’d have more luck getting Maya to crack.

She sighs and rolls her eyes. “Aspen, really? Stop asking so many damn questions and just tell me if you’ll come.”

“I think I can spare you an hour,” I tease.

I’m about to knock on Piper’s door when Maya calls my name. Closing her door, she hurries to me and pulls me into a hug. I’ve always thought it was cool that they live in the same apartment complex.

“How are you?” She pulls back, scrutinizing my face.

“I think the better question is, how are you?”

She was gutted when Nathan didn’t make it to her showing. I’m sure seeing him at work all the time can’t be easy.

“I’m fine,” she says, waving it off. Yeah, I don’t believe that, but Maya isn’t the type of person you can push. She won’t talk about something if she doesn’t want to. “Good news, though. I’ve sold three paintings. Can you believe it?”

“I totally can. I knew it was only a matter of time. Congratulations, Maya. I’m so proud of you.” This time it’s me pulling her into a hug.

Piper’s door opens, and she stares at us with a raised brow. “Anything you want to tell me?”

“Don’t be an idiot.” We laugh, and I pull away from Maya, following Piper inside.

My laughter dries up when I see Carter sitting on Piper’s couch. “I have a bone to pick with you.” I narrow my eyes at him. “You’ve been snitching on me.”

“Me? I would never.”

He’s being so fake with his wide eyes and his hand on his chest. An actor he’s not.

“That doesn’t surprise me at all,” Rose chips in.

He gives her an exasperated look. “Can we just stop with the hostility for one night? And what exactly am I snitching on?” he asks, turning to me.

“Don’t play dumb. My shifts.” I keep my glare pinned on him. He’s going to crack any minute now.

“Oh, that.”

“Yes, that. Why would you do that? That’s not cool, Carter.”

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