Page 142 of He's The Reason Why

Lizzie’s lips quirked up. “It’s really not funny.”

“Where’d you learn to punch like that?” Mattie asked wonderingly. “Adam says it was a great right hook. Excellent form. The guys are all giving you a high-five. Adam’s brother said to tell you next time, add a kick.”

“Oh, this isn’t funny. It’s not funny.” Piper held her stomach and tried to suck in a deep breath in between fits of giggles. She was hysterical. This was what a nervous breakdown felt like. She tried to pull herself together and failed. “You shouldn’t have but oh, Della…that was…”

Tears streamed down her face now, finally released by Della’s punch. She wiped at them, but her chest felt a little lighter than it had before.

“Della.” Lizzie’s exasperation was obvious. “There were cameras everywhere.”

“He deserved it.” Della looked at her raw, red knuckles. “He made you feel like you were less…and nobody gets to do that. Not him. Not that Rachel skank. Not me. Nobody.”

“Della,” Mattie said, “you never did that. Not really.”

“Yes, I did.” Della looked at Mattie, then at Piper. “I might not have meant to, but I did. I’m as bad as he is. Basically I was punching myself.”

“Go ahead.” Della stuck her chin out. “Hit me. It’ll make me feel better.”

“Nobody’s punching anybody else,” Lizzie said firmly.

Another round of giggles bubbled up and out of Piper’s throat. “No.”

The car pulled up to a stop outside her front door, and they all climbed out.

“Piper, when are you supposed to go back to Vegas?” Mattie asked.

Piper opened the front door. “Next week. I assume, anyway. That’s if things haven’t changed.”

“Theyshouldchange,” Della muttered.

Did Blake still want her as lead?

Did she still want the part?

“The boys are on their way,” Mattie announced. “They got caught up in the crowd after we left.”

“Renic’s almost here too,” Lizzie said.

“I’m going to get changed.” Piper headed down the hall toward her bedroom. “Somebody order pizza. All I have in the house is coffee and cheese.”

By the time she forced herself out of her room, her house had been filled with people and pizza.

For the next few hours, Piper let the noise of family wash over her. Her sisters, Renic, Adam, and the rest of Delusions of Glory were more than her small living room was meant to hold, but she didn’t mind. It felt good to have people in the house. If she were here alone, she’d just think too much.

Later that night, Piper escaped the madness by slipping out onto the back porch with a soft, fuzzy blanket. She curled up on one of the cushioned patio chairs and stared at the shadows without really seeing them.

She felt like a limp dish rag that had been wrung out one too many times. She’d been on such a high today. Too high. Something that felt that good had to come crashing down sooner or later.

The gut punch of Blake’s viral video had landed a lot harder than it should have. She usually shook off the worst of social media as the cost of doing business.

This felt different, though. Like a thousand tiny daggers to her heart.

She loved him.

Was that why it hurt so much to know what he really thought?

Lizzie sat next to her and handed her a cup of tea.

Piper wrapped her hands around it, grateful for the warmth. “Thanks.”

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