Page 76 of Claimed By the Cowboys

Piper sighs. “Tate. What the heck? He was just asking about food. Literally just doing his job.”

“I know, Piper. I just…” Tate blows out a breath and looks around the table. “Look, you took your stuff out of the house. I didn’t see it, but we talked about it ahead of time.”

Piper’s face falls. “What?”

“Your clothes, Piper. They were gone when we got home,” I say.

Piper’s eyes flash. There’s confusion there. And panic. And something that feels a little like anger. “You saw my clothes were gone. And you’ve all been what, panicking about it ever since?”

This is starting to get to a place where the hair on the back of my neck is standing up. “Well, yeah. And then you sent that text saying that you wanted to meet us here instead of us all riding together.”

“I did do that. But that feels like it’s something that’s pretty normal, and not like something that should cause all three of you to lose your minds,” Piper says.

The ice in her tone is definitely not a good thing. “Piper…”

“What other theories do you have about me? Perhaps you’d like to tell me all of them before we go on,” she snaps.

Shit. “Look, Piper, I?—”

Abruptly, Pier stands. “I need some air.”

She runs for the door.

I exchange a look with the other guys, and then seconds later, we run, too.

CHAPTER 21

Piper

Outside, the air is hot. It’s July, which means that even in Montana, things can get summery and muggy sometimes.

I need more. I need tobreathe.

There’s a park across the street. I stumble over there, my mind whirling. Is this what it’s going to be like? They’re constantly going to be looking at me, watching me, seeing if I’m going to do something that they’re trying to predict?

I make it to the park and settle onto a bench. The bench faces a playground. It’s dark outside, so there aren’t any kids on it, but I can still envision them there. I’ve driven past this playground plenty, and it’s usually filled with children.

I shut my eyes and take a deep, deep breath. The test in my purse feels like it’s a guillotine blade, waiting to drop.

“Piper,” I hear Brent’s voice. I stiffen.

“Look, whatever we did, we’re sorry,” Tate says. “Shit, I’ll literally take a verbal lashing if it helps you feel better.”

I sigh. Turning to the guys, I stand up.

You have to tell them. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.

“Nothing you say right now is going to help me feel better,” I say.

The churning in my stomach definitely isn’t going to be helped by words. And I definitely am missing that ginger ale from the restaurant.

Brent’s face falls, and Dalton looks downright glum. Tate, however, is edging closer. “Piper…”

“Honestly. Did you really think that I would just leave? Just like that? No warning? No nothing?” I fume.

They’re all silent.

I huff. “I’m mad because it seems like you have no faith in me. Like you think I’m just going to walk out of your lives, willy-nilly. I’ve been your best friend since what, thirteen years ago? Why the heck would I just walk out and not tell all of you why?”

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