Page 20 of The Keeper

Mom: We’re perfectly fine and having fun like you should be, missy.

I stared at the screen, the words blurring as tears pricked the corners of my eyes. If my mother knew why I was here, she would have told me not to come. She would have said it wasn’t worth the risk, the pain.

But I had to know, didn’t I?

I had to see Dane one last time, even if it shattered me.

Ivy’s soothing voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. “Hey, I found a volunteer to hold our spot. Let’s get you some air.”

“You know I hate when you use your therapy voice,” I grumbled, as she took my hand and led me outside.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The cool air was a welcome relief against my flushed skin. I took a deep breath, willing my racing heart to slow.

“I know it’s hard being away from her and doing something for yourself,” she said, breaking the silence. “Just know it’s completely normal?—”

“That’s what you think this is—separation anxiety?” I huffed out an annoyed breath and shook my head. “I work all the damn time and only see her three, maybe four hours a day. Sorry, Doctor, but any separation anxiety I may have had is long gone.”

“Is it something at work then?” she asked, her voice taking on a dangerous edge. “Or Derek? I swear to all that is good and holy, Piper. All I need is five minutes and a hammer, and that fucking creeper wouldn’t bother you anymore.”

I choked on a laugh and deadpanned, “A hammer? That’s not very love and light of you. Have you asked yourself if this is coming from a place of healing?”

“Screw healing,” she growled, balling her hand into a fist. “Sometimes, karma takes too long, and it’s up to us to teach the dickheads of the world a lesson.”

The reaction was overkill, even for someone as fiercely protective of her friends as she was. I studied her face, noting the tightness around her eyes and how her gaze continuously shifted from one end of the hotel to the other as if she were searching for an unseen threat.

“I’m good,” I said, knowing better than to press her over it. Getting Ivy to open up was like trying to break into Fort Knox armed with nothing but a spork. “I think it was just all the people crowding around us—I felt like I couldn’t breathe.”

“Really?” she asked, her tone skeptical. “You sure it doesn’t have something to do with running into Ghost again?”

The blood drained from my face. “Dane’s—he’s here? You’re sure?”

She nodded, watching me with a penetrative gaze that always made me feel like she was peering straight into my soul. “Yeah, I saw him carrying boxes in with GQ and Duke before you got here.”

My legs buckled, and I latched onto her to remain upright. My instincts screamed at me to run—from the hotel, from the memories, from him.

“The biker—he’s the reason you’re on the verge of a panic attack?” she questioned, pulling the corner of her lip between her teeth and studying me like I was a puzzle to be solved.

She knew me all too well—could sense the turmoil churning beneath the surface of my carefully crafted facade.

“What am I missing? You hung out at the pool, and then he walked you back to the room. End of story. Why would seeing him again upset you? It’s not like he’s the deadbeat who knocked you up—” She stopped abruptly, her face draining of color.

“Dane is Avery’s father?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

I managed a small nod, confirming her worst suspicions.

“Jesus Christ,” Ivy breathed, running a hand through her hair. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because saying it out loud made it real.” Tears burned behind my eyes, threatening to spill over. I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “And I wasn’t ready for it to be real.”

“Does he know?”

I shook my head, shame and guilt twisting in my gut. “I tried to find him after I found out I was pregnant, but without a last name or phone number, it was virtually impossible. Short of dropping by every clubhouse in the state to see if they knew a Ghost or a Dane, I didn’t know what else to do.”

“You should have come to me with this. I would have helped you find him.”

I shrugged, unable to meet her gaze. “At first, I was too scared to face the reality of the situation. Then, as time went on, it just got harder and harder to bring it up. I told myself it was better this way—that Avery and I were doing fine on our own.”

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