Page 75 of A Perfect Match
I nod.She squeals, grabbing my forearm.
“Is this the place?”she asks in a shriek-whisper.
“It is,” I say, unable to contain my smile.
“Holy shit, Pipe Cleaner!This is incredible!This is gonna be anamazingevent space.”Now she’s looking around like she’s seeing into the future alongside me.Jackson is nodding as well, a grin overtaking his face.
“I know Piper’s going to turn it into something epic,” Kru says, squeezing my arm.
“Thank you.There’s a long road ahead, but it’ll come together.I’ve cleaned nine windows so far, so, you know, I’m basically at the finish line.”
Bella snort laughs, then her gaze returns to me and Kru.“So is this, like…official?”
“Barny?”I ask.
“No,you two,” she clarifies.
“Oh,” I blurt.
“Well,” Kru says at the same time.
“We’re—” I look over at Kru.“It’s…”
Bella and Jackson are both laughing as we fumble to answer.
“Just don’t say anything to my brothers, please,” I finally spit out.
“I’m her dirty little secret,” Kru says, though I can hear a note of unhappiness there.
“Just like Barny here,” Bella says.“I take it your brothers don’t know about either of your secret men.”
“Hell no,” I say.“And it needs to stay that way.For now.”
She sighs."Piper, you know they're going to find out eventually."
"I know," I acknowledge."I'm just waiting for the right time to tell them."
"And when will that be?The grand opening?"
I roll my eyes."Very funny.I'm just trying to avoid another lecture about taking on too much, not doing things the right way, not doing thingstheirway…"
"Well, I’ll say it since Aunt Laura isn’t here to say it herself: they mean well."Bella’s tone suggests she understands my frustration all too well.
"I know they do."I sigh."But this is important to me, and I don’t want them getting in the way."
“You really paint your brothers to be lovely people,” Kru cracks, crossing his arms.
“Theyarelovely.And intense.And overbearing.And…” Before I can add too many more adjectives, my phone rings in my apron pocket.I pull it out, expecting to see Griffin's name and preparing my excuse for why I'm not at the shop.Instead, it's Dane.“I gotta take this, guys.Hang on.”
"Hey," I answer, turning away from Bella's knowing gaze."What's up?"
"Mom's awake," Dane says without preamble, his voice tight with emotion.
My heart skips a beat."What?"
"She just woke up like three minutes ago.She's groggy but she knows who we are.The doctor's on his way now."
"Oh my god."My free hand flies to my mouth."I'll be right there.Bella and Jackson are with me, so I’ll bring them, too."
