Page 87 of A Perfect Match
We laugh, and conversation eventually turns to lighter things.Menu ideas, customer stories, ideas for the future.After he leaves, I sit alone in my living room, nursing my drink and thinking more about the idea of expansion.
Expanding wasn’t necessarily the plan, but romance was never part of the plan either.I came to Bayshore to build something, to honor my father's memory, to establish myself as a serious chef and make a living.
But somehow, without meaning to, I've fallen headfirst into Piper Keegan.And the truth is that if I start expanding restaurants, I won’t have time for anything, much less a girlfriend.
Is that what I want?To be at the start of my career and so invested in someone else's life that it affects my own decisions?
My phone buzzes with a text, and I grab it eagerly, hoping it's Piper saying she's finally headed home.
PIPER:I’m back at Griff’s and falling asleep.I hope you and Maverick had fun.
KRU:We did but I missed you.Get some sleep, Piperton.
I finish my beer and head to bed, but sleep doesn't come easily.Every time I close my eyes, I see Piper on that ladder, paint in her hair, determined to prove herself to people who weren’t even there.
And fuck if I’m not doing the same thing myself.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
PIPER
The cat is officially out of the Keegan bag.
No, no.It’s more than that.The panther has officially escaped the high security Keegan zoo.
My entire family now knows that I’ve been secretly dating my usurper, and the texts just will not stop pouring in.
DANE: Are you fucking serious?
ASHER: Tell me this is a joke.
JETT: This is the guy that lives behind you right?Confirm the address because I don’t wanna fuck up the wrong guy.
Griffin was true to his word.He did not keep my secret for me, and good on him.I’m tired of the secrets.I’m tired of it all.I just want to live my life without having to explain myself every thirty seconds to four grown men who still see me as an eleven-year-old girl who can barely run a lemonade stand.
I spend all of Monday morning at the barn, ignoring my phone except for a few sweet messages to Kru.When he shows up to help me, wordlessly getting to work, I fall in love with him on the spot.No comments, no questions.Just support.
Then Monday afternoon, Mom is released from the hospital.I see all of my brothers for the first time since the bombshell revelation, and nobody exactly knows how to act.Thankfully we have Mom to distract us.She’s looking so much better than a few days ago, and she walks on her own to Asher’s car.
We all meet back at her house, helping her get things situated after the unexpected hospital stay.Luckily the burns on her legs won’t require much more than changing dressings and time.I bring out the first meal that I prepped, a breakfast casserole, and start warming it up.
“You’ve been awfully quiet, Pipes,” Mom says softly.Her voice is still a little scratchier than usual.
“Just trying to be helpful,” I say with a shrug.
“She’s probably still mad about what happened last week,” Jett mutters.
I expect confusion from my Mom.We haven’t told her about Kru or the beatdown or anything.But she turns to me with compassion and says, “Honey, your brothers will get over it.They’ll accept him.”
A chill runs down my spine, and I slowly turn to face Mom.Tears are in my eyes for some reason.My brothers are looking at each other, confused.
“Wh-what do you mean?”
“Your man.The love of your life,” she says with a soft smile.“Herman.”
I stare at my mom with wide eyes.There’s no way in hell she could know his first name.I am so stunned I can’t form a response.Luckily, I have four very opinionated brothers to step in.
“Mom, what the hell are you talking about?”Griffin asks.
