Page 69 of A Perfect Match
“We saw what happened when you started Cloud Nine.If you expand too soon…” Dane trails off, all of his doubts and hesitations ballooning in the empty space between us.
“You’ve got a killer business right now,” Griff says.“What’s wrong with it?”
“Nothing,” I admit, while the tightness in my chest expands and eventually engulfs my entire body.
I’m too heavy and tired to defend myself or this idea that they haven’t even truly heard.
All I know is that the crushing feeling has returned to my chest.This suffocating smallness that’s been my companion since childhood, a place I so often find myself with my brothers.
So I do what I know best.
I swallow the frustration, and we get back to the game.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
KRU
It’s seven a.m.on a Thursday, and I’m at the restaurant instead of catching up on precious sleep.
Why?
Because Piper Keegan has me wrapped around her finger.
She wants to see the barn, and this is the only time that works for her around her shop and her schedule with her brothers at the hospital.Of course I make it work, even if I get four hours of sleep as a result.I’m yawning for the hundredth time that morning as I stumble through the kitchen, struggling to brew a pot of coffee.
Once that first sip hits, I feel a semblance of clarity zip through me.Maybe I’ve got a shot at this day.By the end of the cup, I can think again.Hell yes.
The back door creaks open, and I know it's her before I even look up.
"There’s my first barn tour of the day," I call out, not bothering to hide my smile.
Piper appears in the doorway to the storage room, a to-go cup of coffee in each hand and that messy bun I've come to adore perched on top of her head.She's wearing leggings and a Cloud Nine hoodie, practical for exploring a dusty old barn.
“You say it like you have other tours lined up, which is…not allowed.”She pushes one of the coffees into my hand.“But you know what they say.Early bird gets the worm.Or in this case, the barn."
“They do say that,” I agree before taking a sip of the coffee.“And you brought me coffee?That's dangerously close to a nice gesture."
"I'm just ensuring you're properly caffeinated before you show me my future event space."
"You’re optimistic."I stand, grabbing my keys."It could be completely rotted and decrepit inside.”
"Or maybe it just needs some TLC," she says, falling into step beside me as we head out the back door."And once it’s got long wooden tables with wildflower centerpieces, and a dance floor beneath its old, exposed beams, it’ll come right back to life."
The excitement in her voice is contagious.As we cross the parking lot toward the barn at the far end, I find myself seeing it through her eyes—not as the dusty storage space I initially considered it, but as something with real potential.Set against the cresting hues of dawn, the barn looks extra moody and photogenic as we approach.
"Just remember," I warn her, "it's been empty for years.It will likely have a lot of issues."
She waves a dismissive hand."Nothing a little elbow grease and a good moss wall can't fix."
The barn itself is larger than I realized—a substantial two-story structure with weathered red wood siding and a metal roof that's held up surprisingly well.The original sliding doors are massive, though one hangs slightly off its track.
I fumble with the padlock, then slide the door open with a dramatic flourish."Welcome to the barn I never anticipated owning.”
Piper steps inside, her eyes widening as she takes in the space.Dust motes dance in the beams of light filtering through the high windows.The interior is mostly empty, save for some abandoned wagon wheels in one corner and a rickety wooden staircase tucked against the far wall, leading to a loft.
"Oh my god," she breathes, turning slowly to take it all in."It's perfect."
"Not to mention a tetanus shot waiting to happen," I add, but I can't help smiling at her enthusiasm.
