Page 221 of Dangerous Encore

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7

Piper

Idon't exactly needto spend the afternoon at Mal and Lacey'splace.

Idon'tmind.

I love mybrother.

I lovehiswife.

I love that she'shiswife.

It's still hard to believe that Mal is actually happy, much lessmarried.

It's fun watchingThe Apartmentwith my sister-in-law.

And even more fun mocking Mal's need for an obscenely healthydinner.

But I'm not here because I love myfamily.

I'm here because I'mrunningaway.

Not far away. Not even threemilesaway.

My drama final went well. I actually feel like I have a handle on my last two exams. Everythingisgood.

Everything except meandKit.

I try to blockthatout.

To focus on mynewgig.

Lacey spends most of an hour gushing about the director, especially about her first feature. It's amazing. Perfection. Exactly the kind of thing she wants to make as she moves intofeatures.

Mal is more quiet with his encouragement. But it's there, brightening the air, liftingmymood.

It feels good, being surrounded by this muchsupport.

The second I leave their place and step intomycar…

Fuck.

I don't like myuncertainty.

But I can't run from it. Not for long. Sure, I can crash at Mal's place. At Ethan's place. Hell, I can even crash at Joel and Bella'splace.

They'll put me to work as a babysitter, but Idon'tmind.

Hermoine isadorable.

And babysitting is as close as I want to get to kids. I'm not one hundred percent on my lack of desire to procreate, but I'm leaningthatway.

Kit and I have talked about it. He feels the sameuncertainty.

But then Kit isn't sure ofanything.

Ahem.

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