Page 36 of Just Friends
Remember our pact? I hope you do. Because there’s no doubt in my heart: we were MEANT for each other.
Please, baby, give me another chance. Let’s meet up and talk in person. Soon you’ll see that the spray drift isn’t a problem, it’s a blessing, because it’ll be what brings us back together again.
Love forever.
—Nate-bear.
I closed his email and muttered beneath my breath. “Ugh. Nate-bear.”
I didn’t want a man who needed to stuff his penis inside countless other women to realize that,duh,what we had was special.Wasspecial. Key phrase.
And boy, was I ever happy that I had Jax’s help—because as long as Soulmate was a success, I could solve my problemswithoutneeding to talk to Nate.
Regardless, his email had soured my good mood. I decided it was a great time to get some fresh air outside, water the plants on the balcony, and maybe take a few cuttings to repay a small favor.
***
I stepped into the elevator with a bouquet of zinnias, dahlias, sunflowers, and leafy foliage. The doors closed and the smooth, fruity scent of summer flowers quickly filled the tiny space.
I rode the elevator past our floor and shot all the way up to the penthouse instead. There was only one door on the penthouse floor—Derek and Katerina’s. I walked the length of the hallway and raised my fist to knock, but the sound of music stopped me.
Katerina was playing piano.
Not wanting to interrupt, I stopped and listened.
I’d heard Katerina play a handful of times before, and each time she’d taken my breath away with her skill. I know it sounds crazy, but she plays piano a lot like her brother, Niko, plays hockey: with superbly quick hands, soulful determination, and a raw but elegant power.
She wassogood, in fact, that when she reached the end of her piece, part of me wanted to hear her play the next song.
But I didn’t, of course, because that’d be weird. I knocked instead.
Katerina opened up a second later and her almond-shaped eyes widened with surprise. “Piper!”
“Hi, Katerina!” I held out the bouquet. “I brought you some flowers.”
“Oh, they’re so beautiful!” Unlike her brother, she spoke perfect English with only the tiniest hint of a Russian accent. “Are they from your balcony garden?”
“Yep! It’s just a small thank you.”
“Thank you for what?” She waved me inside. “Come in, come in.”
“Jax told me you had some of the missing ingredients for breakfast this morning.”
“Oh, Piper, you didn’t need to thank me forthat. All he needed was a pack of sausage and some baking powder. It was not a big deal, I promise.”
“Yeah, but he really made my morning,” I said. “And since you helped him, I just wanted to swing by and say thanks.”
“You’re so sweet,” she said. She fetched a vase from the cabinet and filled it under the running sink.
“I could hear you playing from out in the hall,” I said. “It was so lovely. You are ridiculously talented, girl.”
She chuckled modestly. “Thank you. I hope you weren’t waiting out there long?”
“Are you kidding? I could’ve sat out there and listened to you play all day long, but I didn’t want to get caught creepin’ in the hallway.”
Katerina laughed and put the flowers in the vase. She displayed the arrangement at the center island. “There. Wow, they’re so beautiful. Thank you again, Piper.”
“Thankyou,” I said.
