Page 70 of Just Friends
“Can I get you something from the deli across the street?” I said, keeping my gaze trained on the floor. “I thought we could eat breakfast on the road.”
“Ooh, fun! Like a real road trip,” she said. “Can you get me my favorite breakfast sammy?”
Just from the pep in Piper’s voice, it was obvious that a lot of the weirdness between us had already passed. Which you’dthinkI’d be happy about, since just yesterday, I could’ve sworn that was all I wanted …
“Ham, egg and cheese, right?” I asked, just to make sure, even though I already knew it was her favorite.
“Yup! You got it.”
“I’ll be back in a little.”
“Thanks! I should be ready to go by the time you get back.”
“No prob,” I said, pulling the bathroom door shut.
I rode the elevator down to the garage and stashed our piping-hot travel mugs in the cabin of my pickup truck. I climbed the concrete stairs to street level and hoofed it to the deli across the street. The place was bustling for breakfast; dozens of conversations drowned out the jazz that played over the deli’s speakers. I shuffled to my place at the end of the line to order. I was still so tired, the world around me didn’t sound or feel real—it was like I was moving through a dream.
Finally, I made it to the counter and put in our order. They gave me a ticket and I took a seat, waiting for my number to be called.
Time to wait meant time to think. But thinking was the lastthing I wanted to do right now because I’d spent allnightthinking, trying to make sense of some things that were bothering me. But all that got me was even more twisted up and confused, not to mention sleep deprived.
And why?Why—that’s the craziest part. Ishould’vefelt great and slept like a baby last night, because for the first time since the kiss, things were starting to feel normal again with Piper. We had our Chinese food delivered and had ourselves a little feast. After dinner, we stayed up late watching a movie, and stayed up even later talking about what we’d watched.
That was all fine and good. But once we called it a night and went to our own beds, the panic and anxiety started to set in. I laid awake, tossing and turning for hours, unable to sleep.
All I could think about when I closed my eyes was Piper going back to Montana to “figure things out”—but my fear was that she’d end up getting back with her ex. The same absolute loser who’d already broken her heart once before. Yeah, she said she was only “thinking” about it—butstill!What the hell?Thatguy? Was she really serious? She could dosomuch better than him, it’s not even funny.
The thought of it made me sick. My stomach wreaked havoc on me all night long, churning and flopping into the early hours of the morning.
It got so bad that around 3:00 AM, I had a serious urge to go wake Piper and try to talk her into staying,for sure,with me in Dallas—an urge so strong, I actually went and paced outside her door for the better part of an hour while I tried to figure out what the hell I wanted to say. But I couldn’t untangle the complicated mess of thoughts in my head—she already knew I hated Nate, so what good would it do to wake her up and tell her that again?
Part of me hoped she’d hear me shuffling outside her door and ask me what all the ruckus was about. She never did, though. And I never grew the balls to knock because I couldn’t figure out what it was I wanted to say, either. Instead, I went back to my bed with my tail between my legs.
“Isaid,number fifty-five!” the counter employee yelled, staring right at me. “Sir?!”
Broken out of my trance, I looked down at my ticket. Sure enough, I had ticket #55—the same number I wore for the Devils.
A good omen?I thought, pocketing the ticket.Hope so. I could use some good luck.
Us hockey players are nothing if not superstitious.
I snagged the to-go bag and headed back to our place to pick up Piper.
***
Piper’s door was still shut when I made it back.
“I’m back,” I announced loud enough she’d hear me in her bedroom.
“Okay! I’ll be out in a sec!”
I plunked myself down into the couch and played with my phone until she was ready. The boys were lighting up the group chat, discussing their ETAs and already making plans for the day ahead. Hathaway had already arrived; he sent a picture of him and Emma relaxing by the pool.
“Whats up boys. We just made it in. Emma’s first time here and she loves it already. Hurry up and get down here!”
I tapped out a message to the group, figuring it was better to face the musicnowthan when we showed up in person. “Hey everybody. Thought I should let you all know that Piper and I decided to come to the party after all. Sorry for being an asshole about it yesterday. What can I say? I owe you boys some drinks. Anyway, I’ll see you in a couple hours.”
My phone buzzed nonstop as the messages rolled in.
