Page 135 of Tangled Kisses
I exhale a brittle laugh. “They’re just friends. I don’t think they ever slept together, but I know she hoped for more. You don’t think she’ll try anything, do you?”
My sister shakes her head as she snags a hunk of cheese. “That’s a one-sided deal. Trust me.”
I slide a glass toward her. “What about you? What do you want from life and love and all that bullshit?”
Piper stares into the wine like it holds answers. “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.”
“Of course it matters,” I press. “Piper, what do you want? You can’t want to keep doing this long-term, right?”
“No,” she says quietly. “I was planning to leave.”
I perk up at her words. “Really?”
She nods.
“Does that handsome fireman Colton have anything to do with that decision?”
She looks away, blinking fast, her hand swiping at the corner of one eye. “Not anymore.”
I step closer, heart sinking. “Piper, what’s going on?”
“Colton and I never dated. Not once. But he’s been my friend since I arrived in Tangled Vines. He looked out for me, and I appreciated that. And honestly? He needed a friend, too—his marriage had been on the rocks for months.”
Piper, please don’t tell me you got involved in such a sticky situation.
My mind drifts to the nights in the bar over the last couple of weeks. I never saw Piper and Colton doing anything together, but they were absolutely smitten with one another. That was obvious to everyone.
She catches my expression. “Stop looking at me like that. I never did a damn thing with the man, beyond a kiss on the cheek. I’m no homewrecker. Hell, I convinced him to try therapy, see if he could save the marriage for his kid’s sake.”
“Guess it worked?”
She rolls her eyes. “Not even close. If anything, it convinced them that the marriage was dead. So they separated a few months ago.”
“I’m still waiting to hear the bad part.”
Piper sighs, her whole body sagging. “After the separation, things got… flirty, as you know. Nothing happened, but it feltlike maybe it could.” Her eyes dart away, and she swallows hard before forcing the words out. “I told Colton I was thinking of leaving the ranch, and he was on board. And then his ex called. She’d just found out she was pregnant.”
Talk about tragic timing. I’m not surewhatto say.
“What are they going to do?”
“Have the baby,” she states, her shoulders curling in. “Colton is overwhelmed but trying to be a stand-up guy. Trying to be supportive. What else can he do?”
“That’s a lot to digest.”
“It is, but I can’t stick around and watch him play happy family, especially when I know how miserable they both were. I thought Colton and I might be something. I thought maybe… it doesn’t matter. I just need to disappear for a while. Leave Tangled Vines.”
“What?” I sputter my wine at her disclosure. “Look, I know it’s hard, this Colton situation, but who knows what might happen? Besides, to be selfish, I came out here to be with you. I need you.”
She gives me a sad smile. “You’re going to be busy with your future husband and your gaggle of children. I think you’ll survive.”
“I’m not letting you run away.”
She lifts her glass. “Then let me drown my sorrows, would you?”
I raise mine. “Fine. Pity party for Piper it is.”
She glances down as my phone buzzes next to her, a frown marring her features. “What the hell does Vander want?”
