Page 142 of Salvage Him
"Well, hello." He peered down at Piper and smiled. He didn't have many opportunities to look down atpeople.
I shook my head andsmiled.
"Piper, this is my husband, Paul. Paul, this isPiper."
"Nice to meet you, Piper." He shook her hand. "Rarely do I get to meet one of Brooke's friends. Where did youtwomeet?"
"Oh, my goodness.” Piper spread her hand across her chest. “Brooklyn savedmylife."
Paul narrowed his eyes. I smiled and nodded, not sure where she was goingwiththis.
"See, my father thinks being an art major is a waste of time. He's been trying to get me to come back home and work for him." Piper reached for my hand. "I showed him that check you gave me for doing Leanne's nursery, and he was actuallyimpressed."
"How did Brooke save your life?" Paulasked.
"Have you been to Oklahoma?" Piper asked. "It's where creativity goes to die." She held herheart.
I laughed for the first time intwodays.
Paul grinned andnodded.
"The mural is amazing." I took Piper's hand and pulled her into thelivingroom.
"It did come out good, didn't it?" Shegiggled.
I bitmylip.
Paul tried to catch me in a lie.Theprick.
I kept my thoughts tomyself.
"Well, it's nice to meet you." Paul returned to thestudy.
"Have a seat," I said. We sat across from each other but turned towardtheview.
"Are you okay?" she asked; her tone low but not quite awhisper.
"Iam."
"You're leaving?" She bit her lip. "You didn't even saygoodbye."
"It's better this way. Everything is getting way too complicated." I looked out the window. "We're going back to New York. It will be better. Somedistance."
"I don't know what to say." Her face dropped, and tears sprung to her eyes. After all, she wassouthern,too.
"Piper, don't look so sad. It's okay." I wrapped my arms around her. "I have to do this. Toprotecthim."
Piper's pulled back and searchedmyface.
"What do you mean to protect him?" sheasked.
"I can't." I shook my head. "You can't tell Harrison. Paul knows his dad. If I stay with Harrison, Paul will ruin him, and I can't live with that. Not if I knew I couldstopit."
"But—"
"No,” I grabbed her hands. “Promise me you won'ttellhim."
"Is this some weird like sub's honor code thing?" sheasked.
