“Any chance you want to play something else?” Amelia asks, lowering herself onto the couch beside Story. Our daughter jerks her head no without even looking at her mom; her eyes are focused on the board. “I should’ve known.”
I sneak a glance at my ex-wife, smirking to myself. She’s pouting, and her arms are crossed over her chest. She never wins at Monopoly, and I’m not surprised she wanted to set the table instead of playing with everyone. Riley and Story have more properties than Hayden and me; they’re almost neck and neck. They’re competitive, but they’re also supportive of each other.
I look around the room. Where is Piper? I haven’t seen her for a while, not since we said good-bye to my parents. And that was an hour ago. I try to focus on the game again, but I can’t. I missed my turn twice, and I lost all of my properties.
“It’s definitely not your day, Hunter,” Hayden teases, meeting my gaze.
“I’m bankrupt.” I shrug, stand up from the couch, and turn away from my ex-wife. “Do any of you want some snacks? Drinks?”
Story and Riley look up at me and shake their heads. My brother lifts his glass of whiskey, letting me know he’s good.
I nod and head to the bathroom, using it as an excuse to go find Piper.
Ignoring her because my ex insinuated I’m in love with her? It’s a mistake. She doesn’t deserve that.
Once I’m out of my room, I go to the backyard. Piper is there, sitting on the sunbed. Story’s little kitten is sleeping on her lap. She looks peaceful, staring off into the distance, her fingers playing with her little pendant. I come closer and sit down on the edge of the sunbed.
“You’re not in the mood for Monopoly?” I ask, and she purses her lips.
My gaze coasts over her face and down her dress, and my throat tightens. Piper is breathtakingly beautiful. Her hair is in little curls pulled over one shoulder, and she’s twirling it around her finger, letting it go and then twirling it again. Her deep turquoise dress, with its high neckline and long sleeves, makes it impossible not to notice her. She’s all I want to look at…but I spent the whole day avoiding her.
“Did he follow you out here?” I nod to the kitten and hear nothing in return. “He spends most of his time with Story, but if he notices me on the couch or in my bed—he’s instantly on my lap.”
Piper keeps quiet. Her gaze is trained on the little terrace nearby. I’ve been giving her the silent treatment for four days. So afraid to show how much I care. I even asked my father to step in and distract her from Amelia instead of doing it myself. It’s no surprise she has no desire to talk to me.
“Piper, I’m sorry. I should’ve answered your text, should’ve stayed in touch.” The words rush out, and I feel like a little boy, nervous she’ll leave before I get the chance to explain myself. “We had such a great time in my car, and—”
“You mean our sex was great, right?” she utters, her voice laced with anger. “You came for your fix, got it, and ghosted me. Left me on read for four days. Acted like I’m a stranger to you.”
“It’s not like that.”
“That’s the impression you gave me.”
“I’m a jerk. I let Amelia’s words get in my head and tried to prove her wrong. Hurting you in the process.”
She smirks, shaking her head. “Looks like you’re still not over her. Either way, I don’t see any reason for you to believe whatever she said.”
“She’s manipulative.”
“And you’re gullible,” she counters, looking me right in the eyes. I ball my fist and grit my teeth.
“Piper, you have no idea what you’re talking about. She’s an actress. A good one. She knows exactly what to say to rile you up.” I hold her gaze. “You don’t know how she—”
“Trust me, Hunter, I know how she is. We had a lovely talk in your kitchen.”
My eyebrows draw together in confusion. I’ve been keeping an eye on Amelia, making sure she doesn’t corner Piper. She was always on my radar, and I don’t remember…fuck. Story went to her room to get her new favorite Elsa doll, and then she came back and asked me to help her find it. It took no more than five minutes.
“What did she say to you?” I ask.
“She’s sure we’re fucking,” she replies with indifference, staring at me with a calm expression on her face. Then she snorts, a snide smile stretching across her lips. “And, surprisingly, just like your mom and your brother, Amelia believes you’re going to hurt me, going to hurt your daughter in the process because we’re so close. You’re bad news, Hunter Hale.”
My mouth hangs open as I gawk at Piper.
“Did Colin cheat on Willow?” she asks, and my blood boils. The vein in my neck bulges as I try to even out my breathing.
Jumping to my feet, I hover over Piper. The kitten startles; his fur puffs up. She grimaces, slowly wraps her hand around him, and lifts the skirt of her dress higher. He scratched her when I scared him, and a tiny streak of blood has appeared on her thigh.
“Fuck.” Piper stands up and heads back into the house with the kitten pressed to her chest. I follow her, coming to an abrupt stop when she does.
My brother leans against the doorframe. His hands are hidden in his pockets.
“How long have you been here?” I ask, stepping forward and lining up with Piper.
“For a minute or two,” he answers, his eyes dashing between her and me. “You two looked kinda tense. What’s going on?”
I’m fucking your best friend and have probably managed to fall for her. No big deal, obviously.
“The kitten scratched me.” Piper pushes past him into the house.
Hayden and I just stand there in silence. I’m grateful for this moment to catch my breath, until—
“What do you want from Piper?”
“Excuse me?” I frown, my gaze clashing with Hayden’s.
“You left the room and never came back. And then I found you sitting outside with her. A little too close for my fucking liking.”
“We were talking,” I state. “You’re not her boyfriend.”
“Because you are?” he demands, and I barely hold myself back from punching him. I don’t want Story to remember her eighth birthday as the day when her dad and uncle got into a fistfight.
“She’s my daughter’s nanny. We’ve become close after spending so much time together, and I decided to check on her. Didn’t I tell you to loosen up—”
“Fuck you, Hunter,” Hayden spits, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m just overprotective.”
“You don’t give her enough credit. She’s fully capable of standing up for herself.”
“She’s always been there for everyone, especially her family, while no one but me was there for her. I just want her to be safe.” My brother licks his lips.
I huff out a breath through my nostrils. “We were just talking, Hayden. I noticed she was gone and decided to look for her since I was losing anyway.”
He nods. His shoulders slump, and a little grin plays at the corners of his mouth. “Your daughter won. She’s the monopolist.”
“She sure is.” I smile, gradually relaxing.
My talk with Piper won’t be easy, but I’ll explain everything to her. Just not tonight. Tonight, I’m going to talk to my ex…and she’s going to regret meddling.
It’s quiet in the house. Story is already asleep with her kitten, who’s curled into a ball on top of her blanket. Piper completely ignored me for the rest of the evening, focusing only on Story. They even made plans for next Monday, after Piper’s week off. A huge weight left my shoulders when I heard that. I was afraid she’d quit.
Everyone left an hour ago, and now Amelia is sitting on the couch in the living room with a glass of wine. I plop down beside her.
“Who gave you the right to tell Piper anything about my father?”
“I thought she should know since it’s the reason you’re so opposed to the idea of a relationship.” Amelia shrugs. “Anything else?”
“This is the last time I’ll let you stay in my house. Your visit has messed up a lot for me.”
Amelia watches me from under her lashes, then chuckles and stands up. “You’re so wrong, Hunter Hale. I didn’t mess up anything. It was all you.”
“That’s bullshit.”
She snorts, bends down, and focuses her gaze on me. “Even before I got here, I knew you were fooling around with Story’s nanny. Our daughter talks a lot, Hunter, and she’s sure her daddy is in love. Just like her nanny.”
“She—”
“She told me how happy she was for you. How much she loves Piper, and how much she wants her to stay.” Her lips twist into a scowl as her eyes roam over my face. “I wanted to make sure you were serious about her. To make sure our daughter wouldn’t be heartbroken because her dad would screw up and Piper would leave. And you fucking failed.”
What does she mean?
“I didn’t fail,” I insist.
Amelia takes a deep breath and continues with the tiniest shrug. “I noticed how you looked at her when you got home from Spain. How indifferent you were to me, even topless. I thought it was a good sign. That maybe you were changing…but you proved me wrong.” She points her finger at me, straightening her back. “The second I said you were in love with her, you changed back into your old self. You’re so afraid to admit your feelings, you’d rather ignore her.”
“Were you snooping?”
“I didn’t need to. I know you like the back of my hand.” She steps back, bumping into the table. Her wineglass falls to the floor and breaks. Neither of us look at it, both too pissed to care. “If your actions and your fucking dick force Piper to leave and break Story’s heart, I’ll take her to London with me. And you’ll be the one visiting us.”
Amelia turns on her heels and storms out of the room. What was that? She was testing me? My vision blurs, and I hide my face in my hands. I’m spiraling…and it’s not a good sign.
