Wes shoved his hands in his pockets, his heart hurting with the realization of the pain he’d inflicted. This was what it was like to love someone? You felt their pain more acutely than your own? The need to fix everything he’d broken was spiraling inside of him. He’d spent considerable time thinking about that very thing. His need for control, his desire to fix and help was his way of making sure he took care of the people he cared for. The people he loved. But there was more to loving someone than just “fixing” things.
“I’m not sure I can.”
Both of their mouths dropped open so he hurried on. “I hurt her and I can’t even begin to tell you how much I hate that I did. I can’t undo it or go back in time. Hell, I may mess up in the future and hurt her again. Though, it’ll never be my intention to do that. If I could absorb her hurt, I would. Instead, I want to show her how much she means to me. I want to show her that she’s part of me and it’ll always be my goal to fill her life with happiness, not tears. But I need help.” The words were unfamiliar to him.
Maybe he was overly hopeful but he was almost positive he saw a sheen in Piper’s gaze and a hint of a smile on Fiona’s mouth. In an unintentionally synchronized move, both women crossed their arms over their chests. They didn’t tell him to leave so he shook off his nerves, approached the counter, and set his hands on the edge to give himself something to hold on to.
Then, he put everything out there, telling them how he felt and what he was willing to do to prove it.
43
She was not wallowing. She refused. Which was why Hailey said yes when Piper invited her for dinner. Nick and the kids had gone to see a movie. She’d managed to avoid more than talking on the phone with her cousin for the last ten days. She worried that even though she was holding it together, functioning as she should, one look at Piper would be like tugging the bottom block out of the Jenga game.
Taking a deep breath, she shook her arms, hands, and body a little just to reset herself. You’re fine. You’re not a blubbering mess. Life happens. Hearts get broken. You are rocking the salad world. You have friends. You are loved. Maybe not by the man … nope, veering off track there, Hailey. You are fine.
She knocked. Piper opened the door, her smile soothing some of the sadness in Hailey. Pulling her into a hard hug, she rocked back and forth.
“I love you. And I truly believe I’m not the only one.” Piper pulled back, kissed Hailey on the cheek, then skirted around her, nudging her inside.
“What are you doing?” Hailey stood in Piper’s entryway as her cousin descended the couple of steps.
Piper turned, purse slung over her shoulder. “Moving out of the way so you can get what you deserve.” Piper pointed. “Shut the door. Go inside.”
Hailey did as she was told, leaning her head against the cool wood. When she turned, pressing her back to the door, she wondered why Piper thought she deserved time alone. She’d thought, for sure, Piper was going to go all mama bear on her, pamper her, let her cry it out over wine she’d saved for just such occasions.
She pushed off the door. She’d grab the wine, head out to the pool deck, and enjoy the quiet. She left her shoes and purse by the door, padded down the hallway to the kitchen.
Smiling, she walked to the glass of red that was already sitting there. She picked it up, sipped. Deep breath in, out. She was going to be okay. It might not feel like it in those moments between sleep and waking when it all came rushing back. But she would be.
Heading toward the sliding doors, she smiled wider when she saw Piper had turned on the twinkle lights strung around the edges of the patio.
Sliding the door open, she was surprised to hear music playing. As she closed the door behind her, she wrinkled her nose.
“Really, Piper?” The eighties classic “I Want to Know What Love Is,” by Foreigner, played through the outdoor speakers.
There was a small partition that blocked her view of the pool but once she’d rounded it, everything inside of her came to a pause. Set up beside the pool was a table for two with a white linen tablecloth. Candles flickered from the center of the table, adding a subtle glow. The twinkle lights seemed to dance to the tempo of the music.
Wes stood beside the table dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a black T-shirt. Her heart thrashed against her rib cage. She felt her pulse everywhere. The wineglass was heavy in her hand.
He clutched a handful of colorful flowers. She didn’t know the name but they were like petaled rainbows.
Wes walked forward, stopped in front of her. “This moment is the first one I’ve been able to breathe properly since I left your side.”