We got into Teller’s truck, and I sent off a quick text to Piper.
Hey sweetheart, I’m sorry it took me so long to respond. I’ll catch you up on what happened today. I’m fine. Teller’s taking me somewhere to chat. So if they don’t find my body…
Just kidding. Mostly.
I miss you and I hope you and Ollie are okay. Let me know where you are. I’ll see you soon.
Seconds later, she wrote back.
Thank God. I’m at the hospital. We’re okay. Just want to see you
“I didn’t even know you were in town,” I said, tucking my phone away for the moment. “Don’t think Piper knew either.”
“I dropped everything and got here as soon as I could today. Danny isn’t my favorite person, but I knew Piper would need support.”
“Good. Glad she has that from you.”
“Of course she does,” Teller said. “She’s my sister.”
This was awkward. Things used to be so easy betweenTeller and me. Another lifetime ago. But we’d grown apart even before I went to prison.
I’d heard about Teller being wounded as a Green Beret. The scars on his face hinted at that story. Piper had mentioned he and Ayla lived in Silver Ridge part time now, spending the rest of their time in LA or traveling.
His life couldn’t have been more different from mine. I didn’t know Teller at all anymore. It was impossible to imagine ever getting back to the camaraderie we used to have. The brotherhood.
My sleeping with his sister probably wasn’t helping.
I had to be upfront about it. If only because I preferred to be on offense right now than defense.
“I haven’t told Piper this yet, but I’m in love with her.”
Teller cursed, and his truck swerved slightly within the lane.
“Not what you wanted to hear?” I asked.
“Man, what do you expect me to say? Congratulations?”
“That might be nice, actually.”
His jaw tightened, and he tapped one finger against the gearshift. “Are you sure you’re in love with Piper? Or is it what she represents? A chance to get back a piece of what you lost.”
I frowned at the window as trees whipped past. “I don’t love an idea. I loveher. Everything about her. I love Piper’s sense of humor and her love for her son and her passion for life. Her kindness. Some people think empathy is for suckers. That’s not the world I want to live in. In my life, I’ve had some time to sit around and contemplate what really matters. Not claiming to have any profound answers. I’ve made plenty of mistakes and taken wrong turns. But Piper…she’severythingthat matters for me.”
Teller was quiet for a long moment.
“That was quite a speech.”
I glared from the side of my eye. He was smirking. “Fuck you,” I said, but there wasn’t much bite to the words.
“Can’t imagine the Grayden O’Neal I used to know being so damn talkative.”
“It’s called eloquent. That’s the word you were looking for. Eloquent.”
He snickered, and just for a few seconds, it was like a couple decades had disappeared from the gulf between us.
I crossed my arms. “Where are you taking me, anyway? Am I about to meet my end off some cliff? A chief of police can probably cover up a crime better than anyone.”
“Let’s not even joke about that.”
