When I woke up, familiar arms were wrapped around me from behind. Two thoughts simultaneously entered my mind: I couldn’t believe she’d flown out here, and I must have been asleep a hell of a long time.
Piper.
“How’d you know?” I grated out, my throat like sandpaper.
“Travis and Sid called,” she replied, simply giving me a squeeze. “I’ll kick your ass later for not calling me.”
“I can’t believe you flew out here,” I marveled, turning to face her.
She rolled her eyes, shoving me gently. “Of course I did. You’d do the same for me. When was the last time you ate?” she asked quietly.
“It’s been a while,” I admitted. “What time is it?”
“Just after two.”
I gaped at her in shock. “Holy shit, I can’t believe I slept that long.”
She squeezed my hand briefly. “You must have needed it.” She sat up and I knew she was in take-charge mode. “Now, go wash your face, change your clothes, and come down. Your brother cleared some space down in the construction zone,” she muttered.
“Fine,” I mumbled, feeling like I could stay buried under the covers for a week.
I winced when I got a look at myself in the mirror. My left eye was nearly swollen shut, my nose was swollen, and my skin was puffy and pale. I looked like death warmed over.
“Trav went to work?” I asked when I wandered into the kitchen after cleaning myself up. I looked around. Trav had obviously cleared away some of the plastic wrap covering the countertops, and had pulled out a table and chairs from somewhere.
“Yep, but not before showing me five times how to work the alarm and telling me that some guy named Theo is parked out front. Now, sit,” she ordered, pointing to the eat-in kitchen table and depositing a plate of grilled cheese and a cup of coffee down. “Eat.”
“You’re bossy,” I mumbled petulantly.
She sat across from me with a mug of coffee between her hands. “I love you and I’m worried and I need to do something. So I’m being bossy.” She shrugged.
“Okay,” I agreed. “Are you missing work?”
She shook her head. “Ry’s mom has it handled,” she replied, referring to her fiancé’s mother.
Piper owned and operated a gorgeous boutique in Hawthorne called Dixie’s. Ryker’s mom had been helping out for a few months now. When I was of sound mind, I intended to ask her how that was going.
“Why didn’t you call me?” she asked quietly.
I sighed. “I was exhausted. And I didn’t want to bother you with this. You have so much going on, with the store just opening and your wedding right around the corner.”
“This is important, Sam. You are important,” she emphasized.
“I know,” I agreed. “I just… you know how I am.” I shrugged.
She smiled. “I know. That’s why I’m going to force it out of you.”
I groaned.
She held her hands up. “Later. First you need to eat. Then, later we’ll make some cocktails and have it out.”
“You have this all planned out, huh?” I grumbled.
“I do.” She nodded sagely. “I’m spending the night, so you’re stuck with me.”
“You’re a good friend.” I sighed, feeling like I could cry.
She winced, gesturing to my eyes. “Uh, babe, let’s not do anything to make that situation worse. Let’s stick to the light stuff for now. No waterworks.”
