“Dude,” Kelsey complained. “We so need it. Let your girlfriend help for once.”
Piper’s gaze cut to Kelsey and her shoulders tensed. “Um, we’re not?—”
I cut her off before she could finish her sentence. “Fine. Just this once.”
Piper blinked at the words, turning to me with a raised eyebrow. I knew what she was asking, and I was more than okay with her being called my girlfriend.
“Great,” Kelsey said, unaware of the exchange between us. “I’ll owe you one. Theo too.”
“I’ll get dinner tonight,” I added. “And for the next few days.”
“Sold. Though, I would’ve helped anyway. Be right back.”
“If she wasn’t a best-selling author, I’d say hire her,” Kelsey said. “Though, if this becomes our normal, we need a third person.”
“I was already thinking it.”
Her eyes widened. “Wow. Look at all this growth. Piper’s good for you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I rolled my eyes. “I’ll count the money.”
Kelsey got to work on cleaning the counters and the espresso machine. Piper came out of the back room with a broom, but I wanted to help her when I was done.
The last thing I expected was for the whole sitting area to not only be swept, but mopped too.
“Holy shit,” Kelsey said when I was finally finished with my managerial work. “How are you so fast?”
“I love cleaning,” Piper explained. “That, and I want food.”
“Did you know she was this good at cleaning?” Kelsey asked.
“She’s helped before, but she’s really excited about food.”
“Well, yes, but you’re so efficient. I’m calling it. You have to train whoever we hire.”
“I’ll do my best,” she said with a laugh. “Now, you need rest, and I have to talk about plans with this one.”
“I’m the third wheel again,” Kelsey muttered. “Fine.But I miss you.”
“Come to the hangouts with the rest of the girls and you’d see me.”
“You sound as bad as them,” she said with a shake of her head. “Stop trying to get me to stay.”
“Sorry. Can’t.” Piper stuck her tongue out before linking her arm with me. “Now because I hang out here all the time, I know we’re done. It’s food time.”
Kelsey got her purse and said goodbye before we all left for the day. I figured we would either go to my place or hers, but Piper dragged me toward the diner.
“Where are we going?”
“You said you owed me dinner, but you’re way too tired to cook. So the diner it is.”
“That’s not a terrible idea. I need a damn burger.”
“Are they good?”
“Only the best. Come on, love.”
Piper had pep in her step after I used the nickname, and I knew I would call her that as often as I could.
