I stumbled from the bed but listened to his orders as he left the bedroom, shutting the door behind him quietly. I threw on my dress as quickly as possible, not wanting to be caught naked by Caleb or anyone else.
Panic took hold, and I tried to listen at the door, but it was thick wood and practically soundproof.
I prayed, silently, please let it be nothing, please let Caleb and Grant be okay. After what felt like an eternity, I couldn’t take it anymore. My thoughts got the worst of me. I searched the room for anything that might be used as a weapon but couldn’t find anything in the dark. Except my high heeled shoe from earlier.
I held it pointy side out and slowly opened the bedroom door. The hallway was dark, and I didn’t hear anything. I quietly left the bedroom, tiptoeing as I went. The room Caleb was in was quiet, the door was still closed. I wanted to check on him first, so I went to the door. But I heard a sound behind me, just down the hall. Footsteps.
I turned, prepared to strike, lunging forward and falling into Grant’s chest.
“Really?” he asked, not even keeping his voice down. “A high heel? Were you going to bludgeon me to death with it?”
“What’s going on?” I asked, ignoring his question.
“Caleb woke up, needed to use the bathroom and asked for a glass of water,” Grant said, holding up a cup in his hand.
“Oh.”
“I got it under control,” he said with a little laugh. “You can go back to bed.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, little man is half asleep. He might not even be awake to drink the water when I get back in there.”
Grant’s voice didn’t sound like him, not fully. There was something wrong, I could tell. He wasn’t telling me something.
“What’s going on, really?” I asked.
“I told you,” he sighed. “You really should have listened and stayed in the room.”
“I thought something might have happened to you—”
“And if it had? You think you’d be better equipped to fight off the bad guy with a shoe?”
“I…well, I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted to protect you and Caleb.”
Grant placed his hand on my shoulder. I thought he might offer an apology for his tone, or maybe thank me for at least trying. But no.
“Next time, if we’re in a situation where someone is breaking in or something, listen to me. I’m the Marine. I have the training. You don’t. What if you’d have run into Caleb with that thing?”
“I wouldn’t have hit Caleb,” I stammered, feeling insulted he’d even insinuate that.
“Well, you weren’t exactly thinking straight when you lunged toward me before verifying who it was. Thank God it was only a shoe.”
He pushed past me and went into Caleb’s room, shutting the door behind him. I stood there, my mouth open in amazement. I couldn’t believe he’d talk to me that way. I stopped before doing anything stupid. I didn’t hurt anyone. Maybe he had a point, it wasn’t the smartest move, but I was scared.
I decided to check on Caleb anyway and opened the door. Grant was sitting in the chair beside him. I could make him out in the glow of a nightlight he must have turned on for him. Caleb was snoring quietly. Grant didn’t even look at me, even though I know he’d heard me come into the room.
I wasn’t sure what had gotten into him, but I didn’t like it. Instead of going back to his room to sleep, I went down to Leah’s old room. I crawled into bed with my dress still on and stared at the ceiling until I finally fell asleep.
Chapter 15
Grant
Maybe I’d overreacted. Just a bit. Piper had good intentions, but good intentions could get you killed in an emergency. People often jump into pools to save those who are drowning, even though they have no experience doing so. They find that the drowning person pulls them down too, requiring the lifeguard to now save two people instead of just one - and meaning the odds are good that at least one person could be seriously injured or die.
Without proper training, good Samaritans could sometimes make things worse.
My words had come out sounding harsh, and I felt like an ass. I’d stayed with Caleb for a bit longer, hoping Piper might fall asleep before I returned to my room. When I got there, she wasn’t in my bed. I checked Leah’s room and found her sleeping there.
I let her be. I’d rather her be pissed at me than end up dead.
I went back to bed, though I couldn’t sleep. This time, it had been a false alarm, but every time I closed my eyes, I remembered the time it wasn’t.
Firash was a good little boy who only wanted to help. He’d been playing outside with friends when a drone hit his home by mistake. His family weren’t terrorists; they were just regular people trying to raise their kid in a fucked up world. But in seconds, they were gone.
Had Firash not run inside to try and find them, he might still be alive today.
Had there been an intruder in the house, and had I subdued that person, Piper rushing in to try and save the day could have distracted me. It could have caused the bad guy to have an advantage. It would have given him a new target, someone more vulnerable.
I tossed and turned in bed, which felt empty without her in it. But I told myself she was better off in the other room. She was better off far away from me. I was broken. Not just my missing limb, but my mind too. I had to repeat that to myself, over and over again, to help with the guilt I felt for snapping at her the way I did.
I never did fall asleep, and eventually the sun filtered in through the blinds. I heard doors opening and closing, Piper was up. So was Caleb. I knew Piper had to be at work; the daycare couldn’t run too long without her. She was too short-staffed and the daycare couldn’t close - people’s jobs depended on it. She’d closed the day of the funeral, but she couldn’t do it too many days in a row.
I contemplated getting up. I needed to. Finally, I pushed myself out of bed and stepped into the hallway, just as I heard the front door slam. I walked down to the living room and looked out the front window. Piper’s car was pulling out of my driveway.
My chest tightened as she drove away.
I didn’t like her being so far away from me. Truthfully, I saw no reason Lars would have a beef with her, but I didn’t like the way he’d looked at her either. Something didn’t sit right with me. Why in the hell would he be at the funeral of the guy who was suing him? Unless he was there to admire his handiwork?
I couldn’t let her just leave like that; I’d have to make sure she was okay.
With a sigh, I finished getting dressed and cleaned up and left my house, headed toward the daycare and the hotel. I’d work there today, keeping an eye on Piper while also giving her some space.
The idea of giving her space also didn’t sit well with me, but that was my own damn feelings getting in the way. I had to push those back, think about it logically. I was a mess, the last thing she needed to deal with right now. She had to think of Caleb, not my shitty mood swings or PTSD flashbacks.
I drove to the hotel and was relieved to see Piper’s car in the daycare parking lot. I caught glimpses of her inside the building, shuffling around. There was a shower and everything there, so I knew she could get both herself and Caleb ready for the day.
It was still early, but Leah’s car was also in the parking lot. I made my way into the hotel to see what work my sister might have for me today.
The air was quiet and there was a crispness to it that meant winter was coming. I pulled my coat tighter around me as I walked toward the hotel entrance.
Leah greeted me as soon as she saw me. “Well look who finally decided to show his face?” She stood at the counter with her hands on her hips and a smirk on her face.
“What are you talking about?”
“People noticed your absence at Andy’s funeral yesterday, so I asked around,” she said, a teasing tilt to her voice, “And they all said you left with Piper.”
“Some distant relatives were giving her trouble.” I shrugged it
off. “And I didn’t like the way Lars was staring at her, so I escorted her out. What’s the big deal? Not like I was close to Andy anyway. My presence wouldn’t be missed.”
“No, except by me,” she said. “But when I heard you left with Piper, well, I forgave you.” She winked at me.
“And what is that supposed to mean?”
“Come on, Grant. Are you going to deny your feelings for her forever?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I turned on my heel, preparing my exit. I knew exactly what Leah was talking about, but I didn’t want to discuss that with her. But my sister was persistent.
She hurried around, stepping in front of the door, blocking my retreat. She was grinning from ear-to-ear. “Tabby came back and stayed here, said Piper ended up spending the night with you,” Leah listed. “So, are you going to share the details or what?”
“I don’t share details,” I said, pointing at her. “And you know that.”
“You mean you don’t kiss and tell? So something did happen.” Leah pretended to pout, but it wasn’t a very good effort. She was enjoying it way too much.
“Maybe you should ask Piper what happened.”
“Oh I will, as soon as I see her, but you’re standing in front of me.”
“Well, I’m not in the mood.” I pushed past her and left through the door.
She called after me. “You know I approve of you two getting together, right? I think you’re perfect for one another.”
I cringed at her words. Maybe the younger me, the one untarnished by memories and left bruised and damaged. Yeah, that me might have been perfect for Piper. But the current version of myself, I knew better.
Piper was perfect. She would always be perfect. But that didn’t mean we’d be perfect together. Namely because I was far from perfect.
I was as imperfect as a person could get.
And I didn’t feel the need to drag Piper down with me.
ooo000ooo
I received a call from the doctor that the shoes for Caleb were ready to be picked up. I contemplated sticking around the daycare, just in case, but told myself I was being paranoid. Even if Lars had killed Andy, he had a reason for doing so. Piper was innocent, no reason to harm her.
But just in case, I put in a call to my best friend.
“Hey, man, can you do me a favor?”
“Sure,” Kellen said. “What do you need?”
“You working today?”
“Just some work around the hotel,” he said. “We’re working on updates to the ballroom.”
“Do you mind keeping an eye on Piper for me? Just for about an hour or so. I have to run an errand.”
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure. It’s just— well, it’s a long story. It’s probably nothing, but better safe than sorry, right?”
Unlike my sister, I didn’t get interrogated as to why I cared so much about Piper’s safety. He just understood that some things needed to be done without question. This was one of those times.
“Sure. I can leave one of the guys in charge and head over to the daycare. Should I tell her you sent me?”
“Nah, just tell her you want to check on Matilda.”
He chuckled. “She’s probably used to me stopping by randomly, just to make sure she’s okay.”
Matilda was Kellen and Leah’s adopted daughter. She was still a baby, about six months old. Cute as a button, but she kept Kellen and Leah on their toes, to say the least.
I hung up feeling much better. Kellen used to be a firefighter and was used to working under pressure and saving lives. He was one of the few people I trusted in the world to keep my loved ones safe. Another reason I loved that he ended up with my sister. As long as they were together nothing would ever hurt her.
And as long as he was watching Piper and Caleb, I had no doubt they’d be safe too. Still, I made it my goal to get back as quickly as possible.
Chapter 16
Piper
“Today? William, you can’t possibly mean they want to see him today, after everything he went through yesterday.”
The front door of the daycare opened, and I turned around to see who it was. Kellen Mayberry walked through the door. William was blathering on and on about how it made me look bad if I kept Caleb away from family who just wanted to get to know him, but I wasn’t paying attention. Seeing Kellen caught me by surprise.
I held my hand over the phone and whispered, “Grant sent you to keep an eye on me, didn’t he?”
Kellen smirked and raised his hands. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I just came to check on Matilda.”
I frowned, holding a finger up to tell him one second. I had to finish my call with William first. “So there’s nothing more I can do? I should just let them see him?”
“There’s really no reason not to, Piper.”
Maybe he was right; maybe I was being too harsh. I was just so scared to lose him, and it felt like they were merely being opportunistic leeches.
“Can it be supervised at least? I can be there, right?”
“They requested you not be. Said that you tend to cause drama, and they want the meeting to go as smoothly as possible. But you are the appointed guardian and it comes down to what you want.”
A knot formed in my throat. I didn’t want to do this. Tears welled up in my eyes. “Do you think I’ll get custody of him? Please be honest with me.”
“I can’t say,” William said honestly. “Not for sure. Not without looking into everything further.”
“What do you need to know? I’ve taken care of him on and off since he was a baby, while they can’t even remember his name.”
“You have a good case, Piper, which is why I’m encouraging you to work with them and to make this as easy as possible. Prove that you’re willing to work with everyone, that you’re willing to let the rest of his family visit with him. Because as it stands now, there’s really no reason his other relatives shouldn’t be able to meet him.”
“He just lost his father, William. He’s scared and shy, his whole world has been upended. I’m just trying to make this as easy for him as possible.”
“I know, but they could make this a whole lot harder for you. Until we’ve established who gets custody of Caleb, I’d advise you to work together.”
Fuck working together, I thought. But I knew he was right. It wouldn’t be easy, Caleb didn’t deserve this shit, but in the end, it would make me look better if I didn’t cause any drama with the rest of my family - a family that had a lot of money and powerful lawyers who could sue my ass in a heartbeat and probably win. Then I wouldn’t just lose Caleb; I’d probably never get to see him again.
“Alright, let’s set something up. Just tell me when and where and inform them that I will be there.”
William agreed and hung up. I turned back to Kellen, surprised he was still there. If he’d really been there to visit Matilda, he’d have gone back to the nursery on his own. Instead, he stood near the desk and studied my expression.
“You’re doing everything you can for that boy,” he said with a strong tone. “Keep it up.”
I nodded, wiping the tears from my eyes. “Thanks. Ready to go on back?”
Kellen nodded and followed me to the nursery to see his daughter. He was probably the only person I knew that could possibly understand what I was going through, so I decided to ask him a very serious, very invasive question. “Do you ever wonder if maybe you’re not the best person for her?”
He seemed taken aback. We stopped just outside the nursery doors, and he pondered it for a moment. “I used to worry that I wouldn’t be a good parent. I mean, look at me.” He tapped his chest playfully. “I’m not exactly the fatherly type, but after a while, I realized every parent has those thoughts. No one can raise a child without doubting their ability at least some of the time. It’s hard work. But if anyone is prepared for that type of work, it’s you.”
He opened the nursery door
and stepped inside after his comment. I considered following him inside, but Frannie greeted him and all I wanted to do was to get back to Caleb.
I hurried to the toddler room where he was seated on the carpet by himself. He had his trucks, and it didn’t seem to faze him that the other kids had someone else to play with. I hated to see him sitting alone with his trucks. So I joined him.
“Where’s Grant?” he asked me, turning those dark eyes toward me.
“He’s probably working, sweetie. We’ll see him at some point, I’m sure.”
Caleb went back to playing with his truck. His question had hit me harder than I thought it would. He was so attached to Grant, and while I thought maybe he was ready to open his heart to us last night, today I wasn’t so sure.
Maybe I was being too hard on him. We’d had one little fight, but I was scared. I’d seen what he’d been like since coming back from the war, and it wasn’t pretty. Maybe I jumped in too soon, letting myself get caught up in the “What ifs…” Well, the next move was on him, and I prayed that for Caleb’s sake, he wouldn’t fuck things up.
About an hour later, the front door of the daycare opened and Caleb went running toward it. He called out, “Grant!” and I was relieved. At least Grant wouldn’t fail him. I wasn’t sure I was ready to face him after the night before, but I had little choice. I stood up and followed Caleb, putting on my best neutral, friendly look.
“Look what I got you!” Grant bellowed, sounding more chipper than I expected.
“Shoes?” Caleb responded, sounding a bit disappointed.
“Not just any shoes,” he corrected. “These are supposed to help you get around a bit easier. Wanna try them on?”
“Okay,” he said, sounding cautious.
I helped sit Caleb down as Grant pulled off his regular tennis shoes.
“The doctor explained that his feet turn out a bit, which causes some balance issues,” Grant explained. “She said it’s nothing too serious, and these shoes can help with that, making it easier for him to run around. Once he gets used to the new shoes, of course.”
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