Both Cassie and I shoot Ryver the bird, causing all of us to laugh.
I’d tried to get out of coming tonight, but given I’ve only really left my place to go to work or my parents place in the past few weeks, the girls wouldn’t hear my excuses. It was also the date of the GNO I’d arranged for us way back when, and by some miracle at six pm tonight, all of us we’re actually still in the same city.
“I’m usually badass at bowling, it’s these stupid fucking shoes,” Cassie says, waving one foot off the ground, trying to prove her point only to wince with pain.
“It’s not your shoes!” the rest of us all yell at her at the same time, setting off another round of laughter, including from Cassie.
It’s not the first time since getting here, after first having dinner at some dreadful vegan place Ryver chose, that Cassie has blamed her slow and awkward movements on her shoes.
“The man is an animal, what can I say,” she admits with a wink, and then groans as she sits. “Piece of advice for you single gals, do the work now to make sure you’re limber, because let me tell you, when you meet the right guy, you have got to be fit to fuck!”
Everyone laughs again, and I try to join in, but of course I’m reminded that not only am I now included as one of the singles, I’d already met the right guy. And lost him.
Standing up I move to grab my ball from the return, rolling it in the guide until the finger holes are in the right position for me to pick up.
“Fit to fuck, ha! I love it! I’m so getting that on a shirt. I’m thinking oversized racerback tank, in black, with bold sparkly holographic glitch for the words,” Reb declares, grabbing her phone to tap out a note, a few of the girls telling her if she’s going to do it, to order them one too. Bunch of deviants.
“Hey, Piper, I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to remind you.” Cassie has limped over to me, placed an arm around my shoulders and given me a side hug.
“Girl, please, forget about it, I know you didn’t. And for the most part, I’m ok, it just sneaks up on me sometimes, you know?” I lean into her, accepting her comfort, before we both move away.
“Still haven’t heard from him, huh?”
“Nope, and in my strong moments, I think that it’s a good thing, like, he’s clearly moved on or whatever, so I should too. Right?” Before Cass can respond, I keep going, “Besides, he is who he is and I’m who I am, it was never going to work long term. Was it?” I blow my bangs out of my eyes, and pick up my ball, leaning it against my hip.
“Hmm, do you remember the advice you gave me, about Jake?” Cassie arches one perfectly groomed eyebrow at me, as if daring me to lie to her and say I don’t.
“Yes, but that was a completely different situation, you––”
“Was it though? C’mon Piper, I don’t think it matters what the situation is, your advice was solid - don’t make any big decisions and if an opportunity presented itself, at least consider giving it a try.”
“Hard to try anything when the man moved countries, Cassie.” I point out.
“Piper! Are you going to bowl that ball or cuddle it to death?” Clemmie yells out.
“Fuck off, we’re talking comeback strategy!” Cassie shoots back by tilting her head Clemmie’s way, but not taking her eyes from mine. Not giving up, she questions me further. “And have you called him, Piper? Reached out to him? Or what about if he moves back, what then?”
I don’t answer, mostly because I’m not sure how too. No, I haven’t tried to contact him. Have I wanted to? Yes. But I still can’t help but wonder if being in love with Seth was enough, and if anything would ever change between us when it came to his quest for more fame.
“Cass, I know he’s working in London, I’ve checked into shit on the DL, so…what if him being in the play leads to a movie role? And if that movie role leads to another, bigger movie role and suddenly he’s the massive movie star he’s dreaming of being. No, I don’t want that life. It hurts like fuck, but this is better. It will get better.” It has to.
“Ok, chicky, you know we’ve got your back, whatever you want to do,” she says, and she means it. They all do.
“Ryver says when I’m ready, she wants to set me up on a date with her Bikram instructor. I don’t know, maybe it’s time? Dinner or drinks, low key, no promises,” I share and watch as Cassie’s face crinkles with mirth.
“I don’t know sweetie, that’s your call, but just make sure you pick the restaurant. If he’s one of Ryver’s hippie friends, he might try taking you somewhere like she took us tonight. I swear those appetisers were on a bed of dirt.” Cassie mocks shivering in disgust and we both laugh. “You’ll know when it’s time, Piper. Your luck will change or some shit.”
Cass goes back and sits down, and I line up in front of our lane ready to release my last ball of this game. Ignoring the heckling asshats behind me, I take a deep breath, pull my arm back, and step forward to release my ball.
Fuck Seth Mitchell.
Letting my ball fly, there’s a little extra oomph to it, but no one’s more shocked than me when I throw a strike.
As the booming crack of my ball against the pins morphs into the satisfying sound of those same pins hitting the floor, the commotion behind me turns raucous. Any team loyalties are forgotten as all my girls hoot and holler, cheering their asses off for me. Maybe Cass was right, maybe my luck just changed. Spinning around, I grin wide and do the floss – badly, but still, I was celebrating.
* * *
It’s around midnight when the Uber slows down and pulls into the parking lot at my condo. Having shared with Ryver & Allyson, as we all lived on this side of town, I’m the last stop on the route.
Overall, I’ve had an awesome night out with the girls and despite the fact I’d tried to cancel, it was just what I’d needed. Other than the salacious sex talk, which with Reb, Cass & Clemmie present is always a given, we’d spent a lot of our time laughing like hyena’s on speed.
As I pay the driver, I feel lighter, happier than I have in weeks, and I I’m almost positive that…
“Um, sorry, but what’s the name of this song?”
Having not consciously heard a single song on the drive here, it strikes me as odd that this is the one that catches my attention. It’s a plea, as heartbreaking as it is hopeful, and while its catchy folk beat is not at all the style of the man it reminds me of, the lyrics…are all him. Things I can so easily imagine him saying.
“Love Me Now by Ziggy Alberts, you know it?”
“No, no…I don’t.”
And I didn’t need to know it, because right now, I was feeling it.
Inside my condo, I drop everything that’s in my hands onto my sofa and I’m in my bedroom toggling through my Spotify app and streaming that damn song in minutes.
I listen to it three times before I cut myself off.
Fuck you, Seth Mitchell.
I miss you so damn much.
CHAPTER 18
Seth
“Caucasian male, twenty seven, car accident. Drove into a stationary vehicle. Emergency response cut him out. In and out of consciousness, hasn’t been fully awake since we arrived on the scene. Blood pressure is…”
My head hurts like a bitch. Too much damn noise. Why is it so noisy? Jackie must be watching her soaps, they’re always dramatic as shite, but she doesn’t usually have them this loud.
I’m too tired to get up to ask her to turn it down though, I’ll just sleep for a bit longer.
* * *
Blinding light. Searing pain. An annoying fucking beep. Where is that coming from?
“Mr. Mitchell, can you hear me? Are you in pain?”
Fuck, I don’t know lady, but thanks to you shouting at me, I can now feel my hair tearing through my scalp as it grows – so what do you think?
She doesn’t say anything to my pissy response, so she must not have heard me. Fuck her, I’m too tired to repeat myself. I’ll just sleep a bit longer.
* * *
“Seth, it’s Jackie
. Can you hear me?”
I can, but she sounds far away. That’s probably why she doesn’t hear me when I tell her I can. I don’t know. I feel really fluffy, like I’m covered in cotton balls or something. But it’s better than being in pain. I know there’s pain, or there was before, but it’s not here now. And I don’t want it back. Bollocks to that shite.
“You’re in the hospital. Seth? You crashed your car into a damn truck! Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to yell, but you’re scaring me. Please open your eyes. Your parents have spoken with the doctor over the phone, and they’re coming up. I’ve called Ronald…”
Ugh. Way too many words, I catch about half. Something about my parents selling their car to Rash? Bloody hell, my head is pounding, so I don’t know. Jackie sounds upset though, that much I do know.
“…anyone else? Seth, can you hear me?”
Why does everyone keep asking me that? I have ears, I can fucking hear. Doesn’t matter, for now, I’ll think I’ll sleep a little longer.
As I drift off, images flash behind my eyes, sharp for a few seconds then they’re gone. I’m driving. A copper. A truck blocking a lane, and there’s a wheel missing? My phone. Glass everywhere. Getting punched in the face.
Piper. I was talking to my girl.
My mouth is dry, and my throat burns, and the pressure against my chest makes it hard to breathe, but I think I manage to tell Jackie that I know why I crashed my car. I know what happened.
“Bubble. Phone.”
Exhausted with the effort of telling her, I stop fighting the floaty feeling and drift away.
“Ok, Seth. I’ll call Piper.”
CHAPTER 19
Piper
As had become my new norm, I grabbed a coffee on my way in to work rather than have one at home. This morning I was feeling Seth too much as it was, and all because of that stupid song. Determined to bury myself in my busy day ahead, I was in the office by six.
Like me, Cassie loved being in here early, but this morning I was alone and she was on a flight to a client meeting in Georgia. Allyson was an early starter too, but she usually got here around seven a.m. Which is why when I heard someone call my name from my door I’d expected to see Ally when I looked up.
“Sawyer! Good…morning,” The words clumsily leave my lips, “Um, what can I do for you?” I stand up, running my palms down my chiffon halter neck blouse to make sure it’s still tucked into my skirt, only to sit back down when Sawyer waves me back to my seat.
“I don’t know why you’re shocked to see me Piper, I do own the business after all.” She chuckles, which like her voice, is a smoky rasp. Her blond hair is in a messy knot high on the top of her head, so her already killer cheekbones stand out further in her flawless face.
“Oh…wait a minute…is that why your name is in the lobby?” I tease, because I know she enjoys sass when it’s appropriate, but also because she didn’t employ wilting flowers. “I was expecting to see Ally that’s all, please, come in.”
Elegantly folding herself into the chair across from mine, she crosses one wide cuffed pant leg over the other, her magenta stilettoed foot swinging with the movement. Sawyer dresses like a boss, and I don’t mean because she is, but because that’s the type of woman she is. Boss AF. We could not ask for a better role model or mentor, and I know I’m not the only one of my colleagues who feels privileged to be on her team
Since the Seth incident, I’d somehow avoided one on one time with Sawyer. Something I think was a conscious choice on my part, at least in the beginning. Then when she didn’t seek me out to discuss how the job had ended, I simply assumed it was because Ronald had settled Seth’s account with ESM and that was that.
In this moment, I realise my assumptions were a naïve mistake, because Sawyer didn’t work that way, at all.
And just like that, I’m nervous. Not that I think for a second my job is in jeopardy or anything. More because I have a very strong feeling that not only does Sawyer know exactly how and why things ended like they did…but that she also knows way more than I do.
“Drew will be sending through an itinerary any minute, if you need anything changed let him know, but I don’t want you to delay your departure. The sooner you get there, the sooner you can––”
Ok, so now I’m not only nervous, but also confused.
“Departure? Sawyer, where am I going? I don’t have any client travel planned until next month?”
Before Sawyer can answer me, my phone starts vibrating against the top of my desk. Automatically my eyes look down at the screen and I feel them widen with surprise. I move to flick the call to voicemail, I mean, my boss being in my office takes precedence, right?
Putting her hand over mine, Sawyer stops me, “Take the call, Piper. I’ll wait.”
Mostly because she’s told me to, I pick up my phone and answer the unexpected call, all the while watching Sawyer. Who happens to be…watching me?
Ok, what the fuck is going on?
“Jackie? Hey, it’s Piper,” I answer, which is ridiculous because the woman knows whose number she dialled. I also realise I’m whispering, like I’m in a library or something. Clearing my throat, I try again, louder this time. “Jackie? Are you still there?”
“Piper, hi. It’s so good to hear your voice. Thank you for answering.” Jackie sounds tired, her voice heavy with either stress or worry.
Shit, it’s barely seven am, and between Jackie and Sawyer already this morning, my system is on overload trying to process everything I’m feeling.
“Of course, why wouldn’t I ans––”
I trail off, because we both know why she said that. Because of Seth, because of how things were left between us. I close my eyes, taking a breath before opening them as Jackie kindly ignores my unfinished question, and starts to talk.
“I don’t know anything, and it’s not my place to…and that’s not why I’m calling, sorry. I meant to call sooner, but with the time difference and, as you can imagine, things here have been pretty hectic. Anyway, I figure with what’s happened, you likely know why I’m calling, but it’s not so much that even. It’s more that he asked me to call you, Piper. He’s said maybe ten words since it happened, an your name was one of them, he wanted you to know.”
My brows knot in confusion. Not only is Jackie talking in riddles, the few bits I can decipher, I don’t fully understand, but also because the look on Sawyer’s face has changed. It’s as though something has been made clear to her. I watch as Sawyer stands and moves next to me at my desk. Shaking my mouse, she brings my desktop to life, clicking through several media alerts and when clearly not finding what she’s looking for, shakes her head and murmurs, “Oh, Piper.”
“Jackie, I’m sorry, but I’m not following. You’re talking about Seth, right? What’s happened? What did he want me to know?”
As I question Jackie, I see that Sawyer has given up scrolling my pre-set alerts. Her semi-admonishment at what I assume was her discovering I’d removed Seth from the list makes me flush with guilt-tinged embarrassment. Having opened a media browser, she’s now typing three words that make me forget every other thought and feeling I’ve had this morning.
Seth Mitchell Accident
“Oh, fffuuck. Jackie? Seth’s been in an accident? Please, tell me everything?!”
* * *
Drew, Sawyer’s executive assistant, had booked me on the three thirty p.m. British Airways flight out of LAX, which thankfully is direct. If I had to go through a stopover or change planes somewhere along this route, I worry once I was off this flight…I’d be tempted to bail. Maybe. Shit, I don’t know. How can you miss someone so much that you ache to see them, but then when you’re faced with no choice but having to, you want to run the other way? Stupid, bipolar heart.
By some miracle we’d taken off on time, and having reached cruising altitude, the pilot had informed us that he wasn’t anticipating any problems during our ten and a half hour flying time. Good for him, the lucky bastard, because from my perspecti
ve, I had ten and a half hours to do nothing but anticipate problems.
Why did Seth ask for me? What had changed between us? Did his life flash before his eyes or some shit and he wanted to make things right between us? What would it be like to see him again? Would he look at me with affection in his eyes or would he still look at me like he did the day I’d intentionally wounded him at my apartment door.
The big one, and when I’d questioned her, Jackie didn’t know…had Seth asked for me in a purely professionally capacity, or as his girlfriend? Notice how I left off the ex? Yeah, me too, damn it.
Staring out window of my first class cubby while nursing a glass of fruity merlot, my belt is loose around my hips. My buds are in my ears, but I’m not listening to anything – they’re more a deterrent for any chatty types. I feel like since this morning in my office, time has gone both too fast and not fast enough. Between Jackie filling me in, followed by my ‘Come to Jesus-wearing-Gucci’ meeting with Sawyer, to rushing home to grab my passport and pack, I’ve not really had time to process much of anything.
With nothing else to do, now is the time…but I’ve got a plan. Taking a sip of the sweet red, I let it sit on my tongue before I swallow. Nope, still not my thing, it’s like overripe grapes and unwashed sweat socks. I’d rather have white, but when I’d asked the steward, of the two varieties, which had the higher alcohol content, the red had won. So I’m hoping between it and the half an Ambien I’ve recently popped, I wont spend the majority of this flight getting myself in knots about shit. Ok, starting with the things I know, the most important of which is that Seth is alive, I allow my mind to wander over my call with Jackie. Seth had somehow driven his car straight into a parked truck. Yeah, I had a lot of questions about that, the most unsettling of which I’d dismissed immediately. That doesn’t mean I’m not still left with the guilt of having had the thought in the first place. No matter his flaws, even Seth isn’t that publicity hungry he’d total his car on purpose. Right?
Overexposed Page 17