Play It Again

by Ashley Stoyanoff

  I pull out my phone, and send Jimmy another please call me back message, before puttering around the kitchen, cleaning up and washing a few dishes.

  I’m just about to take the pie out when the door opens, and I glance over to see Vance coming in.

  “Hey,” I say, offering him a smile as I open the oven, and grabbing a couple of towels, I pull the pie out, setting it down to cool on the stovetop.

  Vance comes over to me, and wraps an arm around my neck as I close the oven, turning me to him and leaning in for a long wet kiss that tastes of coffee and a sweetness that’s entirely him. My arms come up, wrapping around his neck as his hands trail down my sides, cupping my bottom, and I let out a surprised shriek as he lifts me up, setting me on the countertop. He nudges at my knees, pushing my legs open, and moves his big body between them.

  When I’m settled where he wants me, Vance pulls away and cradles my face in his hands. “Hey, freckles,” he says, smiling down at me. “Is there any particular reason the apartment smells like smoke?”

  “I brought some clothes back from my house and I, uh, also kind of burnt a pie.”

  His gaze shifts from my face to the pie, and his brow bunches. “It doesn’t look burnt to me.”

  “That’s the second try,” I say, blushing. “The first one came out black.”

  Vance brings his eyes back to me, regarding me curiously. “Any particular reason you’re baking a pie?”

  I nod slowly. “Yes.”

  He cocks an eyebrow at me. “You gonna share that reason?”

  “Well, I was going to bake a cake, but the meeting with the insurance adjuster took longer than I thought it would and I knew I wouldn’t have enough time for it to cool before putting on the icing. Then I remembered that you like apple pie, so I stopped by the grocery store and picked up the stuff to make one and got it in the oven, but then Kim showed up and I forgot to set the timer and I burnt it, so I started again.”

  A legitimate look of surprise mixed with confusion crosses his face, and my cheeks heat with embarrassment. Oh, God. What’s wrong with me? I’m rambling, babbling on to him about cakes and pies without taking a breath.

  “Freckles, why are you baking anything at all?” he asks, curiously.

  “Because this is Elena’s welcome home party,” I say. “And you need home baked stuff for welcome home parties.”

  He laughs, genuinely amused. “Have I told you how adorable you are?”

  I shake my head, grinning at him. “Nope, not yet.”

  He laughs again, shaking his head. “You’re adorable.” He kisses me again, this time, just a quick press of his lips to mine, before stepping away from me. “Go grab whatever you need, yeah? We’ve gotta get going.”

  Slipping off the countertop, I grab my things, sticking my phone in my bag before wrapping the pie in a towel, and careful not to burn myself, I follow Vance out the door. Jase’s place is only about a ten-minute drive away. It’s hot outside, the air stifling from the late afternoon sun. It doesn’t seem to faze Vance, but I crank up the air-conditioner as soon as he starts up the truck.

  Vance rambles on about Elena the entire drive. She’s shy, she’s sweet, she’s loyal. He tells me she’s completely in love with Jase, that Jase hasn’t been the same without her here. There’s respect in his voice when he speaks of her, respect and emotion. It’s pretty obvious he thinks highly of her, and cares about her a lot.

  When we arrive at Jase’s place, Wes is standing in the street, leaning against his car. He pushes off the car as we park, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He’s grinning—Wes always seems to be grinning about something—and he takes a couple steps toward us as we hop out of the vehicle.

  “Yo,” he says, lifting his chin. “Any chance you brought your keys?”

  Vance laughs. “Jase is gonna shoot you if you lost the keys to his house again.”

  “I didn’t lose them,” Wes says, smiling sheepishly. “They’re in a safe place; I just don’t remember exactly where that place is at the moment.”

  Vance chuckles, casting an amused look at him as he makes his way up the driveway, keys in hand. I stroll along behind, letting him take the lead as he unlocks the front door, and moves into the house.

  It’s quiet inside. Really quiet. And if it weren’t for Jase’s car and what I assume is Elena’s new truck in the driveway, I would think no one is home.

  Wes follows us in and pauses, regarding me strangely for a moment, before his eyes cut to the pie I’m holding. His brows lift up in shock. “You made a pie?”

  I nod, flushing slightly. “Um, yeah.”

  “That’s fuckin’ awesome,” he says. “I love pie.”

  Vance laughs, and Wes’s grin widens as he purposefully slams the door behind him, and then bolts for the stairs. His footsteps are loud, thundering down the hallway, and then I hear him bang on a door and shout, “Yo, Elena! Jase! Get your asses dressed and downstairs. It’s barbeque time.”

  “Oh my God, did he just, uh, interrupt them?” I ask, unable to help myself. I keep my voice low, though, hoping no one will overhear me.

  “Yep,” Vance says, taking the pie from my hands, and walking toward what I assume is the kitchen.

  I follow him, shaking my head. Awkward. “That’s so not cool.”

  My response makes him laugh, and he glances over his shoulder. “She loves barbeques. She ain’t gonna care.”

  I gape at him. I’m pretty sure he’s wrong on that. “I hope you’re right.”

  “I am,” he says, smirking, as he enters the kitchen. He sets the pie down, and goes straight for the fridge, pulling it open and retrieving two beers, before closing it and strolling over to me, handing me one. “Come on, let’s go out back.”

  He doesn’t wait for me to respond, dropping an arm over my shoulder, and guiding me toward the patio doors. We go outside, and Vance ushers me over to the barbeque, and gets to work starting it up.

  Moments later, Wes joins us. He starts talking to Vance about a new case, something about a divorce and a dog, though I’m not really listening. I’m too busy glancing around the yard, my gaze wandering over the insanely large padlock on the gate leading to the front, and all the motion sensors scattered around the yard. The security measures seem overboard to me, and I nearly laugh. Looks like Vance isn’t the only security system enthusiast in the bunch.

  My gaze continues to wander over the large deck and patio set, stalling when it hits the doors, and I spot Jase, standing with a woman just inside. She’s cute, and slightly shorter than me, with dark brown hair, blonde roots, and bright blue eyes. She stands at the door, hesitating for a moment. Jase says something to her, and she quickly shakes her head. Her smile is shaky, and so is her hand as she reaches for the patio door.

  I turn to Vance, about to ask him if she’s okay, but he’s already on the move, climbing the steps to the deck. He wraps Elena in a hug at the same time as Wes, squeezing her so tightly it looks painful.

  I hang back and watch them, my heart pounding in my chest. I feel a little out of my comfort zone and completely out of place watching them.

  The four of them seem so … close. So comfortable with each other.

  I almost feel like an intruder watching a precious moment between friends.

  No, not friends.

  Family.

  Jase is smiling, and his eyes are smiling, too, as he watches the three of them. He looks younger somehow, more relaxed than I’ve ever seen him before, and I’m guessing it’s because of her.

  He loves her.

  A lot.

  It radiates from him, pours off him.

  Elena laughs. It’s a beautiful sound. Not too high, not too loud, as Jase mutters, “Jesus, let her go. You idiots are gonna suffocate her.”

  Vance and Wes let her go, and I laugh when I hear them grumbling something about Jase hogging her as they do.

  “You ain’t allowed to leave for four weeks again,” Vance says seriously. “Not unless you take him with you.
Can’t handle the fuckin’ moping.”

  “Shut up,” Jase says.

  Wes laughs. “He barely slept.”

  “Shut up,” Jase repeats, louder.

  “He wouldn’t go to the bar with us because he didn’t want to miss a call with you,” Vance continues, grinning like a fool.

  Jason’s arms come around Elena’s waist, pulling her to his side, and he groans and mutters, “Shut the fuck up.”

  Elena laughs, tilting her head, looking up at him. He watches her, brow cocked as though daring her to say something, but she doesn’t. She just laughs and hugs him back.

  “Yo, Piper,” Wes says after a moment. “Come over here, babe.”

  At the sound of my name, my heart somehow pounds a little harder, and my feet start to move. Slowly, I climb the steps, moving over to the group as Elena unwinds herself from Jase.

  “This is Piper,” Wes says, waving a hand toward me. “Piper, meet Elena.”

  I smile, offering a little wave. “Good to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”

  Elena lets out a groan at my words. “Whatever they said, don’t believe them. These guys are the best liars I’ve ever met.”

  I laugh softly, not doubting it for a second. The three of them have mastered the blank face expression. “It was all good. I swear.”

  The guys laugh at us, and Vance grins and winks at me, before making his way over to the barbeque with Wes and Jase. They joke around, laughing and carrying on like a bunch of teenagers, while Elena and I sit on the deck.

  Neither of us talk much. I’m not really sure what to say, and she seems content enough to just watch the guys as they laugh.

  I get lost in my own head, mulling over what to do about my house. My computer and everything in my office came out unscathed—thank God, but I’m going to need to pick out new furniture, and basically an entire new kitchen. The fire ate away at my cupboards and counters, leaving not much more than the ruined remains of the appliances. The living room furniture was all destroyed, too, and the walls need repair and paint. If I want to change the colors or decor, now is the time to do it, I guess, though I doubt I will.

  I loved my house.

  Everything about it.

  Late afternoon morphs into early evening. We eat and drink and laugh, and I relax, slowly beginning to feel like a part of their group, and start having a good time.

  No. Scratch that. I’m having a fantastic time.

  After we finish eating, Vance leans into me, telling me he’ll be right back, before he gets up and heads into the house. He strolls back out moments later, carrying a guitar. His eyes cut to me, and I raise an eyebrow in question as he takes a seat on the steps, but he merely smirks.

  And then he starts to play.

  And he’s good.

  Really good.

  It takes me a moment to recognize the song, but when I do, I freeze and I feel my jaw go slack. It’s the song … the one from the bar … the one from the truck …

  How did he learn it so quickly?

  No, wait … why did he even want to learn it?

  My stomach flutters, the butterflies soaring within me as I listen to the music.

  I don’t want to think about what it means.

  I don’t want to believe it could mean anything.

  But I hope, oh God do I hope, it means something.

  Something wonderful.

  The silence that follows the last cord snaps me out of my frozen state.

  “Oh my God,” I whisper, setting my beer down. I jump up from my chair and sprint across the deck to where Vance sits on the steps.

  He looks up at me, a big shit-eating grin spread on his lips. “Hey, Piper.”

  “Play it again,” I blurt. “That was amazing. Please, play it again.”

  Vance barks out a laugh, his eyes twinkling with satisfaction. I’m vaguely aware of the others talking, and I hardly notice Wes’s chuckles in the background, because Vance does what I ask.

  He plays it again.

  And it’s amazing.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Vance

  “Vance, have you seen my ...”

  Piper darts into the kitchen, her gaze searching the room, her words stalling. She looks frazzled this morning, and out of sorts. She’s been rushing around for the last thirty minutes, getting ready to leave.

  It’s curious.

  Curious and slightly unnerving.

  I’m sitting at the kitchen table, sipping my coffee, watching her questioningly, but just like the last time she ran in here, and the time before that, she doesn’t notice. I don’t bother asking what she’s looking for, knowing she’s not really expecting an answer from me. I’ve heard that question at least half a dozen times since breakfast and I gave up trying to help after the third.

  “There it is,” she grumbles and rushes over to the counter, scooping up a tube of lip balm and muttering something under her breath, before rushing back out of the room.

  She’s seems so nervous and I wonder if it’s because she’s seeing Jimmy for the first time since the fire or if it’s that she’s going to see him alone.

  Neither scenario sits well with me.

  It’s been a week and a half, give or take a day, with no contact from Tara. There has been no spray painting, no notes, no threats, no text message or phone calls to Jimmy, just a whole lot of silence.

  Day after day, Piper habitually goes to her house. She claims it’s only to check out the construction progress, but I think she’s secretly expecting to find some clue that Tara is still in the city.

  It’s been … weird having her here. Weird in an awesome sort of way.

  I’m not going to lie, there’s been a few times over the last week that I’ve freaked out a little. Things are just so easy with her. So comfortable, and it’s left me feeling out of sorts.

  I feel like I just met her.

  I feel like I’ve known her forever.

  It’s … confusing and it’s amazing.

  Piper rushes back into the kitchen, her lips pursed as she starts scanning the counters again. Her hair is now in a loose braid, the tail of it hanging over one shoulder, and she’s changed her clothing for what must be the tenth time this morning, now wearing a pair of deep blue boot cut jeans, and a basic white ribbed tank.

  She stalls near me, just out of reach, and makes a disgruntled noise from the back of her throat, finally looking at me. “Vance, where did you put my—”

  “Come here, freckles,” I say, interrupting her, pushing away from the table and holding out my hand to her. “Wanna talk to you for a second.”

  She frowns at me, hesitating. She looks as though she’s about to protest, but as I flick my finger at her, beckoning for her to come to me, her hesitation melts away and she smirks, shaking her head.

  Piper moves across the short space, and as soon as she’s in reaching distance, I pull her to me, maneuvering her between my legs, cupping her hip with one hand and her ass with the other. She makes a startled sound at my abrupt movement as she teeters on her feet, and then she giggles, bringing her hands up to my shoulders, steadying herself.

  I tilt my face up to look at her. She looks worried, so I offer her a smile to try to ease her concern, and ask, “What’s going on with you this morning?”

  She returns my smile timidly, cocking her head to the side as she shrugs a shoulder. “Nothing’s going on. Why would you think something is going on?”

  Sighing, I relax back in the chair, pulling her closer, relishing the feel of her pressed against me. “You’re scattered and that’s the tenth outfit and hairstyle you’ve tried in the last thirty minutes.”

  Pink colors her cheeks, and she dips her chin down, her eyes falling from mine. “You noticed that, huh?”

  “Yeah, freckles, I noticed.” I stare at her for a tick, and then lift a questioning eyebrow. “Did you tell Jimmy you’re coming to help?”

  I’m not sure why I bother asking her the question. I already know the answer. She wouldn�
�t be this nervous or this scattered if she had told him.

  She shakes her head, confirming it. “No. He’s still not returning my calls or messages, so I thought …” she stalls, scrunching her nose up. “I thought maybe I should just show up and force him to talk to me. Kim says he’s still blaming himself and it’s not his fault. I need to fix this.”

  I nod, not surprised. He’s kept me updated, though only through text messages, and any time I’ve broached the topic of him talking to Piper, he simply ignores me.

  “I’ll come with you if you want,” I say. “I can shift my meeting around.”

  She blows out a dismissive breath, her eyes darting back to mine. “No, no, you don’t have to do that. It’s fine.”

  “I know I don’t have to,” I say, “but I will if you want me to.”

  She laughs, casting me an amused look as she shakes her head. “No, really, you don’t have to. Kim is going to be there around one and I really want to have some time with just him. I miss him, you know?”

  “Yeah, I get it,” I say. “You change your mind, though, you call me, yeah?”

  She nods and I expect her to try to move away, knowing she’s in a hurry, but she doesn’t. Instead, she wiggles around in my grip, shifting until she’s able to sit on my lap. She looks up at me, her arm wrapped around my shoulder, and smiles genuinely. “You’re pretty awesome.”

  I chuckle, kissing her lips. “You’re pretty awesome, too.”

  Piper

  Jimmy’s new apartment building isn’t old, and it isn’t exactly … new. It’s somewhere in that middle stage where it could use a little sprucing up, but still looks good as it is.

  I pull into the lot, and park my truck in one of the visitor spaces, spotting Jimmy’s white Honda parked by the building’s main doors. The trunk is open, so is the rear passenger side door, but Jimmy is nowhere in sight.

  Reaching into my purse, I grab my cell and search for the text message Kim sent me to double check the apartment number. It takes a moment to find it; my nerves are so rattled that I must skim past it a few times before it finally catches my eye.