“I’m glad you’re having fun. But if you want to do something else, she won’t mind. Promise.”
“I’ve done nothing but talk about myself, but if I’m not boring the hell out of you guys, I’m happy.”
Piper leaned over and gave her a soft kiss. “You haven’t bored me once since we met. You’re not going to start tonight.”
Charlie bustled out, her arms full of hammered copper lanterns, each with little holes punched out. “The guy who set up the garden was supposed to put these out, but he must have forgotten. Nice, aren’t they?” She placed them along the edge of the large adobe-colored tiles that made up the patio, then went back inside to bring out more.
“Let me help,” Piper said, starting to get up.
But Charlie put a hand on her shoulder, pressing her into her seat. “I like doing this,” she said. “I haven’t gotten to do much on my new house, so this is fun.”
She and Delta went back and forth, until they finally had pillar candles inside each lantern. Then she lit them all, with Delta snooping around curiously, getting awfully close to the flames. Charlie looked at Haley, eyes wide. “Will he be okay?”
“I think so. But he might knock one over, so I wouldn’t leave him alone when they’re lit.”
Charlie picked the puppy up and put him on the table when she sat down. Once again, she locked her avid gaze on Haley and said, “Tell me all about dog training. How you got into it, what’s fun about it…everything.”
Haley took a breath and started to talk, certain she’d never had such an interested audience.
***
After Haley had given Charlie enough information to let her start her own dog training school, she took a look at her watch, barely able to see the face in the darkness. “I should get going,” she said. “I’ve got to get up by six.”
“I thought you’d stay over,” Piper said, clearly flinching when Charlie’s eyes lit up. She must not have told her they were in the “stay over” stage. Thank god they didn’t tell each other everything.
“Um, I’m not sure…”
Charlie said, “I’ll give you two some privacy. But, as soon as we can schedule it, I want to take you both out for dinner. A fantastic one,” she added. “A treat for Pip’s birthday.”
Piper shook her head. “You don’t have to pay for me…for us. I can handle a nice dinner—as long as you don’t go nuts with wine.” She turned to Haley and said, “She never lets me pay!”
Charlie reached over and took Piper’s hand. “Haley,” she said, in a conversational tone, “do you know our story?”
“Which part?”
“About our mom dying.”
“I know a few things, but—” She wasn’t about to say that Piper hardly ever spoke of their mom. “I know she was really young…”
“I was seven when she died. That was about five years after my father took off.” She squeezed Piper’s hand. “Pip’s dad was a loser, too, so our mom raised us with basically no help. When she died, everything fell to Pip.”
“The orphanage wouldn’t take you,” Piper said. “God knows I tried…”
“See?” Charlie said, tilting her head when she made eye contact with Haley. “She hates to take credit for it, but my sister dropped out of college and went to beauty school so she could support us.”
Frowning, Piper said, “That’s not true. Mom had life insurance. And you got Social Security. I could have stayed in school.”
“How much did she leave us?”
It took Piper a second to respond. “Fifty thousand,” she said quietly.
“Why didn’t we move to Malibu?” Charlie asked, a wry smile on her face. “We could have bought a big house on the ocean, then used the rest of the money to buy a couple of Lamborghinis.”
“It was plenty,” Piper said. “There was enough to let us scrape by until I got my license.”
“I rest my case. We would have been on welfare if you hadn’t gotten a decent job, Pip. You knew that, so you quit school. Don’t screw with the facts.”
Piper looked at Haley. “I like being a hair stylist. It’s much better than sitting in a cubicle somewhere, which is probably where I would have wound up if I’d gotten a degree.”
Charlie wasn’t about to let this one go. “Whether you like it or not, you did it mainly to keep a roof over our heads.” Catching Haley’s eye again, she added, “Pip had zero social life until I was in high school.”
“I had a social life,” she insisted, rolling her eyes. “I made some good friends at the salon.”
“Who you didn’t sleep with.” Charlie caught Haley’s attention again. “I swear she didn’t have her hands on a woman from the time our mom died until I was fifteen. Eight years,” she stressed.
“It wasn’t that long.” Piper was clearly trying to blow this off, but she didn’t come up with anything to dispute Charlie’s facts.
“Every person in the Valley who needed a haircut at eight a.m. was Pip’s. She worked from eight until two for all of those years, Monday through Friday.”
“I had to have weekends off,” Piper said. She smiled at her sister, clearly teasing when she added, “No one in their right mind would watch you, so I had to do it.”
“Uh-huh,” Charlie said, ignoring the jibe. “She picked me up from school every day, then took me all over LA for auditions. She cooked, she cleaned, she went to every parent/teacher conference, helped me with my homework, made me believe I was the top kid at every audition.” Her gaze settled on Piper again, and her head shook slightly. “That’s why you should never complain when I want to treat you to dinner. I’d be in porn if not for you.”
“Nice thought,” Piper said, looking like she’d just eaten something bitter. “I didn’t do anything for you that you wouldn’t have done for me. We’re sisters.”
“Lolita’s sister stole her identity to buy herself a Rolex,” Haley broke in.
“See?” Charlie said, laughing. “Haley knows the truth!”
Haley nodded. “Being related doesn’t mean you’re going to take care of each other.”
Charlie held her hand up and Haley slapped her palm against it. “Haley gets this,” Charlie said. “I can tell.”
“I know we have a special bond,” Piper said, now very serious, ignoring the playful antics of the other two. “But I never want you, or anyone, to think I’m sponging off you. That would kill me.”
“I never will, and no one else matters.” She let a little smile build. “Unless you lie on my sofa and watch TV all day. Then I might have second thoughts.”
“It’ll be a cold damn day in—”
“Got you,” Charlie said, laughing. “You’re so easy!” She hopped up and tucked Delta under her arm. “We’re going to watch some awful TV.” She leaned over and kissed both of them on the cheek. “I had a fantastic time tonight. Can’t wait to do it again.” Then she was gone, with Delta craning his neck to keep his eyes on the other members of his posse for as long as possible.
Haley stood up, then pulled Piper to her feet. “Is that all true?”
“Which part?”
“The part about how long you went without…dating,” she said, trying to avoid using a more colorful term.
“Ehh.” Piper shrugged. “I don’t know. Charlie’s better than I am about timelines.”
“You’re a better, or at least a more patient, woman than I,” Haley said, chuckling at the way that came out.
“I don’t know if that’s true. Ask how many single moms have time to date when they have a kid in primary school. Even if I’d been dying for sex, when would I have had the chance?” She let out a wry laugh. “My only opportunity would have been to grab a woman and sweep her off her feet while Charlie was auditioning for something. And even then we would have had to find an empty closet to make it happen.”
Haley put a hand on her shoulder and spoke slowly, trying to make sure Piper heard every word. “You’re the most devoted sister I’ve ever met. And the best part is, Charlie knows t
hat.”
Piper was fidgeting a little, clearly uncomfortable accepting much praise. “No dads, no aunts or uncles that we knew of, no cousins, and no money for babysitters. Those were just my circumstances, Haley. I shouldn’t get a medal for doing what had to be done.”
“I’m giving you one anyway,” she said, pulling Piper down for a long, tender kiss.
When she let go, Piper gave her a silly, slightly drunken-looking smile. “Stay over?” she asked.
“What makes the most sense? I’ve got to get up early, but you don’t, right?”
“I don’t have to leave here until ten. But I’m happy to get up early to have you stay.”
“Mmm, why don’t I go home tonight, since we both have to work.”
“How about tomorrow?” She put her arms around Haley’s waist and held on possessively. “I’ll only let you go now if you’ll come tomorrow.”
“Will you give me a ride to the airport on Wednesday? If so, I’ll pack tonight and come here as soon as I can get away tomorrow.”
“Of course I will,” she said, pulling her closer for a brief kiss. “But I’ll miss you tonight.”
“Me, too.” She snuggled into her embrace, barely able to recall how awful she’d felt just the day before, when she’d been certain Piper had manipulated the hell out of her. “You’ve gotten under my skin, Piper Campbell, but I’m not complaining.”
Piper dipped her head to nibble delicately upon Haley’s ear. “Sure I can’t talk you into staying? I can make it worth your while.”
“You’ve proven that,” Haley said, giggling when the nibbles turned to tickles. “But I’ve got a lot of stuff to organize. If I don’t do it now, I’ll have to do it tomorrow night, and it’ll be on my mind all day.”
“Fine. Be an adult,” she said, pouting. “But tomorrow, we’re going to break that bed in properly. So, don’t think you’re going to get to entertain my sister for the whole night. I’m going to be possessive.”
“She’s remarkably sweet,” Haley said. “More like a psychologist than an actress. I’ve never had anyone but my mom seem so interested in me.”
Piper draped her arm around Haley and they started for the house. “That’s not an act. When I was in beauty school, I had to come home and explain every single thing I’d learned that day. By the time I finished the program, Charlie could have passed the exam.” She shrugged. “She’s just naturally fascinated by people. If it’s interesting to you, it’s interesting to her.”
“Not a bad trait for an actor to have.”
“Huh,” Piper said, stopping in her tracks for a moment. “I never thought of it that way, but you’re right. I guess that’s how she’s able to put herself into imaginary lives.”
Haley pulled her down for a long kiss, allowing herself to really enjoy the supple smoothness of Piper’s mouth. “I feel so good about how things are going that I wonder if I’m in an imaginary life.” She put her hands on Piper’s shoulders and gave them a firm squeeze. “But this fantastic body is all real. Thankfully.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
PIPER DIDN’T ARRIVE AT CHARLIE’S until seven thirty, giving herself only a half hour before Haley was due. She spent her time wisely, brushing, flossing, showering and shaving her legs, giving Haley a pristine canvas to work from. She hated to be so single-minded, but she’d been craving another roll in the hay like a junkie, thinking of little else but Haley’s divine lips and the comfort of her embrace.
When Piper went to meet her at the alley gate, she gleefully took her hand and led her up to the apartment. As they entered, Piper said, “Not only am I not giving my sister time to monopolize you, I’m not going to let Delta wedge his little black nose between us.” She wrapped her arms around Haley’s waist and let what she knew was a lecherous grin grow. “Complaints?”
“None.” Haley leaned forward and placed her warm lips against Piper’s, holding on for a long time, letting their bodies grow used to each other again.
As much as Piper wanted to love someone for the rest of her life, she knew that the thrill of novelty was short-lived. This part, the time where they didn’t know each other well at all, where every first kiss felt like the start of something, was a time to savor. Holding Haley close for a long time was just the start of what she hoped would be a night of deeper intimacy.
Haley reached up and placed a hand on Piper’s cheek, stroking it gently. “What’s going on in your head? You seem like you’re a thousand miles away.”
She shook her head rapidly, dislodging her musings. But something stayed with her, and she decided to share it. “This is going to sound odd, but I was thinking about my first girlfriend.”
Haley let out a short laugh. “Now why would that sound odd? I’m at your apartment for our first overnight, and you’re thinking of another woman.” She was staring right into Piper’s eyes, clearly puzzled, but also seeming to think it was at least a slightly funny statement.
Piper took her hand and led her over to the sectional, finding it the perfect size for the two of them, letting them sit close, but not so close she felt cramped. “It was a compliment.” She put Haley’s hand on her knee and played with it, able to concentrate better if she focused on something, like the pale blue veins on the back of Haley’s hands, nearly translucent with the lamp shining on them. “Shannon was my first adult girlfriend,” she said. “The one I thought I’d be with forever.”
“You were how old?”
“Pretty old,” she admitted. “I guess I was twenty-four.”
Nodding, Haley said, “That’s older than I would have guessed, since you didn’t have boyfriends. You didn’t, right?”
“None. But it’s not that I didn’t want a girlfriend sooner, I just couldn’t devote the time to finding and keeping one when Charlie was young. I barely had time to sleep.” She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking of those early years, when she’d been so exhausted that she caught every cold that came through California.
“I keep forgetting you were trying to raise a little girl,” Haley said gently, putting her arm around Piper’s shoulders and giving her a hug. “Not forgetting, really. That’s not the right term. I just think of my life at twenty-four and assume yours was the same.”
“It wasn’t. I was raising Charlie and trying to start my career. Moving up from shampoo girl to having enough clients to pay the rent was no party either. But that’s not my point. I was thinking about how Shannon never challenged me. Whatever I offered, she accepted. It’s like she felt that being with me was worth it, no matter how little time we had together.”
“And you’d like me to be like Shannon…?”
“No!” Piper said, with her voice almost breaking. “I was just thinking that being with you is going to be pretty challenging. But I like that,” she stressed. “When I was first with Shannon, I thought I wanted someone who’d let me set all the rules. Charlie always came first, and I needed someone who wouldn’t complain about that. But then”—she let out a sigh—”I got bored so quickly. I felt like a jerk, but I know I caught her by surprise when I broke up with her. We got along great, but having a peaceful relationship isn’t my main goal.”
Haley pulled her close and placed a few kisses on her cheek, then playfully licked Piper’s ear, making her giggle. “What is your main goal? I’m dying to know.”
“Well, I’m not sure I’m going to put this right, but I want a girlfriend who has her own needs and isn’t afraid to ask for them. I want to be with an adult,” she said, nodding. “That’s it in a nutshell. I want an adult.” She shifted around on the sectional, so she could more easily look into Haley’s eyes. “I hated Sunday morning,” she said soberly. “You weren’t letting me explain everything, and that made me sick to my stomach.”
“I’m sorry I—”
“But,” Piper cut in, “you had good reasons to think I was a liar. And if I was, you were ready to give me the heave-ho. I love that you protected yourself, Haley. If I know you’re careful to get what you need, I don’
t have to do it for you. And that’s a huge weight off my shoulders.”
She nodded, looking very pensive. “I’m a little too good at protecting myself sometimes. I need to learn to let my guard down a little more.”
“Then that’s something for you to work on. We’ve all got our stuff.”
Haley started to play with the buttons on Piper’s shirt, acting like they fascinated her. “What’s on your list? What do you need to work on?”
“I wouldn’t say I have a list,” she teased, chuckling. “Just a couple of things. I obviously need to learn to say ‘no’ to my sister more often, but that’s going to take some work.”
“That’s on my list for you,” Haley said, giving her a sly smile.
“Yeah, I think it’s pretty obvious. I’m sure there are a hundred things about me you’ll eventually want to change, but I think most of them are pretty minor.” She laughed again. “At least they are to me.”
“I don’t think it’s possible to change people. But I’ll happily give you some feedback on how to help Charlie be more independent. I’m pretty good at that.”
“It’s a deal.” She lightly slapped Haley’s leg and got up. “What can I get you? I’ve got beer, wine, vodka, gin, bourbon—”
“Whoa! You just passed beyond the things I’ll actually drink. I’ll have whatever you’re having, so long as it’s beer or wine.” As Piper turned to go into the tiny kitchen, Haley added, “I want to taste like you do. I hate it when I’ve had a glass of wine and a woman I want to kiss has been drinking beer. It doesn’t match.”
“Frankly, I’m just glad you want to kiss me,” Piper said. “I’d drink diet soda if you wanted me to, and I hate the stuff.” She opened the refrigerator and took a peek. “I’ve got an open bottle of Pinot Grigio. Is that okay?”
“Perfect. I prefer white wine for sipping.”
Piper poured two glasses, rolling her eyes when she felt how heavy the glasses were. Probably sickeningly expensive crystal, hand-blown in some idyllic European village, given the decorator had been in charge.
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