Except one.
Why didn’t dad tell me?
He let me think it was just his good luck or the name of his business that drew the customers in, whereas now I can see, it was all floating on Will’s money.
I want to ask Will why. Why would he help anyone so much? But thinking about it, dad has no real friends, only pool clients and me of course, but that’s different.
I want to ask him, but I also figure it’s none of my business. It hurts a little that dad never mentioned a lot of things, but I figure he must have his reasons, and I’m sure Will does too.
A piercing electronic sound breaks our thoughts, and I look to Will, almost worried.
“Your clothes, M’ lady. Dried but not pressed if that’s alright?”
I nod excitedly and following Will as he moves to stand, I sway a little, almost losing my balance, hoping he won’t notice.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks, scanning me from head to toes as if he’s an x-ray machine.
“I feel fine,” I chuckle. “Really, I am.”
Those spots are back again, in front of my eyes but it isn’t until we reach the laundry room that I realize I haven’t eaten today, and also that my puffy parka is the drip dry kind… and not in the dryer.
“Does that mean you want me only wearing this?” I ask, holding up my white tee which looks like it’s shrunk.
Will growls thoughtfully, holding it up against his own huge body, making it look like baby clothes.
“I think you’ll wear this and nothing else once we get home, for now, I’ll find a jacket or a sweater that fits,” he says with a firm tone, leaving me to get dressed and hearing him disappear upstairs again, it hits me.
Home.
He said, ‘Once we get home again…’
I feel my face scrunch up l as I hold my hands to the sides of my head.
I can’t stay here. I have to go home to dad after the pool round. He’s still sick and I need to take care of him.
I have to push it to the back of my mind, for now, being with Will is far more interesting and he’s gonna help get the pool route done. That’s where I should focus my attention for now.
I’ll worry about dad once we’re done.
We.
It sounds so natural, so permanent when I think of Will and me, together.
As a ‘we.’
If anyone saw how quickly this guy can clean and maintain any pool to a professional level, my dad and I would both be out of a job.
He won’t even let me drive and insists I stay wrapped and covered up. After the last of the three pools we have to do, I feel sweaty, hot.
“It’s not a fever or anything else, Will,” I complain, yanking my blanket open as I sit in the passenger side of the van on the way to our last job.
“It’s being wrapped up like a bug in cotton wool. Anyone would think it’s because you don’t want anyone to see me or something,” I announce, a slight sting in my voice.
“I don’t,” he says dryly. “Not wearing that T-shirt anyway. If anyone sees more than your ankles, it’ll be over my dead body.”
I think I feel flattered, but I don’t want to spend the rest of my life wrapped in a blanket either, even if it does smell like Will.
Will rests his huge hand on my leg, through the blanket.
“I’m sorry, Piper. I hear you. I just mean that for today, because you only have that T-shirt on.”
I speedily toss the whole blanket off me and stretch, noticing how hard Will has to concentrate on the road while he tries not to look at me at the same time.
I can feel my chest stiffen again, there’s still a chill in the air, but mostly it’s from knowing how much it drives Will to distraction.
“And mostly for my own safety,” he says in mock seriousness, taking his time to thoroughly enjoy what he sees once we stop at the next set of lights.
The car behind us honks, letting us know the light’s changed, but Will hasn’t finished looking at me yet, and I open my legs a little for him.
The horn behind us blares again, this time for longer like they’re holding it down.
I can hear a familiar but muted shriek cutting through above it.
Ugh.
Will makes the light, but the car behind has to squeal to a stop as it turns red again.
Will shrugs, beaming with satisfaction, snapping his fingers, and asking me who the last job of the day is.
“We’ve made good time. Should be home in time for dinner,” he boasts as I crinkle a weak smile.
“What?” he asks. “What is it, Piper?”
We pull up to the all too familiar house, our last job for the day. The one I promised to come back and finish.
Its witch face Barbie’s place.
Just as we pull up out front, her red sports squeals into the driveway, she tries to leap out as best she can in four inch heels but only manages to totter a few feet before getting stuck in the lawn as they sink.
“Oh good, she’s home,” I moan sarcastically, rolling my eyes and maybe wishing I’d warned Will about this particular client.
Will stifles a laugh, watching her in the side mirror. I feel a pang of irritation though, even jealousy.
As annoying as she is, Barbie… Vanessa is just the type that most guys would go for. She’s thin, with big boobs and hair, lots of make-up and dresses like you have to pay to well...
She ends up slipping out of her heels and storming up to the driver’s side of the pool maintenance van. I assume she thinks she’s going to be giving me a verbal dressing down for leaving her at the light and for taking so long to come back to clean her swamp pool.
I defiantly fling my blanket off, jutting my chest out as Will winds the window down, making Barbie’s angry red face turn white.
I know full well the effect Will Emmet has on women.
And that’s what’s bugging me before he even opens his mouth or gets out of the van.
Chapter Twelve
Will
I can see why Piper left this one ‘til last.
I don’t usually deal with people face to face much anymore. And two seconds into Vanessa and I fully understand why, reminding myself it’s a safe policy to have.
Vanessa’s opened her mouth, furious because she sees the pool van and figures its Piper that held her up at the lights as well as not coming back sooner to clean her pool.
But once she sets eyes on me, the change in her is instant.
Automatic.
She starts to preen her hair and flutter her eyes at me, puckering her lips while she makes a weird sound… like she’s laying an egg.
I really struggle not to openly laugh at her, this is one of Guy’s clients after all.
It’s just been so long since I’ve seen what some women think men want that I’m astonished.
“Uh, I’m Will,” I tell her, stepping out of the van and offering my hand politely. “Sorry we’re late… and uh… about the lights back there. I don’t usually drive the van, so…”
Vanessa looks up at me, her eyes scanning me from my hair, right down to the laces of my sneakers before she clucks with approval.
Another weird sound comes from her then… another egg maybe?
“We should have just enough daylight to get your pool done.”
She’s doing that thing with her eyes, when Piper leans over, her chest spilling out of her shirt.
I’d normally like that, a lot, but I thought I just finished explaining to Piper how I don’t want her flashing herself around.
She’s not Vanessa.
Piper is a real woman.
Well. She will be soon enough, once I’m through with today, I tell myself.
“What’s she doing here?” Vanessa spits, narrowing her eyes and breathing in through her pointy nose, flaring her nostrils like she’s about to strike.
“Piper is Guy’s daughter and I’m helping them both out today. Problem?” I ask, giving the slightest hint that maybe I don’t want to clean her pool after a
ll if she’s gonna be like that.
Clutching my arm, she starts gushing, pulling me away from the van and asking me inside, promising a fresh jug of margarita mix she has at the ready.
I look back at the van and see Piper, who looks furious by now as she heaves the van door open and then slams it again once she’s got out some pool chemicals and other gear.
I dig my heels into the soft lawn, easily holding Barbie… Errr… Vanessa back with my weight.
“I think we’d better concentrate on the pool today, Vanessa. Guy’s told me we have to get it done today.”
Her eyes narrow again, shooting me a sulky pout of rejection and a cold look towards Piper.
“Suit yourself,” she murmurs, still clutching my arm. Her nails actually digging into my flesh.
“But when you have a minute,” she says suddenly, leaning in closer, letting me smell her cheap perfume and three hour old margarita mix breath.
“I need you to look at my… pipes,” she says, adding an over the top wink as she finally lets go of me and almost tumbles over as she collects her heels from the lawn, then snakes her way to the front door and goes inside.
The side gate clicks open and I turn back to the van to help Piper with the gear.
She thrusts some gear straight into my chest, hard and storms past me towards the gate.
I groan softly to myself, rolling my eyes for real this time.
Really?
If it were anyone else, I’d laugh to myself. But with Piper, I don’t want her even thinking anything that will upset her… no matter how unusual or bizarre.
Passing by the kitchen window of the house, I can see Vanessa watching me, undoing her blouse, so I keep my eyes front and catch up to Piper, pausing only for a second as the smell from the pool arrests me.
“Ugh!” I exclaim, wanting to cover my mouth. Wanting to order Piper back to the van so she doesn’t have to breathe this in, but I know better than that now.
“Piper,” I tell her in a firm tone as I step closer not flinching once she turns her back on me.
“If you really think I’d be interested in that… person, then you don’t know me at all,” is all I can say.
I’m surprised that I’m the one sounding hurt and a little angry, but it kinda sucks that Piper would think so little of me and my choice in women.
I chose her after all, didn’t I?
I have excellent taste in women, and only perfection will do.
And Piper really is perfect.
I can see Piper’s shoulders shivering from behind and I’m not sure if it’s cold or if she’s holding back tears.
“I love you, Piper. From the minute I saw you,” I tell her, figuring now’s as good a time as any.
I really want her to cover up now, not because of what people might see, but because I want her to stay warm.
I take a few steps closer, she’s standing behind a tall tree that’s near the pool, blocking the view of the house.
She turns and I open my arms, catching her as she hurls herself at me.
She’s crying.
I stroke her hair and tell her again.
“I love you, Piper. Nobody else, only you.”
I kiss her head and hold her for as long as I dare before I start to feel the familiar stirrings. The effect she has on me.
“Now, let’s nuke this pool and get out of here. What D’ya say?” I ask, holding her by the elbows before she stands on her tippy toes to kiss me this time.
“Thank you,” she whispers, and I want to tell her that I owe her all the thanks, not the other way around. But having her kiss me and hold me just now, the way she looks in the late afternoon glow and that damned chest of hers…
I feel like I’m at her mercy.
Like I always will be.
I scrub the sides and the bottom of the pool while Piper nukes the filters and pumps with a possibly fatal amount of chemical before we set the automatic vacuum on its longest cycle.
It’s almost dark before we leave, and glancing through the kitchen window, we both see Vanessa slumped over on the kitchen table, a nearly empty jug of margarita mix by her elbow.
We look at each other and I shrug. Piper looks concerned for Vanessa, even though she was so mean, but I shift her towards the van by her shoulders, ordering her into the warmth with the promise of a hot meal once we get home.
Jumping in the driver’s side of the van, I see that Piper’s not sharing my enthusiasm.
“I can’t go with you, Will. I have to go home. I have to look after my dad.”
Chapter Thirteen
Piper
Having Will tell me he loves me is the most special moment of my life so far, my second not far off most special, his tongue lashing and its effect is gonna stay with me for some time.
But to know he actually does love me, and know I love him… then to realize I have to go home…
It’s too much. I don’t know what to do.
“I just can’t face dad about us, not right now,” I tell Will, who listens to me patiently, I can see his dark eyes are calm and he’s deep in thought.
He hums and nods as I state my case.
I want nothing more than to go home with him, let him claim me properly, but it would just cause too many complications with dad so sick right now.
“How sick is he?” Will asks, raising his brows. “He sounded drained when I spoke to him earlier, but he’s not that sick, surely?”
It’s true, he just has a bad cold or maybe the flu he gets every couple of years, but it’s like I said, I don’t want to have to deal with dad finding out about Will and me.
And I tell Will as much.
“Then we won’t tell him,” he says finally, smiling to himself, a matter of fact.
“We won’t not tell him altogether… we’ll just… tell him some other time,” he says, sounding like the only one of us who’s making perfect sense.
“But he’ll… if I don’t go home,” I protest, making Will frown, looking at me as if I’m trying to brush him off, which I’m not.
“I want to Will. I do. I just… Oh! I don’t know anymore,” I sigh, looking out the window, biting my nails.
Something I haven’t done since I was little, and only ever did when I got this worked up about something.
He leans over, putting his hand gently on my knee again, making me shiver uncontrollably.
“I told you I’d wait Piper but if there’s no good reason why I can’t make you mine tonight, I’m taking you home. Where you belong,” he tells me firmly but calmly.
I know he’s right. I want Will more than anything.
“Can we at least…?” I start to ask, but Will’s already started the van and is pulling away.
“Of course we can, and we will,” he says, laughing to himself at his own play on words.
“We’ll check in on your dad and then I’m sure something will come up to make me whisk you away, maybe for the whole night,” he says with a devilish grin.
I feel my worry replaced with the warm rush of excitement again. Will’s so in control, so commanding when he wants to be.
I love it and I love him, more than ever.
I just have no idea how he’s gonna pull this off.
Will tells me not to worry, suggesting we pick up some take out on the way.
“I’m sure your dad hasn’t prepared anything, and he needs his strength. I know this great Korean place. They do a chicken chili soup that’ll make him feel much better.”
Using his speed dial, Will orders ahead, in perfect Korean I might add as he watches the road and then me, asking me with silent lips what I want to eat.
I can only shrug, I trust in Will’s judgment.
We’re both in much better spirits by the time Will swings into the restaurant’s parking lot, telling me to stay put as he’ll only be a minute.
While he’s inside, I can see him glancing out to the van a couple of times as he waits for our order.
A tap on the window makes me jum
p. Some guy motions for me to wind the window down.
“Sorry!” he exclaims. “I just wanted to make an appointment to get my pool filter looked at… do you have a-” but he doesn’t get a chance to finish.
I gasp and then groan as I see Will looming up over the guy. Advancing toward him with both his hands balled into fists after he’s rolled his sleeves up.
“Help you?” he snarls at the guy, whose backing away and shaking his head, as he stammers and then makes a terrible moaning sound like he’s just realized his mistake.
“Will,” I call out, trying to give the guy a friendlier look, holding out a business card.
“Will, he just wants his filter looked at,” I try and explain, but Will looks like a different man, more like a beast or some sort of caveman.
His chest is puffed out as his muscles ripple through his shirt and his dark eyes grow cold as his hands ball up into fists as he starts to growl, literally growl at that guy.
I’m getting really worried now, thinking maybe Will’s unhinged or he breathed in too many pool chemicals.
But once the guy tells me to forget it and turns on his heel and runs for his life, Will shrinks a little, back to his normal huge self.
“What the hell was all that about?” I ask him angrily, noticing his look of confusion.
“Did he? He didn’t hurt you, upset you?” Will grunts, lifts his head, and scans the street to make sure the guy is gone but looks like he still might sprint after him at any moment.
“Will? Remember how you pulled me back for thinking the worst not so long ago, about that Vanessa woman?” I ask him in a scolding tone and answering my own question before he has a chance to answer.
“Then don’t assume that every guy who looks at me or worse, even talks to me is trying to hit on me, okay? He was a customer, a potential customer anyway, now we’ll never see him.”
I huff out a breath of frustration and wind the window up again, folding my arms.
I watch the food come out and Will pays the waitress and gets back in the van.
Pool Girl: An Instalove Possessive Age Gap Romance (A Man Who Knows Who He Wants) Page 5