by Ali Parker
“You should’ve kept your stupid mouth shut,” I mumbled as I crammed the last bite of egg into my mouth.
As I collected my dishes, I heard the front door unlock.
I froze and strained my ears. Someone came inside. The front door closed and locked.
“Max?” I called.
He didn’t answer. Instead, a female voice called back to me. “Hello?”
I came around the corner of the kitchen to find a young blonde woman at the front door. She was quite pretty. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun, and she was wearing a cute powder-blue dress with a little cardigan. A small gold belt cinched her waist and matched the earrings dangling from her ears.
She put a hand on her hip and looked me up and down.
Suddenly self-conscious, I crossed my arms over my front. “Can I help you?”
She beamed at me. “Sorry. I should introduce myself. I’m Holly.” She marched forward and thrust her hand between us for me to shake. Her smile was eager, bright, and cheerful.
“Piper,” I said.
“Oh, I know who you are. Max has been talking about you all damn year. I couldn’t get him to shut up about you. It was all Piper this, Piper that. No offense, but I was kind of tired of you before I even met you.” She giggled unabashedly and waved me off. “Anyway. Where is he?”
“At work. I’m sorry, who are you?”
Her eyes widened with surprise. “Oh shit. I’m Holly. Max’s sister. He didn’t tell you about me?”
“No, we hadn’t really gotten around to it I guess.”
“Jackass,” she mumbled. “Yes, well, I’m the smarter, more attractive, much more approachable sibling.”
I couldn’t disagree with her there.
She pulled her hair out of its bun. Her slightly curled locks cascaded down her back, and she raked her fingers over her scalp, massaging her head. “You know, I could go for a mimosa. Can I fix you one? We can chat and get to know each other over a drink?”
“Um, sure,” I said. Even if I’d turned her offer down, I suspected she would have made me a drink anyway because she was already on her way to the kitchen. She pulled a bottle of champagne out of the fridge as well as some freshly squeezed orange juice.
“More or less champagne?” Holly asked.
“Less.”
“Boo.”
“Erm, more?”
Holly beamed at me again. “Better.”
I hung back and watched her fix our drinks. When she was done, she put everything back in the fridge and then walked to the patio doors. She nodded expectantly at me, and I pulled them open. Then I followed her out to each take a seat in one of the chairs by the pool.
She handed me my mimosa and watched me knowingly. “So, Piper, tell me what you think of my brother so far.”
“Well, I don’t think I’ve had much time to really get to know him.”
“That’s why I said ‘so far.’”
“Oh. Well. Um—”
“You hate him?”
“What?” I asked incredulously. “No! Not at all.”
Holly giggled. “Relax. I’m just giving you a hard time. And Max, too. He’s really let his work define him this past year, and I don’t think it’s serving him well anymore. I tried to tell him, but you know how men are. They think they know best.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I opted to take a sip of my drink instead.
Holly watched me. “Are you going to answer my question, or what?”
I licked my lips. “Well, I think Max is a very accomplished man. He’s friendly. And polite. And very accommodating. But I don’t think we’re a good match.”
“Why?”
“I don’t really know how to answer these questions, Holly. I’m sorry.”
“It’s the khakis, isn’t it?”
“What?”
“His pants. His look.”
“No.”
She laughed. “Come on. If he presented himself a little nicer, it would make a difference.”
I shook my head. “Honestly, that’s not it. I couldn’t care less what clothes he’s wearing. I’ve seen him dressed to the nines, and I’ve seen him in his casual wear. It makes no difference. There just isn’t a spark there. I mean, the first time I met him? Yeah. I felt something. But now things feel so artificial. Like we’re both trying really hard but we’re grasping at straws.” I sighed. “I have to confess, he’s not how I remember him.”
“He’s stretched thin with work. He needs to take a step back, but he doesn’t know how.”
“He said he wasn’t going to work as much as usual this month.”
“Did he really?” Holly pursed her lips as she considered this. “Well, maybe there’s hope for the two of you yet. Max is a different man when there is space between him and his job.”
I frowned. That hardly seemed like a way to live. Especially if the person you were while at work was someone you liked less than the person you were when you were away from it.
“You’re wondering why he does what he does, aren’t you?” Holly asked.
“Yes.”
“You’re not alone. I wonder all the time. But he loves it. He thrives in it. And he’s exceptional at it. Not many people can operate at the level he does without compromising their values. I don’t think Max even knows what compromise means when it comes to business or ethics.”
That was an attractive quality.
Holly got a devious look in her eye, and she leaned sideways in her chair. “How about you and I go do a little shopping for my big brother?”
That sounded like a terrible idea. “I don’t think he’d appreciate that very much.”
“What? You said it yourself. You hardly know him. And if he’s unimpressed, I’ll take all the heat. He’d believe it, too, because I’m always giving him shit about stepping up his game. Come on. It could be fun. We could buy ourselves a little something nice, too.”
“You’re an enabler, aren’t you, Holly?” I asked slyly.
She threw her head back and laughed. Then she swung her legs over the side of her chair, tipped her head back, and drained the rest of her mimosa. “Piper, you have no idea. Trust me. Max can afford it. And he’d be happy to hear you enjoyed your day. Let me show you what it’s like to be among the richest people in one of the richest parts of the country.”
“I guess I can’t say no to that.”
Holly clapped her hands together enthusiastically. “Excellent. Finish your drink. I’ll call Jonathan.”
“Is he your family’s personal driver?”
“Mine and Max’s, yes. Our parents are dead. And our nana lives in New York in a care facility.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. She loves it. She’s one of those old ladies who has the run of the place, and all the old men sneak out of their rooms to knock on her door at night. She says she isn’t into any of them, but I think she’s lying. You know when you get that old, there aren’t any boundaries anymore. If I were her—”
“I meant about your parents,” I said before Holly dove too deep into a subject I did not want to hear details on.
Holly blinked. “Oh. Yes. Thank you. It was a long time ago. Nana was there for me and Max, and she saw us through it. We’re lucky to have her. Do you have grandparents?”
I shook my head.
Holly reached out and put her hand on mine. “I’m sorry to hear that. They’re very special people. And sometimes, they say the most hilarious things. Age gaps. Entertaining people for generations.” Her smile stretched her cheeks again. “Now chop chop. That drink isn’t going to finish itself, and if you take too long, I’m going to make myself another. Max doesn’t need me in a mall with his credit card and two drinks in me. I’ll buy the whole damn place.”
While Max’s sister called for Jonathan to come pick us up, I finished my mimosa and considered how different she was from her brother. She was full of life, almost wild, and he was so reserved.
Maybe there would be a way t
o pull another part out of him this month. Maybe there was something deep down inside him akin to Holly’s fearless joy.
And maybe, just maybe, spending the day with her was a good place for me to start in trying to find it.
Chapter 8
Max
Somehow, despite my best efforts to leave early, I didn’t leave Apple Headquarters until six o’clock in the evening. Los Angeles traffic slowed me down a bit too, and I didn’t pull into my driveway until shortly before seven o’clock.
Holly’s car was in the driveway.
“Oh, good Lord,” I breathed.
I should have warned Piper about my somewhat overbearing sister. And what was more, I should have expected this kind of thing from Holly. Her curiosity about Piper could not be sated, so she clearly had decided to take matters into her own hands to meet her in person.
Things like this never panned out in my favor.
With a heavy sigh, I got out of the car and crossed the driveway to my front door. When I let myself in, the telltale giggles of both women in the living room reached my ears.
“Hello?” I called.
It smelled like pizza.
I crossed the foyer and stopped in the kitchen. Both women were in the living room. They were sitting on the floor on either side of the marble coffee table, and my sister was biting off a massive piece of pizza. She chewed while she talked.
“Hey, Max, there’s more pizza here if you’re hungry. Vegetarian, pepperoni, or spicy chicken with bell peppers.”
I shrugged out of my jacket and left it on the kitchen counter before moving into the living room. That was when I noticed there were shopping bags on my sofas.
A lot of shopping bags.
I slid my hands into my jean pockets and arched an eyebrow. “Did some damage at the shopping mall, I see?”
Holly nodded and licked tomato sauce from the corner of her mouth. “Sure did. Even bought ourselves a couple of nice things. Well, I did. Piper refused to spend your money on herself. She said it was in poor taste.”
“Holly,” Piper hissed. She turned around to look up at me. “It just felt inappropriate to spend your money without your permission. Because it is inappropriate.” She shot that last sentence back in my sister’s direction.
Holly shook off the comment. “Whatever. Max has plenty of money to go around. Don’t you, Max? And he’s not materialistic. He encourages me to buy myself things all the time.”
I perched myself on the armrest of one of the sofas. “That’s true. But only because her company is insufferable, and I’d much rather her annoy the ladies in the shops than me.”
Piper giggled.
The sound was refreshing.
“What did you buy?” I asked, looking around at all the bags.
Holly rolled to her feet and popped open a bag. She proceeded to show me all the things she’d purchased for herself, including a new pair of Jimmy Choo’s, a Prada handbag, several fall coats, some jewelry, and a new perfume.
I frowned when she finished showing me everything. “So, what’s in the rest of the bags?”
Piper bit her bottom lip and busied herself with eating another slice of pizza.
Holly clasped her hands together and smiled at me. “I’m glad you asked. The rest is for you.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Oh?”
She nodded. “Yep. We thought—well, I thought—that your wardrobe needed a little pick me up. And I know how much you hate shopping, so I brought Piper along with me to help me pick out some things.”
Holly popped up to her feet and wiped her hands on her dress. Then, seemingly oblivious to the sudden tension in the room, she started opening bags and pulling out men’s clothing. She held up a button-up shirt in front of her. “I thought this would be a really nice piece for work. I mean, you’re the CEO. You might as well dress like it, right?”
“Holly,” I said.
“And this one,” she carried on, ignoring my tone and holding up another button up. “This one is a little more casual. But still totally suitable for work. Don’t you think, Piper? And we really thought the color would make your eyes pop. And these pants are so much nicer than your jeans. And the fit would flatter—”
“Holly,” I said, more sternly this time.
She closed her mouth and stared at me.
I stood up. “I don’t need you meddling in my business. And I especially don’t need you parading around like my personal shopper. You see value in clothes. I do not. And I’m tired of having the same conversations over and over with you about it. Leave it alone.”
Piper’s cheeks were full of pizza and bright pink as she stared at the floor.
I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. “I’m sorry to rain on your parade. But I’d like you to return it all tomorrow, Holly.”
My sister protested. “Max, if you’d just try them on, you’d see what we’re talking about. I know what you’re saying, but they aren’t just clothes. They’re tools to help you express yourself. To draw a line between when you’re at work and when you’re off. To establish boundaries. Which you desperately need. Please. Look. Just try this jacket on and tell me you don’t like how it feels.”
“Enough, Holly. I’m glad the two of you had a good afternoon together. Let’s consider that a victory for the day. All right?”
Neither of them said anything as I left and made for the stairs.
I adored my sister, but I loathed her vanity. As my sister, she could have anything and everything she wanted, and she wanted a lot of things. She took pleasure in shopping and acquiring stuff, where I did not. I saw no value in it. And no matter how many ways I said it, Holly was deaf to it all.
I was done trying.
Upstairs, I ducked into my bedroom, closed the door behind me, and ran a hot shower to wash away the stress of the day. I stood in the steam for a while before getting out, drying off, shaving, and throwing on a comfortable pair of sweats and a loose T-shirt.
I had resigned myself to avoiding both my sister and Piper when someone knocked on my door.
Expecting Holly, I told her to go away.
“It’s Piper.”
I couldn’t very well tell her off, so I opened the door. She stood in the hallway, wringing her hands together as she looked up at me. “Can we talk?”
“Did Holly send you up here?”
She shook her head. “No, she left.”
“Did she take the bags with her?”
“Um. No.”
I rolled my eyes but opened the door the rest of the way, inviting Piper in. “Of course, she didn’t. My sister is a real pusher. She can’t ever just leave things well enough alone, you know?”
I looked back at Piper. She was still lingering out in the hall.
I gestured at the two chairs by the fireplace in my bedroom. “Do you want to sit?”
Piper came into my room and took one of the chairs. She watched me as I sat down across from her, and I could see there was something she wanted to say but she didn’t know how to go about it.
“What’s on your mind, Piper?” I asked.
She licked her lips. “I’m sorry. I overstepped. Your sister was just so much fun and so bubbly, and I wanted to spend time with her. When she said she wanted to go shopping for you, I didn’t expect her to go all out and buy every single item she liked. I mean, in my experience shopping for my brother, I’d buy him one fifty-dollar sweater for Christmas a year and call it a day.”
I smiled. “That sounds like my style.”
She giggled nervously and played with a strand of dark hair. Her expression turned serious again. “That’s not the only reason I went shopping with her.”
I waited for her to continue.
She searched my eyes. “I’m trying to find my footing here, Max. And I hate saying this, but I have to be honest and tell you I found it a lot easier to connect with the other men. I just… I don’t know how to be when I’m around you. I don’t know what you want.”
What I want?
This had nothing to do with what I wanted.
“The only thing I want is for you to be yourself,” I said. Guilt swirled in my gut as her cheeks turned a deep shade of red. “Piper, I mean it. And I’m very sorry if I made you feel otherwise. It was not my intention. If I’m being honest with you and with myself, I feel the same way. I feel out of sorts.”
She nodded. “I’m glad I’m not the only one.”
“You’re not. I’m struggling, too. I had a lot of expectations going into this, but I also had a lot of time to start doubting the process. And that’s not fair to you.”
“But it’s understandable,” she said.
I sighed and shook my head. “No, I’ve been unreasonable. I haven’t exactly made it easy for us to hit it off, have I?”
A small smile curled her lips. “The blame isn’t all on you.”
“But it’s mostly on me.”
She shrugged one shoulder. “If you insist.”
I laughed. So did Piper. And suddenly, with just that, it felt like the wall was slipping away brick by brick.
I stood up and held out my hand.
She put her hand in mine and stood.
“Can you do me a favor?” I asked.
“Sure.”
“Take me downstairs and show me how to put some of these outfits together?”
Piper flashed me her white smile and lifted her chin. “It would be my pleasure. Be forewarned. I did not pick out the green-velvet blazer.”
I felt my eyebrows drawing together on my forehead. “Green-velvet blazer?”
“Blame your sister. She said it would be good for Christmas.”
I chuckled. “Velvet isn’t good for anything.”
Piper shrugged. “I tried to tell her.”
“I believe you.”
“Your sister is a little crazy, huh?”
I laughed as we left my bedroom and made for the stairs. “Crazy is an understatement.”
Chapter 9
Piper
“I know it’s in one of these ones,” I said as I rifled through a teal-colored bag from a store whose name I couldn’t pronounce. It was a French boutique. Or Italian. Truth be told, I couldn’t really tell the difference from the name or from the inside of the store when I was there with Holly. She was the one who’d called all the shots on our little shopping adventure, and I’d been more than happy to stand back and let her.