Chapter 6

Piper

The intoxicating aroma of bacon cooking pulled me from sleep much earlier than I’d planned to wake up. It had been after four when I’d climbed into bed, and it was just after ten. I needed at least another two hours of sleep—but bacon. How could I ignore the call of bacon?

There was no way I’d be able to sleep now, so I slipped on my pajama bottoms and an oversized sweatshirt. No need to dress up for Cerise and Andy. They were like family.

As expected, I found Cerise and Andy in the kitchen.

“Look who finally decided to get out of bed,” Cerise remarked as she reached out to snatch a slice of bacon off the platter.

“Hey!” Andy exclaimed. “You can wait until the rest of our meal is ready. Besides, didn’t you just get done telling me how bad bacon is for me?”

Andy and Cerise had been together for eight years. Cerise was a personal trainer, so she was always on both our cases about eating healthier and exercising more. If bacon was on the menu this morning, Andy was going for a run.

Cerise was tall, a couple inches shy of six feet, with golden brown eyes, short brown hair, and flawless mocha skin. Andy made Cerise look tiny. He claimed to be six-foot-seven, but I suspected he was taller. With long blond hair, piercing blue eyes, and a powerful build, he looked like a Viking. We’d both worked our way up quickly in the club business. I’d started in bookkeeping. Andy had, not surprisingly, started as a bouncer.

“Bacon is horrible for us. You should be ashamed of yourself for making me eat these toxins.” Cerise moaned around a bite. “This is so good. How was the opening?”

“It was amazing!” I replied excitedly.

“I knew it would be,” Andy told me. “I’m still pissed that I haven’t been able to find a decent replacement for you at The Project.”

“You’re too picky,” I accused before snatching a slice of bacon.

Andy waved a spatula at us. “You women need to stop stealing my bacon.”

“Are you really planning to eat all this bacon on your own?” I asked.

“I just might,” he replied.

“You wouldn’t be that cruel,” I said with a pout.

Cerise laughed. “You know Andy can be a total dick when it comes to bacon.”

“You’re right,” I agreed with a grin. “Andy would make bacon just to taunt us with it.”

“This coming from the woman who didn’t get us into the club she’s managing on opening night,” Andy accused playfully. “You tell me how great it’s going to be but don’t invite us to come.”

“Cerise hates Reckless Release,” I reminded him. “I was going to invite you, but I already knew you wouldn’t go without Cerise.”

“You made me miss seeing Reckless Release?” Andy asked Cerise in mock horror.

In response, Cerise stole another slice of bacon.

“I get no respect in this house,” Andy muttered.

“Poor baby,” I teased.

“This is why you hated losing Piper as an employee,” Cerise pointed out. “She had to respect you at work. Now, she doesn’t have to respect you anywhere.”

“It was nice getting some respect from the brat part of the time,” he admitted.

Andy was ten years older than me and often acted like the older brother I’d never had. Cerise had been my friend since high school, so she knew all about the drama with Austin and my mom’s affair with Austin’s dad. She’d been there for me when Austin had broken my heart. It was her biggest reason for hating all things Reckless Release. Cerise was a good friend.

“Did Austin leave you alone?” Cerise asked, making Austin’s name sound like a curse.

“Not exactly,” I replied before quickly adding, “He didn’t cause any problems.”

“He didn’t threaten you again, did he?” Andy asked.

I hadn’t told Andy about my exchange with Austin. It had been passed on to him by the wait staff at The Project. The only reason Andy hadn’t kicked Austin out that night was that I’d asked him to let it go. I didn’t want the drama to get any worse than it already had. I was lucky no one had taken a video of the encounter and posted it online. That wouldn’t have been good for my career in club management. I was supposed to be capable of handling these types of situations. I could handle obnoxious customers fine. Austin was the exception.

“No threats were made,” I assured him. “He was nice.”

“That means he wants something,” Cerise deduced.

“I’m with Cerise,” Andy agreed. “He wants something from you.”

“According to him, he wants to be friends,” I replied.

“Do you buy that load of crap?” Cerise asked.

I hesitated.

“It might be true,” Andy remarked. “It’s been fourteen years. He was just a kid back then. I certainly made my fair share of mistakes when I was eighteen.”

“He was a jackass recently,” Cerise reminded us.

“I know,” I said with a sigh. “I’m not sure I should trust him.”

“But you’re still considering giving him a chance,” Cerise stated.

“Do you think I’m a fool for even considering talking to him?” I asked my friends.

“As long as you’re careful, I don’t see any reason you shouldn’t let him try to prove he’s changed,” Andy replied. “You were friends when you were kids. Maybe if you keep sex out of the equation, you can be friends again. This could help you get over what happened. Don’t even try telling us it doesn’t still bother you.”

There was no point in arguing. They both knew me too well.

“What do you think, Cerise?” I asked my oldest friend.

She was scowling when she replied. “I want to tell you to stay the hell away from him because I don’t think he deserves a second chance. The idea of you being hurt by him bothers me. Andy still might be right about you needing to get some closure on your past with Austin.”

“I want to believe he’s changed,” I admitted. “At the same time, I want that part of my life to go away. That was the most humiliating incident of my teen years, and being around Austin reminds me of that time. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“You don’t have to make any decisions until you’re ready,” Andy told me.

“You’re right,” I agreed. “Why am I thinking about Austin when I could be eating breakfast?”

Looking over, I saw that Andy was putting pancakes on a platter. “I’m so jealous. Why can’t I find a nice guy who cooks?”

“You did,” Cerise reminded me. “Next time, keep him for yourself instead of giving him to your friend.”

“I am not an object to be given away,” Andy argued.

Cerise laughed and said, “Just keep telling yourself that, sweetie.”