Damaged Perfection (The Perfection Series Book 1) (13 page)

              “No, I don’t need this getting any worse. Listen, I am sorry about the bar. I will help in any other capacity, if I can.”

              “Its ok man, I will manage. Just get yourself out of this mess. Go to your wife; make her see what she will be missing.”

              “Thanks, brother. I have never met anyone who takes the punches like you. I wish I could handle life like you do.” I have to choke back a laugh. If he only knew how I handle life, he wouldn’t think the same.

              “Just get yourself out of this mess.”

              He gets up and walks out of the building. Could this night get any worse? I get up to walk out back to the smoking area. I stop the little blonde waitress to tell her not to let anyone take my table. I sit on one of the benches and spread the line on the back of my hand. I pull it in and notice the woman sitting across from me watching my every move. She smiles as my body starts to relax and I wave her over.

              “I thought you would never ask,” she says, as she walks toward me. I stand, take her hand and lead her back in the bar. We get back to my table to find the waitress has brought me another beer. My new blonde friend sits right next to me and begins rubbing my arm. My mind is wondering when she begins talking. I hear her going a mile a minute but I have no idea what she is saying and I really don’t care. She must sense that I am not listening to her because her hand starts rubbing my thigh.

              “Let’s go to your car, baby,” she whines.

              I look at her, contemplating her request. I nod as I am just ready to get this night over. I square up the tab and we walk to my truck. She scoots right next to me and immediately unzips my pants and slips her hand in. This is normally when I begin to enjoy my night; however, when I open my eyes, Piper’s face is staring back at me. Although my thoughts are rolling in a little slower, due to the drugs, I still manage to remember after a few seconds that I don’t want random chicks anymore. My stomach rolls when I look down at her.

              “Out!” I tell her as I pull her lips from me. She looks a little taken back at first but then she gathers herself and gets out of the truck. I put myself back together and zip up. I lean my head on the steering wheel a minute to gather my thoughts and to contemplating what just happened

              “Fent!” I lift my head from the wheel to see Gibson.

              “What are you still doing here?” I ask, after rolling down my window.

              “I called Marla to see if she would meet me somewhere and she told me that she was really done with me this time. So, I came back to talk to you. I just didn’t know what else to do. When I pulled up, I saw you come out with your friend and was going to leave but you didn’t keep her around long.”

              “Follow me to my house.” My mind is a little hazy but I can hear the panic in his voice.

              “Ok,” he finally agrees. After he gets back in his car we both head towards my house.

              I decide to call Piper on the way. Not only do I feel a little guilty for what just happened but I also need to check on her. After a few rings a raspy, unfamiliar female voice picks up.

              “Where is Piper?”

              The sleepy voice yawns before answerimg, “Piper is asleep.”

“Can you take her the phone please?”

“No,” she answers. I am about to lose my patience with this chick.

“Why not?” I say between clenched teeth.

              “Have you ever tried to wake Piper? She is a bear and I’m not doing it. If you want her, you can wake her yourself.”

              “Just tell me if she is ok.”

              “She has a sore throat but I think she is going to manage.” That son of a bitch better hope that he doesn’t get out anytime soon.

              “Ok, thanks.” I put my phone back in my pocket as I pull in my drive way. The garage door lifts and I pull in carefully making sure to miss my bike. I jump out and walk back to Gibson as he rolls his window down.

              “Listen man, I can’t impose on you. I am just going to head to a hotel.”

              “Are you kidding? You are not imposing. I am not letting you get a hotel.”

              “Yes, I need some time to think. Thank you for being there for me tonight.” He rolls his window up as he pulls away. I stand there a minute and blow out a breath. What a fucking day!             

              I walk in the house and there is only one place I need to be. Before I head to the gym, I stop by the kitchen and get my bottle of tequila and take a long pull. I slam it on the counter and lean back on the counter until my nerves calm. I feel the sudden urge to cut me a line but am able to push that away for the time being. I really am trying to get away from it all but one thing at a time.

I walk into the one place I can be myself. I lace up my gloves and get to work. The tightness of the gloves on my hand, the pain the bag brings to my knuckles as they collide, and the sweat that burns my eyes as the punches come faster and harder, let me know that I am still alive. I don’t have much to live for anymore but I am trying to make my life worth what some people tell me it is.

              While the bag is feeling the wrath of my day, my mind is going crazy with thoughts of Piper and how James is trying to turn her against me. The son of a bitch putting his hands on her; I will rip him apart if he tries it again. I don’t care if she is just a co-worker; hitting women goes against everything in me. And I don’t know that I will be able to control myself if we are ever alone somewhere. I have only been nice to him for Piper but I will not hesitate to protect her from him. Then there is Gibson. I need to help him but I am not sure how. It is bad enough that he is losing his business but then for Marla to leave him on top of everything, I can’t imagine what is going through his mind tonight. I wish I could have gotten him to stay here, that way I could keep an eye on him.

              I continue to assault the bag as I feel some of the rage leaving my body. I know what I have to do. Tomorrow I have to come up with a different plan to get away from Frank now that Gibson is out. This isn’t going to be easy but it has to be done.

              With one last punch to the bag, I walk out of my room, fall face down on my bed and hope for a full night of sleep. 

Chapter Twelve

Piper

              The bags I saw under my eyes this morning just confirms what I already know: I need more sleep and less stress. I am glad that I am not working on the site with Fent today as he would probably flip if he saw my appearance. Although I know that it was only the drugs that made Shane go crazy yesterday, I have to distance myself from him until he gets the help he needs. It is going to break my heart to tell him that, of course, but it has to be done. I know I promised Fent that I would not leave him to handle this on his own but I cannot keep that promise. I can help from a distance but that is all I can do.

              I look at the clothes in my closet and pick out something other than site clothes. It is nice to be wearing professional clothes again. No hard hat, no work boots and best of all, when I take a shower when I get home, I won’t have dirt in places I didn’t know existed. I decide that a scarf is in order, even though it is the middle of the summer. I don’t want prying eyes on my all day.

              I contemplate sending Fenton a quick text before I leave but finally decide against it. I need to concentrate on work today, not him. I am sure I will see him this evening.

              After deciding that I look presentable, I grab my coffee and head to work, hoping for a stress free day. The traffic is light on the interstate which is a good start to my stress free day. I walk into James and am greeted by a very chipper Jane. Also good! As I wait for my computer to start up, I check my desk phone for voice mails; nothing. I check my email once the computer is on and the only thing in my inbox is an email from Alan. Oh, I forgot to mention to him that I would be out of the office for a few days; I hope he hasn’t gotten tired of waiting to hear from me. Just as I am beginning to read the information on my new project, my phone buzzes. When I answer, I am cut off before the entire hello is out of my mouth.

              “You are receiving a call from a Marion County inmate…” Well, I didn’t think I would hear from him this fast. I start to panic as I don’t know if I should tell him now that I can no longer be around him, or wait until he is out.

              “Piper, it’s Shane,” he finally says after listening to the jail jargon for a couple minutes.

              “I know, Shane. You are the only friend I have that is an inmate at the moment.”

              “I am so sorry, Pipe.”

              “I don’t want to hear it, Shane. You have gone too far this time. You should see the disgusting bruise you left on my neck.”

              I hear his sobs on the other end of the line. I can’t tell him while he is locked up with nothing but his thoughts. It will break him.

              “Pipe, what can I do to make it up to you?”

              “Get the help you need, Shane. That is all I want for you.”

              “Anything, Piper. I will do anything to gain your trust again.”

              “I’m glad to hear that because if you get out and continue the same path, we can no longer be friends. It pains me to say that to you after everything we have been through but I just don’t have the energy any longer Shane, I am sorry.” I take a breather before continuing. I am surprised that he isn’t begging me not to leave him but he must understand the seriousness of the situation. “How long are they keeping you?”

              “I’m not sure, yet. I am so sorry but I have to go my time is up. I love you, Piper.” The line goes dead. I feel my heart break all over again. He has never told me he loved me. Of course we have been very good friends for years and there is a certain kind of love that comes with that but I feel like he meant more.

              I throw my phone in my desk drawer once he hangs up. I don’t understand what happened to make him get to this point. Nothing major happened to him, that I knew of anyway, that would create a need for a crutch. As much as I would love to sit and analyze my love/hate relationship with Shane, I have work to do. This will just have to wait until later.

I head to the lounge to go grab some water.  My day started off so well, I was hoping it was going to continue. I laugh because that seems to be rarity these days. After plucking my water from the fridge, I begin searching my lunch bag for my apple.

“Hi, baby doll!” I lift quickly and bump the top of my head. I can’t believe the voice I am hearing.

“What are you doing here?” I ask when I turn and see him standing in the doorway.

“I was worried about you. You sounded so down on the phone last night.”

I haven’t seen my dad since my graduation, almost two months ago, so I practically run to him. He picks me up in his arms in a bear hug and I can’t help but to let the tears begin to free fall.

“Piper, sweetheart, why are you crying? You told me things were going great.”

“It has just been a stressful week that is all. I am so happy to see you!”

He puts me down and his attention is immediately drawn to my neck. Shit! I took the damn scarf off when I got to my office because it is so hot. I thought since I was just going to quickly run to the lounge I wouldn’t need it.

I can tell he is trying to calm himself before he asks me the question. I close my eyes in exasperation; I can’t handle Fent and my dad.

“Baby, what happened to your neck?” he asks, while crossing his arms over his chest. I really don’t want to have this conversation here. I thought I would be at my desk away from everyone all day and wouldn’t have to answer that question.

“Come to my office with me, I don’t want to talk about this here. We can meet Mr. James after we catch up.”

“I have already spoken with him; we are all going to brunch here shortly.”

“Oh…Well, let’s go back to my office and have this conversation in private.”

I am antsy all the way back to my office. Although we make some small talk, my father is eerily calm. He walks in the office before me and is looking around in amazement while I shut the door. After directing him to sit in on one of my leather guest chairs, I take the other.

“This is quite the spread you have here. I think this is bigger than my office.”

“It’s too much for me. All I really need is my drawing table and a computer.” He nods his head and my heart jumps in anticipation of the impending conversation. I take a deep breath before I turn to face my father. I am a daddy’s girl and it is going to kill me to tell him what happened. I am awful at lying to him, so I might as well just tell him what happened.

“Just spit it out, Piper. But know that if I don’t like the story that comes out of your mouth, I can’t promise that I won’t pack you up and take you home with me.”

“I am getting to it, Daddy. It isn’t easy to talk about.” He listens intently while trying to keep his cool.

“My friend Shane and I kind of had a run in last night.”

“Friends do not do that to each other, Piper. What kind of ‘friend’ is he?” His voice is starting to vibrate. He clasps his hands in his lap to keep them from flailing around while he talks.

The story of the last four years of my life just tumbles out, the great times and the last year of not so great times. As I tell my father the story that I have told so many people over the past few days, I realize that I am tired of telling it. I am now more determined than ever to get Shane clean so we can make new memories; memories that do not include drugs and fighting.

“Where is he, Piper?”

“He is in jail. Phoebe called the cops and they were able to get there before he could do anything else.”

“I would expect this type of behavior from Phoebe but not you. Are you sure we are talking about your friend and not hers?”

“Daddy, he is my friend. Phoebe has nothing to do with it.” I know she doesn’t always make the best decisions but that doesn’t mean she deserves anything less from our father.

“Did you get yourself checked out?”

“No, I am ok. I was more scared than anything.” His eyebrows shoot up. I probably shouldn’t have said that.

“Did you press charges?” I close my eyes; he is not going to like this answer.

“No, Daddy.” He grows silent. He begins playing with the hem of his shirt and I can see his wheels spinning. I am not sure what is worse: the fact that he is so eerily calm or that he is not telling me what he is thinking.

My father built his business from the ground up and it has been very successful for the better part of thirty years. Generally, when he wants something he gets it. So, I am not sure how to handle his calm demeanor, after taking in this information. He is actually scaring me more than Shane. At least I knew how to handle Shane; this side of my father is completely new to me.

“Say something, Daddy!”

“I am only going to say this once, Piper. You better keep the little son of a bitch that did this to your neck away from you. If you let him back in your life, it will not be pretty. Do you understand me?”

The intensity in his voice gives me goose bumps. He has never spoken to me like this.

“Yes, daddy. I told him that he needed help and I would not be around any longer until he gets it.”

“Mr. Adams…Piper. Mr. James would like to know if you are ready for your meeting.”

“We will be there in just a moment,” my father answers before I can speak. She nods and walks out of the office closing the door behind her.

“Piper, listen to me. When your mother passed away, I told myself that I would not let anything happen to you or Phoebe. I could not take it. Seeing you like this makes me feel like I have failed as a parent. I get enough trouble from Phoebe. Please don’t make me have to worry about two daughters making bad decisions.”

He is breaking my heart as I can see the tears forming in his eyes. I wish he had waited a few days before he came to visit, he doesn’t need this extra stress.

“I’m sorry, you know that you don’t have to worry about me.”

“I didn’t think I had to Pipe, but I guess I was wrong.” He scrubs his face with his hands and stands, effectively ending our conversation. I can tell he isn’t finished with the subject but I will let him absorb everything before I try to explain further

“We better not make your boss wait any longer,” he says, sounding somewhat defeated.

“Yes, let’s go.”

* * *

              We are greeted by a very well dressed host, who quite possibly makes more money than I do, at this beautiful restaurant that overlooks the downtown canal. I feel out of place when we are seated. The table cloths are crisper than my shirt, the table linens are softer than the sheets on my bed and the glasses are made of the most beautiful crystal that I have ever seen. The waiter shows up in an impeccably flawless suit and tie and I have to refrain from rolling my eyes.

              I subdue a chuckle after glancing at my father because he is out of his element. He has as much money as Frank but he definitely doesn’t throw it around in swanky restaurants. I am sure I will hear all about how Frank tried way too hard to impress after this is all said and done.

              “Well Piper, how do you like working at James design?” Frank asks. I have to think about how to answer that question. Although I love working there, I don’t love how he treats Fent or the fact that he made me work with Ty even though I clearly didn’t want to.

              “I love it, Mr. James. I couldn’t ask for a better company to work for.” That is probably the most politically correct answer as I do love the company but I didn’t really mention Frank or the employees.

              “How long have you been in business, Frank?” my father cuts in. I am not the only one that notices my father uses his first name, sidestepping the more professional route
.
He is not here to make friends; he is here to make sure I am working with a reputable company. I am not sure what to expect from Frank.

              “James Design has been in business about fifteen years. My father owned a similar business that I ran before I started my own.”

              “Why did you leave your father’s business?”

              “Daddy, I hardly think that is our business.” I give Frank an apologetic look.

              “Its ok, Piper. I know your father is just looking out for you. I would do the same if I had children out of state. My father was a cut throat business man. He ran our family like he ran his business; we had to be the best at everything and have the biggest everything. Our best was never good enough and although I hated that about him, it helped create the business man that I have become today. After he passed away, I just couldn’t stand to run his business without him next to me. So, I started my own. I needed a fresh start.” That certainly explains a lot. It is in his genes.

              I understand what he is talking about wanting to start fresh. My father is very caring and doesn’t give a damn what people think about him but I need to achieve success in this business without his help. What can I say, I have inflated pride.

              “That is very honorable of you. Do you have children to continue your legacy?”

              Anguish crosses Frank’s face and I can tell that my dad hit a nerve with that question. He sits silent a moment, stirring his coffee. When he looks back up to us he has red rimmed and glassy eyes and my heart aches for him. I don’t know if he is going to tell us but I am sure something awful happened.