Lights Out (29 page)

Joe was at a loss. It doesn’t mean anything, he told himself. She probably just wants to check in, see how her kid is getting on, no more no less. Don’t read anything into it. He’d think about calling her back, but not now. Later. He’d think about it later. He moved to his car, going to Piper’s, refusing to think about Meghan.

But he was unsettled. His chest felt tight. He should have gotten permanent custody of Shane. What had he been waiting on? His mind began spinning in numerous directions as he made his way to Piper’s.

* * *

Piper had arrived home thirty minutes before Joe had called so she could let the dogs out. The surprise of having him call had left her feeling festive and playful. So she’d stripped down to her bare bones and now she stood waiting behind the front door for him, naked as the day she was born. What a nice surprise for him, she thought, wishing he’d hurry up because she was getting cold. She wondered if she had time to dash upstairs for her robe.

She heard a car pull up. Nope, no time. She heard the car door close and footsteps approaching her door. A key went into the lock. She held her breath and the door opened, blocking his view of her as she stood behind it. He closing the door and turned around to find her standing there. He almost jumped out of his skin. She shifted her body from one leg to the other, one hand wrapped around her breast, silently watching and waiting, the other hand over her mouth to keep quiet.

She couldn’t help it. Once he’d seen her, she gave in to her laughter because his expression was priceless. His eyes roamed over her, standing there in the nude. A bark of a laugh popped out of his mouth and his eyes widened and then narrowed. His smile changed from shocked to sexy, and his eyes did that smoldering burning thing. Another good idea, Piper, she told herself, still laughing as he stuck his hand out and reached for her, pulling her to him, his other arm moving around her waist.

She couldn’t stop laughing and neither could he now. He had to let her go so they could both give into huge guffaws.

“It’s cold,” she said, her laughter winding down to giggles.

“Come here,” he said, reaching for her, securing her wrist as he pulled her along behind him up the stairs. He pulled her into his arms as he reached the landing, feeling better already. He was glad he’d come, shoving thoughts of Meghan and what her call would mean for him and Shane to the back of his mind.

He kissed her, mouth open over hers, soft and hot. His tongue found hers and played. She was butter in his hands. She laughed as he started to dance with her, your basic two-step, in time to music he began to hum.

She smiled, getting into the spirit of it, following his lead, two-stepping between kisses as he moved her backwards to her room, one arm around her waist.

Please, please, please, can I have this one? I won’t ask for anything more, she silently prayed. She was in heaven. They danced their way into her room, his mouth moving over hers, humming against her lips, before skimming the undersides of her chin.

His lips left hers then, only for a second, as she helped him pull the shirt over his head, dropping it to the floor. She unzipped his pants and pushed downward toward the floor. He stepped out of them, ditching his shoes and boxers.

“What a nice surprise,” he said, turning them so he stood next to the bed. He sat, then laid back, pulling her to sit on him, not moving except to kiss and run his hands along her golden brown skin, releasing his thoughts of Meghan and what her reappearance could mean.

“It was, wasn’t it,” she said, and gave herself over to him.

* * *

Second week of March

Meghan had called twice over the past week. He would have to talk to her soon. It didn’t seem like she was going away. He hadn’t mentioned it to Shane or Piper. He’d called and made an appointment with his attorney, however. He stood now outside of Reye’s, needing to talk it over with someone, sidestepping the issue that it should have been with Piper.

He walked up to the door, knocked and Reye opened it.

“This is a nice surprise,” she said, letting him enter.

“Hey,” he said, stepping into her hug. He stood there for a second, longer than before. He looked up to see Stephen standing in the doorway, a strange look passing over his face.

“Hey, Joe,” Stephen said, walking toward them.

Joe gave him a nod. “Stopped by to talk to Reye,” Joe said.

“Me, too,” he said, bending over to kiss his wife, his hand going to her head to hold her in place. He kissed her longer than normal for a going-back-to-work peck, mouth opening over hers, surprising her with its intensity.

“See you later, Joe,” Stephen said, looking at Joe, all trace of friendliness gone.

Joe laughed. They were back to that again. “She’s safe,” he said to Stephen.

“I know,” Stephen said, and smiled, not the wicked one, reserved for her, but its meaner version.

Joe laughed again. For some reason he felt better already, more relaxed; nothing like a good fight to release some stress.

Reye shook her head. Men, she thought. She smiled at Stephen before he walked out the front door.

“So what brings you here?” she asked as he walked over to the couch and sat down.

“My sister’s back,” he said.

“Back where?” she asked, walking over to sit next to him. “When?”

“Two weeks ago. She called. Wants to see Shane,” he said, glad to have someone to talk to. Someone who knew his history, someone who he didn’t have to bring up to speed, someone who had been there when he was struggling to hold it together. Reye reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze.

“You have to talk to her,” she said.

“I know, but I’m talking to that family lawyer first,” he said.

She nodded at that. “You know I’m here for you and Shane,” she said, squeezing his hand again.

“I know,” he said.

“Have you talked to Piper about this?” she asked. He turned his head sharply to look at her.

“No.”

“Why not?”

He shrugged. “I like her, I do. I dated someone a long time ago, thought it could have been more. Marriage. But it didn’t turn out. Don’t know if I want to do that again.”

Reye didn’t say a word for a minute, floored that he’d finally mentioned something about his past. Joe never discussed his life, at least not the personal part. She probably wouldn’t have known about Shane had she not been around when his sister left him the second time.

“It says loads that you’re considering her in that way. You know that, right?”

He didn’t reply. “What if she wants him back, Reye?” he said, voicing the question that had been plaguing him since Meghan’s call. “What should I do?”

“I think talking to the attorney is good, but you’re going to have to talk to her, sooner rather than later. And what if she’s gotten her life together? Really together. Then what? Doesn’t she deserve a second chance?”

“I don’t really want to hear that, Reye. Not now, anyway,” he said.

“I know.”

He was quiet again.

“How’s Shane?” she asked.

They spent an hour bringing each other up to date with their lives. Reye didn’t bring up Piper again, and neither did he.

* * *

Piper lay in bed, wondering if Joe had spring break plans for Shane. They could hang out again like they’d done at Christmas, pretending to be a family.

She hadn’t seen or talked to him today. He’d picked Shane up from school, circumventing her. He was starting to do that more often. He’d seemed distant lately, preoccupied, a million miles away. Okay, he’d always kept his personal stuff under wraps, but something was up with him and she had no clue as to what. The sex was still good. He was always present and accounted for there.

Her cell rang, breaking into her thoughts. It was her dad.

“Hey, Pops. What’s up?”

“Hey, Renee. I wanted to let you know that Christina lost her mother today,” he said.

“I’m sorry. How is she?”

“She’s doing well. Grateful for her time with her mother.”

“How are you?”

“I’m good. Thankful, too, that she had the chance to come and see her mother. I shouldn’t have stood in her way. I should have listened to her more,” he said. His obvious sincerity surprised Piper.

“I’ve had five children, and the thought of one of you dying without me having the chance to say goodbye would be heartbreaking for me.”

“It’s okay, Dad. Christina did have her chance,” she said. “Any idea when you’ll return?”

“I’ll be there in about two weeks. Christina is going to be here a while longer with her father and her brother. Then she’ll head on back, somewhere around the end of April, first of May,” he said.

Piper was quiet.

“You all right?”

“Yeah. It’s just that I’d gotten used to having the girls here. It will be hard to see them go.”

“They’ll be in the city. Christina and I plan to live at the apartment in Austin until school lets out, and then we’ll head back to San Antonio.”

“That’s good.”

“So what’s bothering you?” he asked.

“I want my own girls and boys and a husband.”

Hopefully not in that order, he thought. “Have to have a boyfriend first,” he said, chuckling a little.

“Don’t I know it.”

“Heard that you’re seeing someone. Joe is his name, right? The girls mention him often in their e-mails to us. He’s the uncle to that little boy you help with, right? Anything to that?” he asked.

“Just friends.”

“I see…Friends, huh? I could talk to him,” he offered. She laughed, remembering other conversations he’d had with her boyfriends. He’d scared more than a few away.

“Hell, no,” she said, and he laughed.

“I’d better get back to Christina. I’ll call you soon with flight details,” he said.

“Okay,” she replied.

“Talk to you soon,” he said, hanging up.

She lay on her bed for a second, considering. She and the girls had an end date now—the end of the month. She would miss them. She called Joe.

“Hey,” he said in that way of his. At night it was usually sexy and sometimes sleepy, a combination that made for a more potent Joe.

“My dad is coming back in two weeks,” she said, getting right to the heart of the matter. “He just called. The girls are going home to their parents. They’re going to live here in Austin in my dad’s apartment until school’s out,” she said, the words rushing from her mouth.

Joe was silent. “That’s good, right? Good that their parents have worked it out, going to be around, especially your dad. You’ve said so yourself,” he said.

It was quiet. “Yeah, I know. Going to miss them, though.”

“But you can see them whenever you want until the summer?”

“Yes.”

“But…” he asked.

“But why does that idea bother me so? I mean, I should be happy and celebrating. I’ll have my home back. No kids, and no kid commitments. Free to do whatever I want. That used to sound great. Now it just sounds empty,” she said.

“It was your life before your sisters.”

“I know, but now it’s different. I want someone who loves me, wants kids, and wants me, too. I want my grandfather, and maybe even my dad, now that he realizes the importance of family,” she said, her voice quivering. Was she crying? “Nothing to say?”

“It may happen,” he said.

But not with you, she thought. “So how are you? Didn’t see you and Shane much this week,” she asked, wiping her tears away with her hands.

“Fine. Work has been easing up for me lately.”

“How’s Shane?”

“Fine. You have him Friday?” he confirmed.

“I know…see you then. I’d better get some sleep and let you get back to yours. Thanks for listening.” She hung up.

What did you think would happen, Piper? she thought, mentally kicking herself. What had she hoped he’d say? “It’s okay. I’m on my way over. We can make two babies to replace your sisters. You can marry me. It’ll be our two plus Shane, right, Piper?”

She turned off her light and lay there in the dark, wishing for things to turn out differently.

* * *

Monday afternoon Joe entered Lights Out Coffee, driven by a desire to check on Piper. She’d told him about having to pick up her dad from the airport this morning, and she’d seemed a little sad the last two weeks, her mourning process, which he understood. He had his, although he didn’t like to think about Meghan much. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t there, hovering in his mind, robbing him of his peace.

He scanned the room and spotted her sitting at one of the back tables next to a woman. The woman looked familiar, blonde and tall, almost as tall as him. He scanned the rest of the room before they returned to Piper and that woman. He knew her. He had grown up with her most of his life. He’d taken care of her when his parents hadn’t. Meghan. What is she doing here talking to Piper? How long had they known each other?