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  Vance shook his head and glanced at his watch. “You just get ready. We’ll talk about this later,” he said, moving from the room and heading back to the living area.

  ***

  Piper stared blindly into the mirror, basking in Vance’s words.

  “I’ve been looking for you since the last day of fourth grade,” he’d said. “If I’d known it was you…nothing could have dragged me away.” Those perfect words had soothed her instantly—turning her insides soft. She smiled at her reflection, happy to know that she had not been alone in her memories, but that Vance had remembered her, too.

  Piper went back to scrubbing her face, hoping to untangle the windblown mess of her hair quickly. She was very curious to meet his family.

  Twenty minutes later, Vance opened the French doors of the main house and motioned for Piper to step inside. The sun was starting to set, bringing shade to the patio and allowing things to cool off. Still the air conditioning inside the expansive kitchen brought relief. Piper moved in front of Vance who had exchanged his T-shirt for a casual, white linen button-down.

  Seated at the tall countertop, three faces glowed with anticipation and delight, welcoming Piper in a way that immediately put her at ease.

  Vance started the introductions as they all stood. “Piper, this is my grandmother, Emelina Flores, my father, Hale Evans, and his fiancée, Genevra DuVal. Everyone, I would like you to meet Piper Beaumont, my very best friend back in fourth grade.”

  Piper noticed awareness hit both Vance’s father and grandmother when he mentioned fourth grade. Which is why, she supposed, Genevra moved first, coming around her fiancé to clasp both of Piper’s hands.

  The woman smelled of roses and happiness. “It is lovely to meet you,” she said. “I’m not sure I’d remember any of my classmates from fourth grade.”

  “Obviously, she’s quite special.” Mr. Evans slid in between them, taking her hand and looking her right in the eye. “Piper,” he said gently, cupping her hand in his, “we are honored to have you in our home.”

  “Thank you,” she managed, licking her lips. She felt a little tongue-tied. Mr. Evans’ gorgeous face was terribly disconcerting.

  Fortunately, he turned her toward the Mighty Abuela, which may have proved sobering if not for the sudden embrace she found herself in. Vance’s elegant grandmother held her close and murmured something in Spanish, then released her quickly and stepped back, eyeing her up. “Now this is a celebration,” she declared, clapping her hands together with a delighted smile on her face. “Old friends are the best friends, no?” She swung her gaze toward Vance. “We will make you feel so at home you will never want to leave.”

  Piper thanked her. Thanked them all for allowing her to join them on such short notice. Then she accepted a cold glass of wine from Vance and struggled to gracefully pull herself up onto the tall counter stool. All the while she was being peppered with questions.

  Vance sat down next to her and put his hand up to stop the barrage. “Let’s all give Piper a moment to breathe, shall we?” he suggested. “It’s only been a couple hours since we reunited, so maybe it would be prudent for Piper to simply tell us what she might like us to know about herself.”

  “Okay,” she agreed, “and then I get to ask the questions.”

  Vance laughed. “Good luck with that.”

  “Well,” she said, feeling incredibly conspicuous being the subject of all of their bright, optimistic gazes. “I fell in love with Vance in fourth grade—”

  Vance snorted, his grandmother sucked in a shocked breath, Genevra beamed from ear to ear, and Vance’s dad’s eyes glistened over a jubilant smile.

  “And then my parents moved me and my brothers to Chapel Hill, which I just hated at first, but grew to like after making new friends. I went to a private girls’ high school, which I also hated at first. Don’t get me wrong. I liked my parents just fine, I just hated all the stuff they were doing to me.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “While everybody else wanted to come to Chapel Hill for college, I saw that as my opportunity to leave. I picked a school in the middle of nowhere, Miami University in Ohio. Oxford, Ohio—nothing but corn fields and fifteen thousand kids looking for a party.

  “I wanted to be an actress. But through a series of unfortunate events, I decided my talents were needed elsewhere. Which required me to stop partying and put my nose to the grindstone so I could get into law school.”

  “You’re a lawyer?” Hale asked, his brows raised high.

  “I am,” she stated. She didn’t mind his disbelief. Knowing full well that she looked like a blond Betty Boop, she’d come to expect his reaction. And she often used it to her full advantage in court.

  “And you should see the boy band following her around, doing her bidding,” Vance said.

  “Boy band,” Piper snickered. “My firm likes to indoctrinate the new male lawyers by making them work for me,” she explained. “I don’t dress or act like tradition mandates, so once they come to respect me, they don’t have a problem taking orders from anyone else in our firm.”

  “Are you a litigator?” Genevra asked.

  Piper nodded as she sipped her wine. “I do one thing and one thing only,” she said, setting her glass gently on the granite. “And I do it very well.”

  Hale leaned over the counter, placing his chin on his hand, curious. “And what is the one thing?”

  Piper shot an anxious look toward Vance, figuring he may as well hear it now and hear it from her. Lord, she hoped he still had that same sense of humor. “I defend college students. From trumped up and ludicrous charges.”

  “Really?” Vance said, his brows raising as he sat up tall on his stool and crossed his arms over his chest. “Trumped up and…what was that? Ludicrous charges?” He loomed over her, appearing two parts amused and one part incredulous.

  “Yes, exactly.” She smiled into his handsome face, not about to play false.

  Vance ran a hand down over his mouth, trying, she thought, to hide his amusement. “Care to enlighten us further?” he said, holding out his hand toward the rest of his family.

  “Very well.” She spoke to the table at large. “I represent the type of cases where if a—” she shot a quick glance toward Vance, “—a police officer had used a little bit of common sense, asked pertinent questions, and judiciously issued a warning instead of whipping out his handcuffs, the entire incident could have ended where it began. Thus saving the kids, their parents and the judicial system a whole lot of time and angst. So, I only take cases with certain parameters. Which means I have clients spread throughout the Research Triangle and beyond. With all the colleges in that area, there’s a lot of business.”

  “Thus, the ‘I hate cops,’ comment,” Vance murmured.

  “I never said hate,” she corrected. “But I’m a defense attorney and have good reason not to be overly fond of them.”

  “Although you make a pretty good income off of the ones who don’t use good judgment,” Hale teased.

  “It is the cross I bear,” she said, grinning and lifting her wine. “I’m certainly not unaware of the irony.”

  When there were no follow-up questions, Vance glanced around the table. “Really? Is no one going to ask the obvious question here?”

  When there was no response, Vance groaned, “Oh, for God’s sake. Piper.” He turned his whole body in her direction. “Please tell us all what happened back at good ole Miami that put you on your Trumped-up and ludicrous soap box.”

  Ha. Like that was ever going to happen. She pulled out all the charm her momma taught her and fell into the thickest Southern accent she could muster. “Why now, look at me going on and monopolizing this entire conversation. Forgive me, Miss Emelina, because in truth, I’m just dying to hear all about where you came from in Spain and how difficult the transition was when you arrived in Henderson.”

  While Vance’s grandmother blushed and touched the back of her updo, the rest of the room chuckled softly and let Pi
per get away with egging Emelina on to tell her story. Vance, she noticed, seemed more content than she’d expected, throwing her a quick wink over a devastating smile. Oh, Dear Lord, she thought suddenly, bracing her heart. Vance Evans continues to be one slippery slope.

  ***

  Dinner was served outdoors amid candlelight. The breeze had kicked up just enough to make it pleasant. The conversation flowed easily and after dinner no one seemed in a hurry to leave the table. Genevra announced she would be preparing breakfast in the morning and hoped to see Piper there.

  “I look forward to it,” Piper said, at the same time Vance said, “She’s not staying.”

  Piper looked at Vance like he’d just told her there was no Santa Claus.

  “I can stay,” she assured him quietly. “I’d like to stay.”

  “I’ll be driving you back to Raleigh tonight.”

  Abruptly the three older adults stood as one and began clearing the table. Piper stood too and started to help until Vance captured her wrist and dragged her from the table.

  “Piper, you can’t possibly stay here—with me—tonight.”

  “Why not?”

  Sputtering in disbelief that he would actually have to spell out the obvious, Vance said, “Well, for one, there is no way I’ll be able to keep my hands to myself.” He ticked off his index finger. “I also happen to be a cop, and for some mysterious and undisclosed reason you have a big issue with cops,” he said, ticking off his middle finger. “In addition, less than two hours ago you called me a man-whore.” He ticked off his ring finger and then held the three of them up, wiggling them back and forth. “Take your pick.”

  Ms. Beaumont, the defense attorney, held up her hand. “Have I asked you to keep your hands to yourself?” she questioned, and then answered, “No. Because I’ve been crazy about you for twenty years,” she said, folding over her thumb. “And you left me in the middle of the dance floor lusting after you for the last five.” Down went her index finger. “I may not be crazy about cops in general, but if you refer back to argument number one you’ll understand why I’m willing to make an exception in your case,” she said, closing finger number three. “And, while I agree that the man-whore thing is generally disconcerting, there is something to be said for experience.” Down went finger four. “As well as never running out of condoms.” Finger five. “I believe, Officer Evans, you are clear out of arguments.”

  Chapter Nine

  If Vance could have hit a pause button and gotten life to hold still for just a moment, he would have called Brooks on the phone and begged his forgiveness. Because up until this very moment, he had not understood why Brooks had continually gone out of his way to keep Lolly out of his bed.

  Now he understood completely. It was simply self-preservation.

  Right now—standing here, drinking in her pouty lips and soft, pale skin—Vance was willing to do just about anything to keep Piper in his life. Including keeping her out of his bed.

  He’d rather be friends.

  Friends had no reason not to see each other on a regular basis. Friends could even fight and make up. Friends forgave each other. Lolly taught him all that. Friends got to know each other, figured things out together, shared secrets, hopes, and dreams.

  He needed to build that with Piper. And once the foundation of friendship was strong enough to stand against any random act of his insanity, then he’d take it to the next level and make her his own. He needed her invested heavily so whenever it did go to shit, it wouldn’t be easy for her to walk away.

  He did not want her walking away.

  Abandoning him.

  Again.

  “I’m not arguing,” he insisted. “I’m simply inserting the stuff you’re so fond of, a little common sense. Today has been amazing. Piper, you’re amazing. But I’ve just found you. You probably have somebody back in Raleigh you need to shake loose and—”

  He saw it in her eyes.

  “What? There’s a dude back in Raleigh?” Of course there was. No woman who looked like her was sleeping alone. Fuck! And here he was talking her out of spending the night with him. Freaking moron. “Piper?”

  “Okay. All right. Yeah,” she said starting to back down. Starting to walk toward the pool house. “But I can take care of that with a phone call, really.” Then she hesitated for a moment. “Maybe two.”

  “Two?”

  “No more than three. Three calls and I’m good to go,” she said, stepping inside his place.

  Vance broke out in a cold sweat. “You’re sleeping with three different guys?” he asked very quietly so the pounding in his head wouldn’t detonate.

  “No! Oh, my God, I’m not like you.” Piper rose from gathering her purse and briefcase. “I have two dates on my calendar. Just dates. One will be easy to brush off. The other, well, we’ve been dating a little bit, so he’s probably not going to be too happy.”

  Vance understood completely. Poor son of a bitch. “And the third?” he inquired.

  Piper sighed as she sat down on the couch. “That one is a little complicated, so okay,” she said, capitulating, “I’ll stop throwing myself at you. But you know,” she frowned, “a girl can only take so much rejection. Leaving me on the dance floor and now this.” She looked up at him with her baby blue eyes and laid her heart on his coffee table. “Vance, do you at least find me attractive?”

  Vance had to concentrate to keep his feet riveted to the floor. One move toward her and it would be all over. “I’m working very hard trying not to think about how,” fucking hot, “attractive you are.”

  “Suppose I refuse to tell you where I live?”

  “I’m one of those pesky cops, remember. I already know where you live.”

  “What if I simply refuse to get in the car?”

  “Again, the ugly cop. We’re trained to muscle a hundred pounds of fluff around.”

  She looked so beaten down and forlorn that his heart nearly broke. He crossed the distance between them and crouched down in front of her. “Come on,” he said gently, taking one of her fingers and shaking it a little trying to bring the life back into her. “We’ll take the Rolls and you can snuggle up with me while I drive. And while you’re doing that, you can text me the names of those three guys you’re going to be kicking to the curb first thing tomorrow. Just in case I need to follow up with any of them.”

  “I don’t wanna take the Rolls,” she sulked.

  “Aww. Everybody wants to ride in the Rolls,” he coaxed.

  “I wanna take your truck.”

  Now why’d she have to go and say a thing like that? Vance thought as he did the one thing he hadn’t done since the two of them were ten.

  Vance Evans dropped his heart straight into Piper Beaumont’s hands.

  An hour later, Vance had his arm tucked around a sleeping Piper, sitting in his truck in front of her condominium building. The woman smelled like a nectarine dipped in honey—sweet, succulent, and playful. He looked down to see her sweet cheek nestled against his chest. He felt her succulent curves under his arm as he held her close. And he longed to playfully entwine his fingers in her blond curls. Instead, he slowly placed a kiss on the top of her head. Then he laid his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes, relaxing into this one perfect moment of unequaled contentment.

  His mind drifted—suspended and blank. And then, slipping into his one moment of sheer contentment came the question: If my mother had not abandoned me, would I be sitting here with Piper now? Would Piper have ever meant so much?

  Piper had done her best to fill the gaping hole in his heart back then. She’d nurtured him when no one else would. And it had helped him heal. Piper had meant so much to Vance because he’d suffered that loss. And being with her today was everything he could have hoped for when he’d set out to find her.

  And more.

  Because she wasn’t just his savior in fourth grade. No, she was also his hologram. The one who’d haunted him with its playful and easy emotion. The one that caused hi
m to steer clear of blondes, knowing they would never measure up. And now that he realized Piper had been the temptress at The Charlie Horse—well it all finally made sense.

  Now he understood why he’d gotten so damn lucky that night—why he was the one she came to. Because she knew who he was. And perhaps the reason her hands and lips provided a pleasure so acute it caused him and his chicken-shit heart to run screaming from the room was because deep down inside he knew her, too. And remembered that she’d left him.

  Inadvertently. Not of her own free will.

  His logical mind understood that clearly, but his damn heart kept responding with a “fool me twice” warning. He must have tensed up at the thought because Piper stirred against him and opened her eyes.

  “Home?” she asked, blinking off sleep as she sat up beside him.

  God, she looked like Goldilocks. All warm and sweet and resembling far more the classmate than the temptress.

  “Stay right there,” he whispered. “I’ll come around and get you.”

  “Are you at least going to kiss me goodnight?” she asked sleepily as she climbed out of his truck. Honest to God, the question startled him because at the moment she looked about twelve fucking years old.

  He held her yellow briefcase and took her hand, walking them slowly to the front door of the building. Maybe it was time he confessed about why he’d run off on her. “How ’bout I tell you about the most amazing kiss of my life. It happened about five years ago. It was Cinco de Mayo—”

  An immense figure loomed up out of the shadows of the condominium’s covered entranceway. Vance stopped walking, but Piper kept moving forward. “Just ignore him,” she whispered, as if having some genetically enhanced ape rise from the bushes was not a problem. “Evening,” Piper said quietly, nodding politely to King Kong as she stepped up onto the landing.

  The guy was huge, with a big square head sitting on big square shoulders. His menacing gaze traveled over Piper before merely flicking toward Vance. Vance thought about Pinks—his new black-belt sidekick—sort of wishing he was here at the moment.