Page 65 of Too Fast To Fall
Fresh.
She couldn’t explain why this was bothering her, but it was. Perhaps the run-in with the photographer had put her off hergame. Or maybe it was because there was something about her dog treats she didn’t feel like sharing with the rest of humanity.She liked what the treats accomplished in her world, however silly to most people. And sure, she’d wanted her world to openup, but that didn’t mean she wanted it to be complicated.
Piper tossed in a load of laundry, ate lunch, then took a nap with Gus. She slept on her side, spooning him, and it was simplylovely. She woke up to a text from her sister Meghan.
Can you call me when you have a minute?
Piper’s pulse picked up. A request for a phone call over text sent her paranoia into overdrive. She pressed the button onspeed dial, then scooted back on her bed, leaning against the headboard. Meghan answered in only two rings.
“Hey, you. How’s jolly old England?” Meghan’s voice over the phone was like a transatlantic hug. Piper had talked to Gabbya number of times, but Meghan was so busy with school, so an actual conversation hadn’t happened.
“I’m good. How are you? What’s going on?”
“Well, first off, I have news. And I would prefer to tell you this in person, but we went out to dinner with Mom and Dad lastnight and I didn’t have any wine, and Mom guessed what was going on.”
Piper gasped. “Are you pregnant?”
Meghan unleashed a breathy laugh. “I am. Can you believe it? I’m still in shock.”
Tears leaked from the corners of Piper’s eyes, and she felt homesick in a way she hadn’t since her first week in London. Meghanand her husband had been trying to conceive for several years. It had been a stressful journey, full of disappointment. Thiswas a miracle. “Congratulations. It’s so amazing.”
“I wanted to tell you when you got home, but as soon as Mom and Dad knew, I had to tell Gabby. And I knew that if you talkedto her, she’d probably slip. I wanted to be the one to tell you.”
“I amsohappy for you.” A tiny sob left Piper’s lips.
“Aww. Don’t cry, Auntie Piper.”
“Oh, no. Do not call me Auntie Piper. Not yet.” She unleashed a bigger sob. Visions of Meghan and Mike and their baby poppedinto Piper’s head. She could imagine the familiar family gatherings with a little Murphy running around. Memorial Day. TheFourth of July. Thanksgiving. Christmas. She’d spent so much time dreading the wedding, but that was all because of a heartbreakshe was fully over now. The reality was that her love for her family ran deep, and she couldn’t wait to see them all again.
“Seriously. Don’t cry. This is happy news,” Meghan said.
Piper sniffled. “I know. I know. And I’m happy. Super, super happy.”
“We aren’t telling the extended family for a while, so we’ll have to keep it under wraps at the wedding.”
“Understood.” Talking to Meghan made the proximity of the wedding date even more real, but she felt better equipped to dealwith it now.
“Plus, I don’t want to steal any of Gabby’s thunder on her big day.”
“Smart. Gabby does not do well with thunder theft.” Piper took a deep cleansing breath, swiping away her tears. “I’m so happyfor you, Meghan. I can’t wait until I see you in person and I can give you a big hug.”
When Emilio got home, he was waiting for the gate to open when a man ran up to his car and rapped on the window loudly. Emilionearly jumped out of his skin. “What the...?” Emilio stared at the man, unwilling to roll down the window. “What do youwant?”
The man swung around a camera, which was hanging from his neck, and began taking pictures.
“Oh, great.” Emilio quickly hid his face. This had happened many times, but not in London. He cursed Victoria and the chaosshe’d managed to create. Thankfully, the gate opened ahead, and Emilio drove through and started to pull into the garage.He thought he was in the clear, but he quickly saw through his rearview mirror that the man had walked past the gate and intothe courtyard in front of the house.
Emilio hopped out of his car. “I don’t know who you are but leave my property.”
The man kept snapping photos, and Emilio was certain they would make him look like absolute shit whenever they ran in whatwas surely a tabloid. Unfortunately, he was so angry from this invasion of his privacy he couldn’t contain his emotions. “I’mserious. Get the hell off my property or I’m calling the police.”
Piper and Gus came around from the side of the house. “Oh, my God. Dude.” Piper walked right up to the man. “You can’t behere. Leave.” She punctuated her demand by pointing at the street.
Emilio couldn’t help but be amused by this fiery version of Piper. The same Piper who’d tried to yell, “Fuck you” at Victoria.“You heard her.” Emilio pulled his phone out of his pocket to dial the police.
“I just want one picture of the two of you together and I’ll leave,” the man pled.
“I told you he’d never agree to it,” Piper said.
