Page 16 of Mr. Principal

I covered my eyes with my hands like a little girl and groaned. “You guys are killing me. Please stop.”

I felt Carter pulling my hands off my face and he was smiling at me. He gave me a wink and then turned to Piper and said, “Becca asked if Dana and I were an item, so we faked a kiss so that Dana wouldn’t seem like a bitter divorcee with no prospects for a future.”

“Wow, thanks for that, Carter,” I said, planting my hands on my hips. “Way to make me sound desperate.”

He shrugged. “You’re welcome.”

“I figured as much,” Piper said, and then gave me a regretful look. “I’m sorry Tom showed up.”

“You don’t have to apologize for inviting your brother.”

“That’s just it. I didn’t invite him. He invited himself.”

“Oh, really?”

“Really. Ever since he married Becca, he’s trying to act like brother of the year.”

“That’s weird.”

“Tell me about it. I think it’s Becca’s influence. She’s from a big family, but they live out in Oregon so she never sees them. I think she’s kind of lonely. I think besides Tom, the only family she has here is her dad.”

“Being married to Tom was a lonely experience,” I said, suddenly feeling sorry for her. She hadn’t known what she was marrying into apparently. “I was determined to hate her but I guess she’s not that bad, and Meredith adores her.”

“She’s actually a really sweet girl.”

“Girl being the operative word,” Carter said dryly.

“She is super young.”

“Well, you married Tom at twenty-one, so it really isn’t that big of an age difference,” Piper added.

“You’re right.” Tom had married another doe-eyed hopeful. Typical.

I wasn’t ready to keep singing Becca’s praises, after all, she was my replacement. She might be lonely, but she was living a life of luxury, while I was just busy trying to stay afloat. She was living my old life and that still made me feel a little jealous. I hadn’t reached the point yet where I was nonchalant about my divorce. The pain was still there. Still raw. I’d had my life snatched away from me and now someone else was enjoying it. Well, kind of enjoying it.

I didn’t want to think about my ex anymore, so instead, I changed the subject. “Where have you been, birthday girl? This is your party but I haven’t seen you since you let us in.”

She sighed heavily and leaned against the buffet table with a faraway look in her eyes, “I’ve been trying to get the magician’s number.”

I frowned. “Why? Do you owe him money or something? Don’t you normally have to pay for those types of freelancing services upfront?”

“Not his business number, silly. I already have that. His personal number.”

“You’re interested in the magician?” Carter said, unable able to keep the incredulity out of his voice. I’m not sure why he was so surprised. Piper had a way of dating outcasts, weirdos, non-conformists, and hippies. They were her favorite.

“So how many magicians have you dated in the past? Four? Five?” I asked.

“I wish,” she said with a wistful look. “Not one. I was on this website for people who live off gigs. So there I was looking for caterers when boom, the site suggests that a magician would be the perfect party favor. So I clicked on it—”

Carter snorted. “Of course.”

“Shut up,” Piper joked before continuing. “Anyway, like I was saying, I clicked on the ad and this gorgeous man wearing a magician suit pops up on my screen. And not only was he cute, but crazy inexpensive.” She leaned forward and motioned for us to do the same. “You guys, I think I might be in love. When he arrived, he did this magic trick where he found a bouquet of roses behind my ear. Is that not the sweetest thing you’ve ever heard of?”

“He’s a magician. That’s what they do. They pull things from behind your ear,” Carter said, not sounding impressed.

“Yeah, coins and stuff, but these were roses. Fresh roses.” She looked from me to Carter. “Come on, you guys, it means something.”

“Yeah, it means that he probably lost his bouquet of fake roses,” I said dryly.