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"Right? Oh, I see Maddie and Keira. We'll keep April here until you arrive. It should be fine. They haven't even ordered their dinner yet. You're amazing. You'll figure out the right thing to say. I have faith."
Piper sighed. "Thanks."
"See you soon." Tori hung up, and Piper's energy faded almost right away.
The weight of the last few days and last year settled back on her, pressing down relentlessly.
She leaned on the sink and stared at herself in the mirror. Around her neck was the necklace her mom had given her on her sixteenth birthday, just before she died. It was a tiny little diamond, barely even visible, but it had been her mom's only treasure in a life that had been a grueling disappointment.
Piper touched the necklace and took a breath. "Come on, Piper. You can fix this."
But the woman staring back at her didn't have any answers.
Yet.
She'd find them.
She had to.
She hadn't come this far only to fail now.
CHAPTER THREE
"Let's go, Angel," Piper said, as she gathered her toiletries a short time later, hurrying as fast as she could. Any other time, she'd have basked in the chance to indulge in the gorgeous shower and beautiful bathroom, but not today. "I have a date with a woman who believes I'm literally a curse on happiness. Don't want to miss out on that fun time."
Angel wagged her tail happily, making Piper grin. "I have joy envy, Angel. I think I need to come back as a dog."
With Angel at her heels, Piper jogged down the stairs, her hair wet, her feet bare, her toiletries in her arms, still trying to figure out how she was going to handle April.
Still not coming up with an approach she felt would work.
Come on, Piper. You can do this?—
She ran around the corner, then screamed when Kitty stepped out in front of her. Angel yelped and jumped back beside her.
"Piper!" Declan's mom caught her arm as Piper stumbled backward. "Sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you."
"No, it's fine." Piper took a breath. "Good to see you, Kitty." She instinctively reached down to pat Angel and make sure the dog wasn't scared. "It's okay, sweetie."
Kitty, as always, was dressed to stylish perfection. Her darkhair was short and fashionable, her white pants and high heels flawless, and her white leather jacket was fashion victory. Her artistically styled brows arched as she took in Piper's wet hair and bare feet. "You're sleeping with my son? When did that start? Why didn't I know about that?"
"Sleeping with Declan?" Embarrassment flooded Piper. "Oh, heavens no. I just used his shower. He's destroying mine."
"Is he?" Kitty's eyes sparkled with interest. "His dog loves you. She doesn't trust anyone. You must be around a lot for Angel to trust you."
"What? No. We just bonded tonight." Piper suddenly realized that, given Kitty's attire, she might travel in the same circles as the clientele Piper catered to as a wedding planner. There was a chance Kitty would link Piper to the rumors about the wedding planner with the same name, and Piper didn't want to deal with that. "I have to go. Declan gave me a time limit."
Kitty rolled her eyes. "And you're listening to it? That boy needs a woman to push back, not let him have his way."
"I'm not his woman. I'm his tenant. He tore apart my bathroom without warning, and I needed a shower."
Kitty narrowed her eyes, then sighed. "Dammit. Of course Declan's not sleeping with you. That wouldn't make any sense. A mom just doesn't like to give up, though."
Piper paused. "Why wouldn't it make any sense?"
Kitty shot her a look of surprise. "You don't know?"
Interest piqued through her. "Know what?"
