Page 41 of Every Little Thing

Chapter Twelve

Piper

I take a sip of my wine as I walk out of the kitchen and cuddle into the comfy armchair by the window that I found in a little thrift shop a couple of blocks away from my apartment. Raindrops streak down the window and I stare out at the dreary sky, the gray ominous clouds perfectly reflecting my mood for the past two days. My phone rattles with an incoming call and falls off the windowsill, crashing to the floor and I lean down and pick it up. Eden’s smiling face mocks me from the screen and I sneer as I decline the call and set the phone back on the sill. I don’t care how many times she tells me she is sorry or she was just trying to help because the damage is done and there is nothing she can about that. Wyatt knows I’m keeping secrets from him and I’ve spent the past forty-eight hours waiting for his next move.

Then again…

Maybe I will luck out and he’ll just let it go. Shaking my head, I sigh as I take another sip of my wine. No, I know better than that. Now that he knows that I didn’t tell him the truth, it will eat away at him until he decides to finally confront me for answers. God, walking into the restaurant was such a stupid idea and I can’t believe I let Eden talk me into it. Things were good… okay, well, maybe not good but I was okay before I came face-to-face with him again and now, all I feel is turmoil. The worst part is seeing him, right in front of me, full of rage and looking better than he has a right to, reminded me just how much I love him. Not that I ever truly forgot but most days, it was easier to ignore than it is now. Closing my eyes, I lay my head back against the chair and let out a groan. I can’t believe I asked him to help me have a baby, too. Of all the stupid things I could have said, I definitely picked the worst.

He must think I’m insane.

Hell, maybe I am.

Knocking pulls me out of my thoughts and my head snaps forward before turning to look at my apartment door with a scowl. I would bet that Eden decided to drop by personally since I haven’t taken any of her calls since our “girls’ night” and I shake my head before turning back to my window. It’s not like this is it for Eden and me. She is one of my very best friends in the world, something I didn’t really have until I met her, and I’m not ready to throw all that away but she can certainly sweat this out a little. It serves her right for sticking her nose in my business and crossing more damn lines than I can count.

“Piper!”

Oh, fuck…

Wyatt’s voice bounces off the walls in the apartment and it feels like I’m moving in slow motion as I turn to stare at my front door.

This is exactly what I was afraid of and now that it is happening, I don’t know what to do. I am not anywhere near ready to tell Wyatt the truth about what tore our marriage apart and I don’t know if I ever will be but I know I can’t avoid him forever. The Wyatt I knew ten years ago was persistent and I can’t imagine that particular quality has mellowed out in the years since.

“Goddamn it, Piper! I know you’re in there.”

Sucking in a nervous breath, I down the rest of my glass of wine and set it on the windowsill before climbing out of the chair with shaky legs. I press my hand to my stomach and take another deep breath as I start slowly moving toward the door. Wyatt’s fist pounds against the other side, making the wood crack and I shake my head.

“You got this, girl,” I whisper to myself, hoping like hell I’m lying as I reach the door and pull it open. Wyatt’s hazel eyes slam into mine as he towers over me with both hands gripping the door frame around him. He’s breathing heavily and the determination steeling his gaze terrifies me.

“We need to talk.”

I shake my head. “No… I don’t think we do.”

“Well, you’re wrong,” he says as he releases the frame and gently moves me to the side so he can let himself into my apartment.

Fuck.

Shit.

Damn.

Blowing out a breath, I close the door and turn to him as he paces through my living room, his gaze taking in the decor before he freezes and I squeeze my eyes closed.

Shit.

He just saw the framed photo from our wedding that is sitting on my bookshelf.

“Look at me.”

My eyes snap open, almost like I have no choice but to obey him, and I meet his gaze as my heart thunders in my ears and my hands shake. Questions fill his stare and my body tenses, waiting for him to make the first move but he doesn’t say anything. In the closed space of my apartment, I can feel his body calling out to me, demanding that I close the distance between us and let him wrap his arms around me. A shiver runs down my spine. I swear I can almost feel it despite the five feet separating us and I resist the urge to close my eyes and soak it up.

Fuck.

It’s been ten years but absolutely nothing about how much he affects me has changed. He takes a step forward and my heart skips a beat. Sighing, he seems to shake off whatever just happened between us and he takes two steps back before running his fingers through his hair.

“Eden told me the truth,” he finally says, crossing his arms over his chest and I can’t help but admire the way his arms stretch the sleeves of his t-shirt.

Whoa, those are new…