Settling Scores (Piper Anderson Series) (19 page)

“I love you Willow,” he said, his safe large arms encompassing her in a way that made her feel like a little girl again. “I’d do anything for you.”

“I didn’t know how to deal with that.”

“I know. And Bobby told me it didn’t really work out up there in the city. There weren’t any happy endings. That must have been hard. I wish I could have been with you.”

“What do you mean?” her father asked, and Willow realized they didn’t know what the last few months had been like for her. She’d completely shut them out and they deserved more than that.

“I went back to where I was born and tried to piece together what I remembered about what my parents did. There were some girls, they sold them, and I was trying to figure out where they might be. If I could do anything to help them.”

“You did that by yourself?” her mom asked in a concerned voice as she covered her heart with her hand.

“No, I wasn’t alone. I haven’t been alone since I met all these crazy people,” Willow said gesturing out the window to where the wedding would be. “But unfortunately the girls either didn’t survive or didn’t have happy endings. My parents destroyed their lives.”

“Oh my gosh, Willow, that must have been devastating,” her father said reaching out and grabbing her shaking hand.

“It was but it didn’t end there. I did find two happy endings.”

“You did?” Jedda asked, clearly not knowing what might have changed from Bobby’s last update.

“I’ll tell you all about it later. I actually brought all the stuff from our old apartment back with me. I was hoping you would go through it with me. But we’ve got to get cleaned up and ready for this wedding. Bobby’s asked me to stand up with him. I can’t do that with these circles under my eyes.”

“Of course I will. And I’ll be up there with you today,” Jedda said, stealing one last hug before he and Willow’s father headed out of the room.

“Will you help me get ready mom,” Willow asked and loved the light that filled her mother’s face.

“I can’t think of anything better in the world,” she said brushing Willow’s hair away from her eyes and studying her face as if she couldn’t believe this was more than a dream.

“Can I tell you something, Mom?”

“I hope you tell me everything Willow. I hope you talk and never stop.”

“I think I’m in love.”

“Oh please, tell me it’s Josh. I only picked up bits and pieces of what happened but he’s so handsome. Is it him?”

“It’s him,” Willow smiled as her mother stood behind her. She looked at their reflections in the mirror. “I’m afraid I don’t really know how to be in love, and I might have ruined things already but I’m going to try.”

“With the right guy, that’s all you need to do is try, and the rest works itself out. Do you have anything planned for how to tell him?”

“I have no idea, but I’m hoping it comes to me.”

Her mom wrapped her arms around Willow’s waist and rested her chin on her shoulder, their cheeks pressed together. “I’m never going to give up on you.”

“Promise?” Willow asked as she smiled at their reflection.

“Promise.”

The waves were crashing rhythmically against the shore as Willow gazed upon the most beautiful wedding she’d ever seen. The crowd was small but so brimming with love. There were no neighbors of a great aunt, but only those who truly were meant to be there. Willow had stayed upstairs getting ready until the ceremony was just about to start. She didn’t want to admit it was to avoid Josh but it was. The timing to talk to him wasn’t right and she didn’t want to waste her chance.

When she walked down the aisle with her arm in Jedda’s she looked up at the arbor, the backdrop of the ocean and saw the look of surprise on many faces. Jules had clearly been given the heads-up by Michael, but Crystal looked completely shocked and then instantly thrilled to see she and Jedda arm in arm. Behind her and Jedda, she heard Piper’s voice, saying her name. She turned to see her arm locked with a man that she’d never met but that so closely resembled Piper that she knew they must be related.

“Wait!” Piper shouted as she shook her arm free and charged halfway up the aisle toward Willow. Jedda let her go and Piper’s arms were around her in an instant. “Thank you so much for coming.” Piper sang as she squeezed her tighter.

“Piper,” Willow said quietly, “go back over there and walk down the aisle the right way. It’s kind of important.”

“She doesn’t do anything the right way the first time,” Bobby said with a smile, the gleam of tears in his overjoyed eyes.

As if she suddenly realized where she was, Piper’s face grew pink and she hustled back to her father’s arm. “Sorry about that,” she said as she passed the small crowd of people who’d come to share their special day.

When Willow got to the front of the aisle, she hugged Bobby tightly and stood to his right, just on the other side of Michael, who threw a wink her way. “Good choice kid,” he whispered and for some reason his approval sent a wave of joy over her. Her choices had put him at a legal risk too and through the reckless moments of her past few months, she felt immensely guilty about that.

Her eyes locked with Josh’s, whose face was giving no indication of his emotions. She wished he wasn’t so in control of himself. She wished she could read his heart by the look on his face so she knew what she was up against, but there were no clues painted there.

As the bridal march began, everyone got to their feet and her eyes moved from Josh to Piper. During her time in the city with Piper and Bobby, Willow found out more about Piper’s plight and knowing that a path so jagged could still lead to a place so happy gave her hope for herself.

She listened intently to every word, every vow, and every moment of the wedding. She took it in like a warm drink on a cold day.

When Bobby and Piper were proudly pronounced husband and wife, the small crowd cheered in a way that spoke volumes about the journey these two had been on. Bobby kissed Piper with such enthusiasm that he lifted her off her feet. At that, the group cheered even louder. So loud in fact, that it stirred little baby Frankie, who was quickly soothed by a doting Betty.

As Bobby and Piper charged back down the aisle amid flying rice and cheers Willow covered her heart with her two hands and relished the happiness that was today. She thought hard about what Betty had said about sharing her big news on a day that belonged to Piper and Bobby and she’d realized that most people wouldn’t appreciate it, but most people were not Piper and Bobby. She imagined they would feel blessed to know their big day was shared with someone else’s big news.

“Okay everyone let’s move to the tables for some tasty beach food!” Betty clapped as she handed Frankie over to Jules and slipped her hand into Clay’s. Everyone began heading down toward the water where the tables stood covered in newspaper in preparation for the southern boil about to be enjoyed.

Willow searched the small crowd for Josh and spotted him heading down to the tables with the other guests. He was not waiting for her, not glancing back to see where she was. For the first time she was searching for him and now, he wasn’t searching for her.

“Josh,” she called loudly and she didn’t care that every head turned her way, as long as his did too. And it did. His flat expression was still mystifying her. It gave no indication of what she should expect, though she was starting to assume it wasn’t good.

He stopped and the crowd passed by him but he didn’t make a move to come back toward her so she went to him. She wanted to wrap her arms around him but she held back, his body language suggesting such a gesture wouldn’t be welcomed.

“I have a lot to say to you, but I can’t tell if you want to hear it,” she said quietly as the last few wedding guests fell out of earshot.

“I’m glad you came today. It’s good for your parents, it’s good for your brother. But I don’t think it’s great for us. So I think I might just head out. This is your family, you should be here, but I don’t need to be.”

“No,” she said with an urgency that changed the look on his face for just a split second. “Please don’t leave. I have news, big news. Good news. And I need you to hear it.”

“I think you’ve confused my compassion for weakness Willow. Maybe that was my mistake. Know that I’m kind to everyone, but I’m not weak. I’m not a doormat.”

“I know that. I’m weak. I’ve been stupid and weak but something happened in the city and it changed me. I feel like it changed everything. I want another chance. Just don’t leave yet. Please. I have so much to say to you.”

“Fine,” Josh shrugged, “but now isn’t really the time for us to sit here and argue it out. Whatever you have to say, I don’t want to hear it now.” He turned on his heels and she watched as his footprints in the sand left a trail behind him. She fought the urge to cry, remembering that she’d hurt him and it was perfectly fair for him to be upset.

Her mom stepped to her side, coming from who knows where to rub her hand in a comforting circle on her back. “It’s okay Willow. He’ll come around.”

Willow nodded and smiled as they headed toward the water to join everyone. She hadn’t been hopeful that her first attempt at an apology would work. She was prepared to say a hundred I’m sorrys if that’s what it took. Josh was worth it.

Piper could feel the champagne going straight to her head and she hoped that it wouldn’t dull the memory of this utterly perfect day. A day she never believed she’d have a chance to experience in her lifetime. She’d had her first dance with her husband. She’d had her dance with her father. She’d grown her family exponentially just by allowing herself to be loved. Something so many people rob themselves of. Something so many people convince themselves they don’t deserve.

As Jules stood to give her toast, she handed Frankie to Betty and raised her glass.

“Piper, you are a weirdo,” Jules started, and everyone laughed. “You take the path less traveled. You don’t stop until the job is done. You challenge us all to do the same. I’ve known Bobby a very long time and though he’s always been a good guy, you’ve helped him be a great man. I know as I sit here today that I’m witnessing the start of a great love. Michael and I are so blessed to have you in our lives. Frankie is so blessed to have you both as godparents. You are truly my sister, Piper. I hope our lives are calm from this point forward. We’ve all earned that. But if they aren’t I can’t think of any other people I’d like to be with when things get crazy.” She raised her glass and everyone did the same as they toasted the bride and groom.

Michael stood next and raised his glass ready to toast Bobby. “In the eloquent words of my dear wife, Bobby you are also a weirdo,” And the group erupted in laughter again. “Which makes you perfect for each other. I think being in love when times are good is easy. But fighting for love, teaching each other how to be the best version of yourself, that’s the truest form of love. You and Piper have that in spades. A little over a year ago I was just kind of floating through life. Working, hanging out, really with no purpose at all. And it seems like I closed my eyes and woke up here. Surrounded by friends and family. Like it fell from the sky and I’m the luckiest guy in the world. You’re a big part of that. You’re my best friend. We’ve had to put up with these girls and their crazy adventures, and I know I couldn’t have done that without you.” Michael raised his glass a little higher. “To Piper and Bobby.”

Piper hadn’t been much for tears over the years but this was a day she’d decided it was pointless to fight it. She’d sprung for the expensive waterproof mascara and allowed herself to just feel all the feelings that came to her. As Michael made his way back to the table, Piper pulled him in for a hug and whispered in his ear. “Who knows where I’d be if you hadn’t carried me out of that bar that night. I was so in over my head that I went and let someone slip something in my drink. Thank God you were there.”

“Saving your ass is one of my favorite hobbies,” he bragged, kissing her cheek affectionately.

“Thank goodness.”

The older generation of guests moved into the house for coffee and to sit and chat, while everyone else gathered around the fire. Piper on Bobby’s lap, she now changed out of her wedding dress, his tie long since removed. The baby had gone inside with Betty leaving Michael and Jules to relax, both sipping on a drink and looking like they’d been waiting for it all day. Jedda and Crystal were standing, laughing at some quiet joke that made everyone turn and take note of how much more frequently Jedda’s laugh could be heard lately.

“Do you mind if I say something,” Willow asked, looking uncomfortable as every eye turned toward her.

“Of course not,” Bobby said, shoving her forward slightly.

“I don’t know if this is even the right moment or not. I’m terrible at these things. This is your day and I don’t want to take away from it at all. But I asked Betty and her advice was to think about what you two would want. And from what I know about you two, you understand that happy endings are hard to find and you have to fight for them. So I have some good news, and rather than pulling the person aside and telling them one on one, I want to tell them right here while we’re all together. Is that okay?” she asked looking at Bobby and Piper like she might throw up.

Piper grinned widely, still so happy to see Willow here that she almost didn’t care what the girl did. “I have no clue what you’re getting at Willow but if you have any kind of good news, we want to hear. Today really isn’t just about Bobby and me because it’s taken the support of so many people to get us here. We’d be nowhere without that. Please, whatever it is, we want to hear it.”