Lights Out (Indigo) Read online

  They were looking forward to seeing their sister, too. They didn’t know her that well, but anything was better than this, they both thought.

  * * *

  Joe entered Lights Out mid-morning the following Monday, later than normal. He didn’t have any appointments until eleven, and he wanted to talk to Piper without the regular early morning crowd—those who’d derived enjoyment from watching them spar.

  His eyes quickly scanned the room and found her at the counter, her back to the door, leaning against it, hair wild, curly, and full, apron tied around her trim waist.

  She was talking to the black-haired girl that worked there too, whose eyes found his as he walked toward the counter, offering him a smile.

  Piper turned to see who had come in. Judging by the interest in Shannon’s eyes—they’d kind of glazed over mid-sentence—he must be handsome. Shannon didn’t waste her time on the attractiveness-challenged. She turned to find Joe standing before her, smiling, hair framing his face, touching the shoulders of a tight-fitting polo tucked into expensive grey slacks. Grey eyes stared back at her, looking good enough to eat. He smiled and it did things you wouldn’t believe to her insides. He lifted his eyebrow in question and she looked away, that shy part again.

  “Having your usual this morning?” she asked when he reached the counter.

  “Yes,” he answered. And then he leaned in close, his mouth to her ear. “So,” he whispered, getting right to the heart of the matter.

  “I’ll bring over your bagel and we can discuss it in private. Let me get your coffee first,” she said, shutting down any further discussion in front of Shannon.

  Piper turned, reached for a ceramic cup, and sat it under the dispenser as Shannon looked on. Shannon followed Joe’s gaze as it moved down to check out Piper’s ass. It was covered in a stretchy black skirt, wide, big belt resting loosely at hips that dipped and swayed as she moved. Piper turned back and his eyes returned to hers. He took his coffee from her hand and handed over cash.

  “Keep the change,” he said.

  “Thanks.”

  He gave her a final smile before turning and walking over to sit at one of the tables near the middle of the shop.

  Piper turned to find Shannon’s quizzical eyes on her.

  “Can you handle the counter for a second?” Piper asked.

  “Yes.”

  Piper placed Joe’s warmed bagel on a plate, grabbed a napkin, knife, and cream cheese, and walked around the counter and over to him. He turned as she reached him.

  “So, this weekend maybe?” he asked, getting right to the point, again, single-minded in his pursuit.

  “When and where?” she asked, her words knocking the wind from his sails. He sat back in his chair, surprised. That was the last thing he’d expected her to say. His blood boiled in anticipation. He loved that she offered no pretense, no games, none whatsoever, knew what she wanted and went for it.

  “So Saturday night tentatively….” he started to say, and before he could get her response, someone shouted “Mac!”

  Joe and Piper turned, their eyes landing on a tall man who was making his way toward the front door, and in a hurry.

  “Hey, Mac,” the man shouted again, waving his arms above his head, in case the volume of his voice hadn’t gotten everyone’s attention the first time. He was overjoyed and apparently excited at seeing the renowned middleweight boxing champion of old, the famous Mac “Lights Out” Knight, enter the shoppe. Joe sat up, equally surprised. What were the chances that he’d get to maybe meet the famed boxer? He was still in fighting form, Joe noted, taking in the two young girls by his side. One looked to be about ten, the other one maybe pre-teen, near his nephew’s age. Both were light-brown skinned with almond-shaped eyes.

  The autograph seeker, a tall, beaming Hispanic male, paper and pen in hand, met Mac just as he and the girls cleared the door. Joe watched as Mac said a few words to the gentleman, smiled, shook hands quickly and signed the paper, distracted, before walking over to them. Joe remained seated, shocked and awestruck.

  “Renee,” Mac said, coming to stand next to their table. Joe rose from his chair, then held out his hand.

  “I’m a big fan,” Joe said, extending his hand for a handshake. Mac stood for a second, his eyes assessing Joe, before accepting Joe’s hand in his.

  “Hello,” he replied, looking between Joe and Piper, who was now smiling at her sisters. “Would you excuse us for a moment, young man?” Mac said to Joe and started toward the back of the shop. He hadn’t waited for a response from Joe. Piper rolled her eyes at the astonished expression on Joe’s face. She hated when her dad did that.

  She smiled at her sisters again, reached for their hands and turned to Joe. “I’ll see you later,” she said before turning to follow Mac toward the back of the shop, leaving Joe standing there.

  He stood for a minute, watching the foursome as they moved off, entering the hall that lead to the office, before he sat down, amazed by what had just transpired.

  “Do you need a refill?” The black haired girl appeared at his shoulder, giving him a start. He’d been engrossed in the scene and hadn’t heard her approach.

  “Thanks,” he said, extending his cup to her, watching as she poured.

  “That’s the great and famous boxer, MacArthur Knight, in case you didn’t know,” she said.

  “I grew up watching him fight.”

  “Did you know he was Piper’s dad?” she asked.

  “Piper?” he replied, mind still processing. “No, I didn’t,” he said, surprised by that, too.

  “Yes, Piper, the woman whose ass you were checking out earlier,” she said, finding humor and pleasure at being able to address what she’d considered to be a slight against her earlier, not to mention just plain old rude behavior.

  He ignored the comment, processing this new information about Piper.

  “She owns this shop and another shop over on Fifty-fifth Street, her first. Ever been to it?”

  Joe shook his head. “No,” he said, another surprise in a string of them today, not that it would have made any difference for what he’d wanted from her.

  “Her famous father helped her get started, put up the money for her first shop. Wished I had a dad that helped me. Anyway, he used to co-own it with her, but she bought him out earlier this year.”

  “Really,” he said, soaking up the information.

  “You’re not one of those guys trying to get to him though her, are you?” Shannon looked over him, speculation in her gaze.

  “Nope,” he said, more than a little offended. He didn’t have to use anyone to get to anybody. He worked hard for what he accomplished in his life.

  “You can never be sure. I didn’t think you were the type, but like I said, you never know,” she said. He didn’t respond. She kept right on talking.

  “I’d like to own a place like this one day. Been saving up to, almost done with school, one year remaining,” she said, looking around the place, desire and aspiration in her gaze.

  No response from Joe, who was now looking at his BlackBerry. The bell rang, indicating a customer had entered the shop.

  “I better get that,” she said.

  “Sure, thanks,” he said, pointing to his cup. His hands moved to his backpack, removing his laptop from it. Booting it up, he was lost in thought. Piper was the daughter of the famous Mac Knight and owned not one, but two coffee shops. He was impressed. Nice, sexy, and smart. He looked around the shop once again, now understanding the source of the boxing themed decor, and tried to concentrate on work.

  * * *

  “What’s up, Dad?” Piper said, following him into her office, smiling as she looked over at her sisters.

  “Hey, Kennikens,” Piper said, using the nickname she’d given to her youngest half-sister long ago and bringing Kennedy into her arms for a hug.

  “Hi, you, look at how tall you’ve gotten. Come give your big sister a kiss,” Piper said, standing up and reaching to hug Taylor.

>   “Too big for hugs, Piper,” she said, walking toward her anyway, allowing herself to be pulled into Piper’s arms.

  “How about you and Kennedy go out to the front and ask the girl at the counter for something to drink or eat while I talk with your sister,” Mac said.

  “The adults want to talk,” Taylor said, walking from the room, Kennedy following behind her. Piper followed them out the door and down the hall and watched as they walked to the counter. She caught Joe watching them, but had no idea what he was thinking.

  She turned back to her dad, leading him back to her office. He turned to her as he entered.

  “I think Christina has left me.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me. I think Christina has left me. She’d been talking about going home to Vietnam to visit her mother. I knew her mother was sick and I was okay with that, thought she’d take the girls with her, but I woke up yesterday morning and found her gone.

  “The note she left me told me that,” he said, agitation creeping into his voice. “I’ve got businesses to run. I can’t take care of two children. What was she thinking?” His anger quickly took the handoff from agitation as he walked back out into the hall, looking back toward the front at the girls, apparently waiting for their drinks. Taylor had a muffin in her hand.

  He’d spent yesterday doing his best to take care of them, but he wasn’t cut out for this day-to-day fatherhood. He’d provided a roof over their heads and money to live. That was enough. The daily care was Christina’s responsibility.

  “So,” Piper said, not sure how to respond. “Did you guys have a fight?”

  “I do not fight, Renee, unless it’s in the ring, and my boxing days are long behind me,” he said, turning his back to her, walking to the end of the hall, and looking out into the main area of the shop. He turned around and walked back, passing her to enter her office again. This walking back and forth was giving her a headache.

  “Are you seeing someone else?” she asked.

  He gave her a hard look and then turned away. “I think her mother’s illness was just an excuse. She’s been talking about leaving me, but I just didn’t pay much attention to her. She’s been screaming and throwing tantrums. I don’t have time nor patience for that kind of behavior. She is not three,” he said, still looking at her.

  No, but she was really young when you married her and she probably didn’t know how much you like women, Piper thought.

  “I have obligations, responsibilities in other areas of the country. I can’t take care of kids. You have to help me,” he said, turning to face her. “I was hoping to leave the girls with you.”

  “With me,” she said, eyes wide, taking a step backward.

  “It’s the only logical solution I could come up with. I don’t have any support in San Antonio now that Christina is gone. I have the apartment here, so it makes sense that they remain here with you.”

  Makes sense to whom? she thought, staring back at him, recognizing that he was indeed asking her to take care of his children.

  “You’re serious?” she asked.

  “Yes, I’m serious,” he said.

  “When will I have time to take care of two kids?”

  “You have more time than I do. I’m needed in San Francisco tomorrow for at least a week, maybe two.”

  “I can’t. Really, Dad, do you know what my schedule looks like? I’d have to hire someone else to fill in for me, and I’m running way lean as it is. When is Christina coming back anyway?” she asked, feeling overwhelmed. “All the kids’ stuff is in San Antonio and school is starting up in what, two months? Don’t they have to be there?” Piper searched her brain frantically for any and all reasons to say no.

  “There are perfectly good schools around here. Your house is more than large enough, and weren’t you thinking about renting it out?” he continued, as if it had been decided.

  “What about my shops?”

  “Speak to my accountant,” he said, reaching into his jacket pocket for a card and handing it over to her, Mr. I-have-an-answer-for-everything. “I’ll have a checking account opened for you. He will transfer funds to help you with the girls plus extra to help you manage at the shop, to hire additional employees if you need to,” he said.

  “I just got done paying you back for the first shop,” she said.

  “This isn’t a loan, just my way of helping you while you help me look after your sisters,” he said, placing heavy emphasis on the your sisters part. She’d run out of ideas, and he could tell. He could always read her, and knew how to parry and feint, he being the superb boxer and all.

  “It will work out. You can handle this, Renee. You can handle anything. We’ll make more long-term plans when I return. I can help you. I can try, at least, but not today,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “You’re my oldest and more like me than you know. You will always do what’s necessary.” He knew how much family meant to her. “Do this for me, Renee,” he said, looking down into her face.

  She sighed, her mind still reeling with the thought of what long-term meant.

  “It can’t be that hard. Besides, don’t you plan to have your own children one day?”

  “Yes, but not today. I’d hoped to find a husband first.”

  “Consider it practice for children of your own, which, may I remind you, won’t wait forever. Do you even date anymore?”

  “Well, I won’t have time for men now, will I? You can kiss your chances of having grandchildren goodbye,” she said as she placed her arms around him. She gave up the fight, sighing deeply. She began thinking about the changes she’d need to make to her schedule to accommodate her sisters.

  “It probably wouldn’t hurt to check out the schools here in town for me in case Christina doesn’t return soon. There is a private school near here. Call my assistant. She’ll give you the name. I’ve given to them in the past,” he added.

  She inwardly groaned at the request. “Sure,” she said, hoping it wouldn’t come to that.

  She with children? Not sure that was a good pairing, but she was a lot like her father. She didn’t want someone else taking care of family, especially her sisters. Family was, well, family, and priority numero uno.

  “The girls’ things are in my car. I’ll help you bring them in,” he said.

  “Do you need a moment to talk to them?”

  “No, they knew why we were coming here. Christina left detailed instructions, lists for me that I’ll pass on to you,” he said, walking toward the front of the shop with her beside him.

  She looked around the shop. Joe was gone. She walked outside, stopping as she looked down at two dog crates parked near the front door, wondering who they belonged to. She shook her head, looking up to see Taylor walk out into the sunshine, followed by Ken.

  “So we’re going to stay with you,” Taylor said, pretending indifference. Piper knew better. She knew what having new people take you in was like, and the worry that came from that, even if they were your family.

  “Yep,” she said, taking in Taylor’s look of displeasure. “Hey, you’ll like me. It’ll be fun. Now I won’t have to hire more employees. You two will be my new slaves,” she said, and Ken laughed. Taylor didn’t.

  “These two yours?” she asked, pointing to the two dogs, whining to be let out of their cages now that they’d recognized family.

  “Yes, this is McKenzie,” she said, pointing to the first crate, “and this is Pepper.”

  Piper sighed internally. Hopefully they would not be here long. Christina would come back on the next flight once she knew her kids were not with their father. That was Piper’s wish, or her hope, at least.

  “Take them in while I get the rest of your bags. Come back here and check after you put them in my office to make sure I’ve gotten all of your goods,” she said.

  “Kay,” Taylor said, picking up one cage and heading inside. Ken grabbed the other.

  Piper walked over to her dad’s fancy car, hit the button to release the trunk, and
looked at enough luggage to last for a year. She picked up the two largest duffle bags, hauling them to her car. So much for a short stay, she thought, heading back to grab the two smaller ones. Taylor had come out and picked up one of the remaining bags. “Video games,” she said. They loaded up Piper’s auto and headed back inside, Taylor leading the way.

  Her dad was still hard on the women in his life, she thought, trailing behind Taylor. He had always been a hustler, from a large, loving, but poor family. He’d needed to make his way early, turned to boxing, starting out small, and grew into something big. He knocked out the champion in a fight everyone had expected would be a beat down for him. He had always been about business, always looking for more, never feeling he would ever have enough money. And women. She sighed, hoping he hadn’t done what she thought he might have done. She knew that about him, too, but she’d thought he truly loved Christina. Thought he would settle down, take his vows seriously.

  She was the oldest of five girls, her dad’s very own United Colors of Benetton collection. Blair and Samantha were biracial, a mixture of African-American and white; their mother, Margarite, had been her dad’s first wife. He hadn’t married Piper’s mother, who was of Creole descent. He’d managed to ruin marriage number one. Outside forces got in the way, those pretty young things. His second marriage lasted a year and hadn’t produced any children, thank the Lord. Kennedy and Taylor were also biracial, produced from wife number three; Christina, their mother, was of Vietnamese descent. Somehow he’d manage to keep Christina, until now that is. Twelve years down the drain. She hoped not. So if her life was upside down for a few days, maybe a few weeks, she could handle it. Her sisters deserved no less from her.

  * * *

  Third week in June

  Joe entered Lights Out the next day and found Piper behind the counter, handing money to a customer. He walked over and stood, now next in line. She looked up and smiled.