Lights Out (Indigo) Read online

  “Joe,” she said.

  “Piper,” he said, his eyes never leaving hers.

  “You having your usual?” she asked.

  What, no sexy banter this morning? he thought, surprised. He wanted to nail down a time and place. He moved in closer to her ear, eyes locked on hers as he did so. He could hear her breathing change and inwardly smiled.

  “So,” he said softly in that low voice of his, pulling back to look into her eyes.

  She tilted her head to the side, her eyes pointed left. Joe followed her eyes to land on one of the girls from yesterday. He hadn’t noticed her standing there. He was rather focused on Piper and what hadn’t gotten resolved between them yesterday.

  “This is my youngest sister, Kennedy,” she said, looking at Joe. He smiled at her sister.

  “This is Joe,” she said, continuing with the introductions. “He comes in most mornings and usually wants a large coffee, black,” she said.

  Kennedy stood staring at Middleweight, appreciation in her eyes. All ages were vulnerable to the pretty ones, Piper thought.

  “Sometimes he’ll add a bagel,” Piper added. “So what do we need to do after we’ve taken his order?” Piper asked of her sister, continuing with her instruction.

  “I need to get his coffee,” Kennedy replied, seeking confirmation from her sister’s eyes.

  Piper nodded. She and Joe watched her take a cup, set it underneath the dispenser, hit a button, and watch the cup fill. She was dressed in a too-big Lights Out employee shirt that fell over her arms and a too-big apple green apron tied around her waist.

  “My sisters are living with me for a while,” Piper said, her eyes on her sister while she talked to Joe. “They’re getting settled in at my home and will be working here with me. Can I bring your bagel out to you this morning?” she asked him, hoping he’d realize that she didn’t want to talk right now.

  “Sure,” he said, understanding her message. She wanted to talk away from her sisters. He handed over a five to Piper, who passed it to Ken, who punched in the order into the cash register. Piper moved over to stand behind her to supervise the transaction.

  “Great job,” she said, continuing to watch her sister as she made change and handed it to Joe.

  “Thank you,” he said, giving Kennedy a soft smile.

  Ken smiled back, shy now. “Thank you for coming to Lights Out,” she said. Piper lifted an eyebrow. She gave a bemused grin to Joe.

  “Your charm is limitless, it seems,” she said, chuckling.

  “And don’t you forget it,” he said to her and winked at Kennedy, whose smile widened. “See you in a few,” he said, walking away.

  Her sisters, he thought, walking over to find a seat, running the implications of that through his mind. It was an interesting development, and one he hoped didn’t change anything for him.

  A few minutes later Piper placed the bagel on his table, interrupting his perusal of e-mail.

  “So,” he said, giving her a smile.

  “My sisters are going to be with me for a bit.”

  “So you’ve said. The two girls from yesterday, the ones that came in with your father?”

  “You know he’s my dad?”

  “I do now,” he said, smiling at her. “You didn’t tell me. Why?”

  She shrugged.

  “Ken’s ten and her older sister, Taylor, is twelve. They’re spending some time with me until their mother returns.”

  “Returns from where?” he asked.

  Piper looked back over at the counter. Estelle was working with Ken now, the line not long.

  “Vietnam. It’s a very long story. Not sure I have all the pieces to it yet,” she said, looking back at her sister. “My dad asked me to take care of them for a while.”

  “How long is a while?” he asked, holding her hand.

  “Don’t know.”

  “We could still hook up. Babysitters work well,”

  “I’m sure, and maybe I’ll take advantage of one, but not now. They just got here. I want them to get settled in first.”

  “So that’s a ‘no.’ ”

  “Yes,” she said, looking into his eyes, disappointment reflected back at her. “Sorry.”

  He was quiet. “Let’s just wait and see how it goes. They and you may adjust sooner than you think, or they may leave sooner than you think.”

  “Maybe so,” she said.

  Chapter 4

  Fourth week in June

  Piper walked into the bedroom located immediately next to hers on the second floor, where all of the bedrooms were situated. This was Ken’s room now, and signs of her sister settling in were evident as she looked around the room—nail polish, clothes, and girl-power-themed DVDs littered the floor.

  Her dad had been correct in his assessment of her home. It was large enough for the children and their stuff. But who knew they could use so much stuff?

  She felt the buzz of her cell against her butt. It was tucked into her back pant pocket.

  “Hello,” she said, cautious, not recognizing the number.

  “Hello, Renee. It’s me, Christina.”

  “Christina. It is so good to hear from you. How are you? Where are you?” she asked, walking out of Ken’s room and entering the hall leading to her bedroom.

  “I’m fine. How are Ken and Taylor?” she asked.

  “They are okay, but they miss you.” It was quiet on the phone for a second, and Piper could hear Christina crying.

  “I’m sorry that you have to take care of them. That was not my intent. I wanted your father to take care of his kids. They are his kids,” she said, her voice changing from tearful to angry. It was quiet for a few more seconds. Piper could hear her revert back to the crying again.

  “I’m sorry. My mother’s been ill, is ill, and I hadn’t known. Plus your dad…” she said, stopping, not finishing her thought. “Between leaving and my mother’s illness, I can’t seem to get it together,” she said.

  There was a pause. “Did you get the list of things to do for the girls? I left one at the house for your father,” Christina said, angry again.

  “Yes, I have it.”

  “How is your mother?” Piper asked, hoping that was a safer topic than her father.

  “Oh, Renee, I don’t know if she’s going to make it. She has cancer. Do you know I haven’t seen her in thirteen years? I left her because of your dad. I chose him over my family. She didn’t want me to marry him, said he was too old.”

  Renee didn’t know which way to go now, what to say.

  “What do you want me to do?” she asked.

  “Would you take care of the girls, please? I feel comforted that they are with you. You know what your dad is like.”

  “When do you think you might be back?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I thought about coming back for the girls, but with school starting soon and taking care of my mother. He couldn’t do this one thing I asked. I’ve given up so much up for him, and this one thing, to take care of his children, he couldn’t do. Is that too much to ask?”

  Renee didn’t know how to respond to that one, either.

  “The girls seem to be adjusting, and I’m getting to know them, which is an upside,” she said, hoping her humor would help.

  “Are there any good schools near you?” Christina asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Would you check into that for me? I don’t know how long I’ll be here,” she said. “There will be things they will need in order to be enrolled. Your father can help. You’ll need to make a trip to San Antonio to get those for me. Thank you so much. I’m glad the girls can depend on you. Mac is such a…” She thought better of it, and stopped talking again. It was quiet on the phone.

  “I miss them so much,” she said and started to cry again.

  “Maybe if you come back, Mac might be ready to discuss it with you. Maybe he would listen to you now.”

  “I don’t know,” she said, soundin
g lost. “I’ve got to go. I’ll call soon to check on the girls. Thanks, Renee. You don’t know what this means to me, knowing that you are watching over them. Can I talk to Taylor?” she asked.

  “Sure, let me go get her,” Renee said, walking out of her room and down the hall to Taylor’s new digs. She knocked, noting the Do Not Disturb sign hanging from the door.

  “What?” she heard through the door.

  “It’s your mom calling,” she said, listening as the door opened and an arm reached out. Piper placed her phone in Taylor’s hand and the door closed.

  Okay, she thought, and walked over to the top step leading downstairs. She sat, waiting.

  What a mess. Christina was a nice woman, a few years older than her twenty-seven. She met and married her dad at age twenty and had Taylor a year later. At twenty Piper had been intent on partying, away from home, away from the watchful eye of her Pops and couldn’t imagine being married to her dad at such a young age. Not her life. She sat for about five minutes before the door opened and Taylor walked down the hall, looking for Ken.

  “She wants to talk to you, Ken,” she said, handing the phone to her sister, who walked over to the entrance of her bedroom. Taylor walked over to sit on the top step with Piper.

  Ken talked for about fifteen minutes and brought the phone back to Piper, moving beyond her and taking a seat on the step below.

  “Christina?” she said into the phone.

  “Renee, thank you again for taking care of my girls. I’ll call you later on in the week to check on them. This is the number to my mother’s home. My cell doesn’t work here, but I’m going to get a new one today. Call me here if you have any questions about the girls,” she said, and was then quiet for a few minutes. “I just need time to figure this out,” she added, before hanging up.

  “So, looks like you’re going to be stuck with us for a while,” Taylor said.

  “It’s not so bad having you guys here. It could be fun. You’ll get to know me and I’ll get to know you.”

  Taylor sighed.

  “Hey, I’m not that bad,” Piper said, a smile in her voice, hitting her shoulder into Taylor’s. “We could work,” Piper added, smiling at Ken, who smiled back.

  “I guess,” was the response from Taylor. Not the excitement she’d hoped for, but she hadn’t had to leave her home, move in with someone she saw three or four times a year, start a new school, in a new city, while her parents were doing who knows what. Renee hit Taylor’s shoulder again and smiled. Taylor gave her a weak one back this time.

  * * *

  First week in July

  Piper looked in the window, groaning at the long line that was visible. They had been late again; when did getting out the house becomes so difficult?

  She hopped out, grabbed her bags, and waited for Ken and Taylor to disembark. They joined her on the sidewalk.

  “Got everything? Everyone?” she said, locking her car and walking to the front door, the girls trailing along behind. She opened the door and watched as her troop marched inside, a single line, Taylor with her load, followed by Ken with hers. They marched through the shop, heading to the back toward Piper’s office to drop off their stuff.

  “Hey, Estelle,” she called out, “I’ll be there in a second.” She smiled at the customers as she passed. Of course he was here, at the back of the line, watching her as she moved toward her office. She hadn’t seen much of him because of her recent tardiness. The few times she had, he’d continued where he’d left off, still flirting, still smiling, teasing, not giving up apparently, which surprised her. If she’d had his looks, she would have moved on by now. Knowing his type, she was surprised that he hadn’t.

  Not much for teasing this morning, she just gave him a smile, lifted her eyebrows, and kept on walking into her office, dropping her junk on her desk and starting up her computer for Taylor.

  “Taylor, you and Ken get situated. I need to help Estelle out front.”

  “Sure, but I call the computer.” Ken said.

  “Don’t think so,” Taylor responded, sitting in the chair behind the desk. Ken looked at Piper for help.

  “Taylor, let’s allow Ken to go first this morning.”

  “Don’t think so,” she responded back, as if that was enough, end of discussion.

  Piper wasn’t doing this this morning. “Ken, help me at the register. I can see if all my training is paying off. I’ll let you try it without me, I’ll just look over your shoulder,” she said, standing in the office door looking back at Taylor, hoping that was enticement enough. “Then in one hour it will be Kennedy’s turn.”

  “She always gets her way,” Ken said, following Piper up to the front.

  “Not always,” Piper said.

  “You’ll see. You have to get tougher, Piper, or she’ll run all over you.”

  “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind,” she said, walking into the kitchen, pulling an apron from her stack, and handing one to Ken. She tied it over her black capris and black Lights Out polo with the green boxing gloves embroidered on the pocket. Ken did the same.

  “Sorry I’m late, Estelle,” she said, trying to muster up some energy this morning. How did mothers do this on a daily basis?” she wondered. Ken trailed along and stood beside her at the counter.

  “Hi, Kennedy,” Estelle said.

  “Hi,” Ken replied, ready to go. Piper was learning that this little sister liked being in charge.

  “Motherhood is something else,” Estelle said, a smile on her face, moving over to take on the drinks now that Piper would take over the mic.

  “Joe,” she said, smiling but not feeling it today.

  He smiled at Piper’s youngest sister.

  “Large coffee, black,” Ken said, standing up straighter, her smile in place.

  “With a bagel, and you can bring it out to me. No hurry,” he said, looking at Piper as she placed his coffee on the counter. He handed her a ten.

  “Keep the change,” he said, winking before turning and walking away.

  “Thank you, Joe,” Kennedy said. Piper lifted her eyebrow. So he was Joe now.

  Piper watched him walk away. He was dressed more formally than usual; there must be something going on today. Ken hit her with her shoulder, pointing to the next customer in line, who was amused by Piper’s interest in Joe.

  Joe found a seat near the front window. It was sunny outside, on its way to another scorching and typical summer day in Austin. He would only be here an hour and then it was off to San Antonio. He hadn’t quite given in to her no, not after what he’d experienced. He was so psyched for more.

  “Piper.”

  He heard her name and looked up, and watched as her other sister marched over to the counter.

  “I guess I can help,” she offered, more put upon than excited.

  “We don’t need help, do we, Pipe?” Ken said.

  “We could always use help,” Piper said, looking at Taylor. “How about you pick up some of the empty plates on the table?”

  “Not what I had in mind,” she said. “I want to learn how to work the counter, like you’ve been teaching Ken.”

  Piper took in a huge breath of air. “Let’s start with the little things,” she said, walking around the girls into the kitchen, where she pulled out a towel, handing one to Taylor and one to Ken.

  “I can manage the line for now. This would be a big help to me,” she said, turning them around to face the room and giving them a push in the direction of the tables. “After you’re done, I’ll start to teach you how to work the counter,” she said to Taylor.

  A few minutes later, Piper grabbed Joe’s bagel and walked over to his table, placing it in front of him.

  “Thanks,” he said.

  “You’re welcome,” she said, taking a moment to take in Taylor’s not-so-fast progress. Ken had cleared two tables to Taylor’s one.

  She sighed again. He reached for her hand, preventing her from leaving.

  “How’s it going?” he asked, eyes moving to wa
tch her sisters.

  “Okay. Takes some getting used to.”

  “You’ll adjust.”

  “Hope so.”

  “Free time?” he asked, eyes hopeful.

  “Not much,” she replied and watched the disappointment register in his. What was up with this?

  “Still no, then?” he asked.

  “Sorry, still no,” she said, glancing at the counter and the line beginning to form again. She looked back at him, her hand still in his. “Don’t take this the wrong way,” she said, looking at her hand held between his. “But I’m surprised that you’re still here, pursuing this. You could have anybody, and although the sex between us would be good, it’s probably okay with any other woman you’d pick. I’d thought you’d have moved on by now.” She watched irritation swim across his face before it disappeared, quickly.

  “Why is that?” he said, voice neutral in tone, his hand quietly holding hers.

  “I don’t know. You’re really handsome, you know that, and it’s just been my experience that your type moves on when it’s not so easy.”

  He didn’t say anything. Irritation passed over his face again, and just as quickly was gone.

  “Don’t get angry. I’m just being honest. I like you, like the way you banter with me, but I didn’t think it was more. You asked for the hook-up, remember? And I was really with you at first until my sisters arrived and I don’t know when or if I’ll be there again. That’s all I’m trying to say. Sorry if that didn’t come out right or if I hurt your feelings.”

  “No, you’re good. It was a hookup request, my idea, and a good one, probably,” he said, smiling, squeezing her hand before he let it go.

  “Good seeing you again, but I’d better get back. See you later,” she said, walking back to the counter.

  “Yep,” he said to her departing back. “See you later.”

  * * *

  Second week in July

  They entered the shop this morning on time, fourth time in a row. Yes! You go, girls, she thought. The girls no longer went to the office first, but handed their bags off to Piper at the door instead, waving to the customers they’d gotten to know. They were a family now.