Chapter 9
After her daddy'scar disappeared down the street, Piper gathered up the fliers she'd intended to give to Missy Elliott earlier. That'd been her purpose in going to the Grits and Gravy Café this morning.
As the chief fundraiser for Streetpups Rescue Group, Piper was in charge of putting together a big event to raise funds to help pay for medical care, supplies and boarding for the dogs rescued by the group. It was an important position to her and she damn well meant to continue to do an excellent job. Despite Ian Elliott being back in town and taking up entirely too much space in her brain. No way was she going to get involved with him again. Once burned, twice shy. Right?
She paused on the front porch. Missy was probably gone from the café by now. Taking care if Ian, no doubt. She sat in the rocker closest to her, trying to figure out how to proceed. The meeting with Missy was a critical one a this point to determine who was donating items to the live and silent auction portion of the event. She had to have that list and check it over for accuracy and follow up with the donors. Ham nudged her fingers and she scratched his head absentmindedly.
She'd just call Missy and figure out an alternate meeting. Putting action to her thoughts, she pulled up Missy's number in her contacts and listened as the phone rang on the other end. Just as she thought she'd be leaving a voicemail, Missy answered.
"Good morning, Piper." She said in a breathless voice. "I clean forgot about us meeting this morning what with Ian showing up so unexpectedly."
Piper gulped at the mention of Ian. She hoped the conversation wouldn't deteriorate into a mother's gushing about her son's homecoming. Missy had every right to be excited, but Piper didn't want to have to make falsely cheerful comments about it.
As though sensing Piper's discomfort, Missy went on. "But that's neither here nor there right now. We need to get things organized for the fundraiser. I know how much it means to you."
"Right." Piper said. "It's totally understandable that you're a bit distracted right now. But if we could meet for half an hour and get this list hammered out, then I can handle it from there."
"Of course." Missy said. "How about the library?"
"Perfect."
"Good. I'll see you there." Missy said in a brisk, business-like voice.
Piper disconnected the call and sat still. She hoped this meeting wouldn't bring up a bunch of old feelings. She'd worked so hard to get over Ian and makes a life for herself. And she'd succeeded! Ham nudged her fingers begging for attention. She glanced at him. His liquid brown eyes looked so sympathetic. As though he knew she had something on her mind. He was so smart that way.
She scratched his favorite spot behind his left ear. "It's okay, boy. I’m not going to let that man bother me. You don't need to worry."
Ham's tail thumped against the boards of the porch as he gave her a doggy grin of agreement.
With a final scratch, she stood, picked up the fliers from the table next to her and said, "You be a good boy. I'll be back later."
* * *
Pullinginto a parking spot at the library, she flipped down the visor mirror to check her make-up. Did her eyes look tired and wary? She hoped it was only her imagination.
Missy's car was two slots over, so she knew her friend was already here. It still amazed her that she and Missy had become friends over the years with out ever discussing Ian or the fiasco on graduation night. Or course, quite a few years had passed before she'd gotten involved with Streetpups and come in constant contact with the dog loving Missy Elliott.
As she strolled through the library looking for Missy, she was aware that every person in the place was watching her. She held her head high, pretending nothing was different, nodding to everyone who's eyes met hers. She could see they were about to burst with curiosity, but no one actually had the nerve to come right out and ask the burning question hovering in the air.
Missy sat at a table in the far corner of the library, flipping through a magazine. When she saw Piper coming, she smiled and set it aside. "Good morning!"
Piper gave her a hug and sat down, pulling the flyers from her tote. "Here are the flyers I had printed up. I think they turned out real nice."
Missy pick up the top copy and looked it over. "You did a great job with these. Very eye catching. We'll split them and post all over town." She pulled a list from her own purse and handed it to Piper. "Here's your copy of the list of current donors and what they've agreed to donate for the auctions."
Piper scanned the list. Between the two of them they'd gotten some great items for the auction. Everything from diamond earring donated by a jeweler to season tickets to the Memphis Grizzlies games up in Memphis for the sports fans among them.
"This is looking fantastic, Missy! Our best year yet."
This was what she loved. Bringing together all of the elements of the community to help rescue dogs that would otherwise be out on the streets or euthanized at a shelter. Being in charge of bringing in the funds for it fulfilled her in so many way.
She didn't have time for a love life. But, somehow, today, that thought didn't bring the usual comfort.
Missy fiddled with the fliers, stacking and straightening them in a perfect rectangle.
Uh. Oh. Something must be coming that Missy thought she wouldn't want to hear.
"I'm sorry Ian popped into town with no warning." Missy said, laying her hand on Piper's. "Well. That's not exactly what I meant. I'm thrilled he's come home, but I wish it hadn’t been a surprise to you. I wish I could have given you a heads up that he was coming. I know there's all that history between the two of you."
Piper tried to pull her hand away from Missy's grip.
"Just hear me out. Please." Miss said, keeping a firm grip on Piper's hand. "I think you still love him. At least I hope, for selfish reasons, that you do. I've come to love you like my own since we’ve been working together. Your smart, funny and have a huge heart. It would be my great happiness if the two of you got together again." Missy let go of her hand. "And that's the last time I'll bring up the subject. So you don't have to worry that I'm going to ambush you about it every time we meet."
Missy smiled, gathered up her stack of fliers and stood. "I'll get started on putting these up in the businesses on my list. See you later."
Piper fiddled with her stack of papers. Spreading them out in a fan, then stacking the back together. Tapping the edges on the table and getting annoyed looks from across the room about the noise. She sighed, put the stack down.
Missy had a hell of a nerve with her comments about Ian and her. Piper didn't think she could get over Ian leaving Mercy all those years ago and never trying to get in touch afterward. A hurt like that just didn't go away. Oh, it had scabbed over. And she'd discovered the love of her working life with the rescue group.
But she'd never felt toward another man the way she'd felt about Ian and that stuck in her craw. She'd been drawn to him the two times she'd seen him, but that was just sex. And Piper MacKenzie didn't do just sex. No. For her it was all or nothing.
