Chapter 20
Piper scannedthe men from under downcast lashes. So far everyone was behaving well. She'd figured her daddy was going to let Ian in the house, although the why still eluded her; so she'd put a plate at the table for him.
She knew the old Ian would never have come here without being mostly sure of a welcome. So the current Ian must have felt pretty confident he'd be having dinner here tonight for him to have showed up uninvited.
And that led to what was going on in the present between the two men. She knew there had to be something because Daddy had been harping on staying away from Ian ever since he'd gotten into town. And now, here sat Ian, having dinner with them pretty as you please.
Her best tactic might be sugar instead of vinegar. Being a pain in the ass wouldn't get her any answers. She smiled over at Ian, who smiled back at her.
"I'm glad you're enjoying dinner, Ian. Although it's probably nowhere near as good as your mama cooks." Should she flutter her eyelashes, ala Scarlett O'Hara? No. Best not go over the top. Ian wasn't a stupid man.
When they'd finished eating Piper found herself clearing the table alone. Par for the course. She sighed, stacking the heirloom plates carefully to carry them to the kitchen at the back of the antebellum house.
As she practically tip toed along the hallway to avoid dropping the plates, a shadow appeared and a hand reached around her, lifting the top two plates. She glanced over her should to see Ian holding the plates with raised eyebrows.
"My mama didn't raise no fool." She said. "I won't turn down help." And they continued down the hall to the kitchen.
"You go ahead and get started loading the dishwasher and I'll bring the rest of the plates." Ian told her.
As she ran the water hot as she could stand it, she plugged the sink. Her mama would haunt her if she put these antique plates in the dishwasher. Which she explained to Ian when he returned with another armload of china and cutlery.
He stepped up beside her and pulled a drying towel from the stack next to the stove. Reaching over, he carefully took the wet dinner plate from her hand and dried it.
"I thought I recognized this china." He said. "I've eaten off it a long time ago. It's your great-grandma Weaver's isn't it?"
Surprised that he'd remembered, she nodded, a lump in her throat. He could be so darn sweet. It made it even harder not to let bygones be bygones.
He must have picked up on her softened mood. Once the dishes were all dried and put away, he took her hands in his.
"This has been such a nice evening, Piper. Let's go for a ride to the lake for old times." He cocked his head, giving her that grin she could never resist.
Maybe, just this one time. And she could use his mellow mood to try and pry out of him the secret he and her daddy were keeping from her.
They slipped out the back door without telling the other two they were leaving.
* * *
She'd forgottentonight was the full moon. By the time they'd ridden out to the lake, it had risen high enough that it cleared the trees fringing the lake and cast an argent light across the water. A night made for romance.
Her heart have a little flutter as Ian parked close to the water and killed the engine. She rolled down the window to catch the night breeze and cicada's sang into the silence.
Her pulse slowed as she relaxed for the first time that evening. She hadn't realized how tense she'd been until the tight muscles let go. Reaching up, she released the clip holding her hair and let it spill across her shoulders. A light breeze stirred some loose strands across her face.
Ian reached over, gently pushing them back, curving his fingers behind her ear to tuck the hair away. She sighed. Closed her eyes. And let her cheek rest ever so briefly against the palm of his hand. This felt so very right.
"I'm sorry, Piper." Ian whispered. "For so many things. For never coming back. And for secrets that aren't mine to tell."
He leaned in, his lips touching hers gently. Almost in question. As though afraid she would resist. She leaned into the kiss, opening her lips a tiny bit to encourage him. He didn't hesitate to deepen the kiss, shifting closer to her so that he could hold her in his arms. One of his hands fisted in her loose hair. She reached up, cupping her won hands behind his neck, pressing closer.
He moaned just a bit. Or was that her?
Secrets.
Her eyes shot open. Too many unknowns were in play here. His secret with her daddy. And the secret she'd kept ten years ago when she'd let him walk away from her.
She pulled back. He resisted. Trying to keep her in his embrace. She pushed harder and he eased back.
"Take me home, please."
He sighed. Cranked the car and drove away from the lake.
