CHAPTER THREE
She was just as beautiful as he remembered her. Her chocolate curls were swept up into a bun, and her almond-shaped green eyes reflected a look of surprise. Well, of course she'd be surprised. What did Dean expect after four years? Her mouth was still heart-shaped and full, and her skin was still smooth. He wondered if it still felt soft after all these years.
Neither one of them moved. They just stood there and stared at each other like they had gone mad. Dean knew he couldn't stand there forever and stare at her. He had to do something, but what? A small sensible part of him told him that it wasn't too late to turn around and head back to Cornwall, but the adventurous side of him said that he would never get another chance like this. Still, he didn't say anything.
Instead, it was the pretty redhead at the desk who broke the silence. "I'm sorry, sir, but we're closing for lunch. We'll be back in an hour." He returned her pleasant smile, silently thanking her for being the first to speak.
"Actually, I'm not here for an appointment," Dean said. He then gazed at Piper, his blue eyes meeting her green ones. "I'm here to say hello."
Piper just continued to stand there, trying to register what was happening. He couldn't be here. Dean could not be standing in front of her. He was, though, and he still had the same goofy grin on his face. The same grin that could still make her heart beat. Damn. No, she resolved within herself. She wasn't going to give into his charm again. She had gotten over him; she had moved on with her life. Then why, after four years, was he still able to make her weak in the knees?
Finally, her surprise disappeared as she tried to compose herself. Despite how she shook inside, she kept her voice steady and cold. Dean Raymond was not going to get the best of her. "Four years, and that's all you have to say? What the hell are you doing here?" She turned suddenly and started to hurry away from him. "No, forget it. I don't want to know." He grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"Piper, wait. Let me explain," Dean pleaded.
She tried to wrestle away from his grip. "You are supposed to be out of my life, remember? I told you I never wanted to see you again."
"I know, but that doesn't mean we can't be friends." Dean loosened his grip from her arm.
Piper just stared at him, open mouthed. "You can't be serious? No, Dean. I won't get involved in your dealings anymore." She turned away and started for her office again. "No, I won't lend you any money, and no, you can't stay with me. Goodbye." She reached her office and slammed the door behind her.
"I take it you two know each other?" Piper's assistant questioned.
Dean looked over at her and shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, you could say that."
"Okay. Then in that case, I'll head to lunch." With that, the harried assistant gathered up her pocket book. She came out from behind the counter and patted the surfer on the back. "I wish you luck." Then she left.
"Thanks, I'll need it," Dean muttered. He took a deep breath and marched over to the office door. Calmly, he knocked on it. "Piper, can't we just go to lunch? I know this great pub down the street."
"Dean, what part of goodbye do you not understand?" she called from the other side.
Dean chuckled and leaned against the door. "Well, actually, I never did understand the 'good' part of it. Goodbyes aren't supposed to be good. They're supposed to be sad, and I've often wondered."
At that moment, Piper swung open the door and Dean almost fell in. He caught himself on the doorframe. The couple stood there, looking at each other like they were preparing for a duel. The surfer slowly righted himself and leaned against the frame.
Piper crossed her arms over her chest. On the outside, she was the picture of coldness, but inside she was falling apart. She had spent a year and a half getting over this man. She had convinced herself that she had made the right decision, and now he was standing in her doorway. After a few minutes of awkward silence, she chose to find out what he wanted. Maybe then he would go away. "Dean? What do you want?"
"I told you. I'd like to take you to lunch."
Piper rolled her eyes. "That's not an answer, Dean. You show up in my office after four years, and you don't want anything?"
"Well, there is one thing."
"I knew it. You haven't changed a bit. Goodbye, Dean." She moved back and started to close the door. Dean stopped it with his hand.
"Now, just wait a minute. Let me explain."
"All I've ever done is let you explain, but all you can come up with are smart ass remarks." Frustrated, she let go of the door and pulled off her lab coat. "In all the years I've known you, you've never once given me an honest, straight answer."
Dean looked indignant. "I have, too."
"When?" She retrieved her pocketbook from behind her desk.
"That night on the bridge."
Piper stopped gathering her things and closed her eyes. The bridge. So much had happened on that bridge. So many words had been said. She hadn't been sure what had been true and what hadn't. "That doesn't count," she said slowly.
"Doesn't count? Everything I said that night was the truth." Dean covered the distance between them in a few strides. He gently placed his hands on her arms and turned her to face him. "To be honest, I came here to prove to you that I have changed. I've made good on my word."
Piper blinked back a couple of tears that threatened to spill onto her cheeks. The touch of his hands made her arms tingle. That touch felt so right, like his hands were supposed to be there. His hands were warm and rough, and for a moment, the contact made her feel safe. No, she couldn't afford to give in again. This was the same argument they always had; they were just able to pick it up four years later. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Dean, but it's too little too late."
She moved his hands and walked around him. She entered the lobby just as the bell over the door rang. She looked up to see Emerson Porter standing there. He was a handsome man with a strong jaw line, chiseled cheekbones, dark hair, and piercing deep brown eyes. He wore a brown suit and looked completely immaculate.
He grinned, completely oblivious to the pain in Piper's eyes. "Are you ready for lunch?"
Piper wiped at her eyes and returned his smile. "Of course. Where are we going, dear?"
"Where we always go, The Village Café." Emerson then glanced up and saw Dean coming up behind Piper. "I didn't realize you had company."
"What?" She turned around to see Dean standing there.
Dean narrowed his eyes as he took in Emerson's stuffy appearance. Who was this, and why was Piper calling him dear? He didn't like him. He didn't like him one bit. He didn't like his perfectly ironed suit, or his clipped British accent.
"Oh," Piper continued. "This is Dean, an old friend from college. Dean, this is my fiancé, Emerson."
Emerson offered his hand to him. Dean didn't take it. "Fiancé?" he asked.
"Why, yes," Emerson smiled. "We're getting married in three weeks."
Dean could feel his heart stop. Married? In three weeks? He looked from Emerson to Piper and back again. He balled his hand into a fist, but it took everything he had not to knock the cocky smile off Emerson's face.
"Dean, I have to lock up now." Piper took him by the arm and steered him towards the door. In his shocked state, he allowed himself to be lead outside. Once they were out of Emerson's earshot, Dean recovered. He gazed at Piper with confusion in his eyes.
"You're going to get married? To him?" he asked.
"I told you, Dean. Too little too late. Goodbye." With that, she walked back into the office. A second later, she emerged with Emerson. She locked the door, and they headed towards his car arm in arm.
Dean just stood there, dumbfounded. This had not happened at all like he had planned. In fact, he had never planned this far. Piper had a fiancé. He kicked a stone and made his way to his own car. Maybe she was right. Maybe it was too late. Something inside of him told him he couldn't give up, though. He had to make amends with Piper one way or another.
He climbed into his car and cranked it up. He decided that he definitely needed to see her again, but first, he had to find a place to stay in London. With that thought in mind, he pulled out of the parking lot.
She was just as beautiful as he remembered her. Her chocolate curls were swept up into a bun, and her almond-shaped green eyes reflected a look of surprise. Well, of course she'd be surprised. What did Dean expect after four years? Her mouth was still heart-shaped and full, and her skin was still smooth. He wondered if it still felt soft after all these years.
Neither one of them moved. They just stood there and stared at each other like they had gone mad. Dean knew he couldn't stand there forever and stare at her. He had to do something, but what? A small sensible part of him told him that it wasn't too late to turn around and head back to Cornwall, but the adventurous side of him said that he would never get another chance like this. Still, he didn't say anything.
Instead, it was the pretty redhead at the desk who broke the silence. "I'm sorry, sir, but we're closing for lunch. We'll be back in an hour." He returned her pleasant smile, silently thanking her for being the first to speak.
"Actually, I'm not here for an appointment," Dean said. He then gazed at Piper, his blue eyes meeting her green ones. "I'm here to say hello."
Piper just continued to stand there, trying to register what was happening. He couldn't be here. Dean could not be standing in front of her. He was, though, and he still had the same goofy grin on his face. The same grin that could still make her heart beat. Damn. No, she resolved within herself. She wasn't going to give into his charm again. She had gotten over him; she had moved on with her life. Then why, after four years, was he still able to make her weak in the knees?
Finally, her surprise disappeared as she tried to compose herself. Despite how she shook inside, she kept her voice steady and cold. Dean Raymond was not going to get the best of her. "Four years, and that's all you have to say? What the hell are you doing here?" She turned suddenly and started to hurry away from him. "No, forget it. I don't want to know." He grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"Piper, wait. Let me explain," Dean pleaded.
She tried to wrestle away from his grip. "You are supposed to be out of my life, remember? I told you I never wanted to see you again."
"I know, but that doesn't mean we can't be friends." Dean loosened his grip from her arm.
Piper just stared at him, open mouthed. "You can't be serious? No, Dean. I won't get involved in your dealings anymore." She turned away and started for her office again. "No, I won't lend you any money, and no, you can't stay with me. Goodbye." She reached her office and slammed the door behind her.
"I take it you two know each other?" Piper's assistant questioned.
Dean looked over at her and shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, you could say that."
"Okay. Then in that case, I'll head to lunch." With that, the harried assistant gathered up her pocket book. She came out from behind the counter and patted the surfer on the back. "I wish you luck." Then she left.
"Thanks, I'll need it," Dean muttered. He took a deep breath and marched over to the office door. Calmly, he knocked on it. "Piper, can't we just go to lunch? I know this great pub down the street."
"Dean, what part of goodbye do you not understand?" she called from the other side.
Dean chuckled and leaned against the door. "Well, actually, I never did understand the 'good' part of it. Goodbyes aren't supposed to be good. They're supposed to be sad, and I've often wondered."
At that moment, Piper swung open the door and Dean almost fell in. He caught himself on the doorframe. The couple stood there, looking at each other like they were preparing for a duel. The surfer slowly righted himself and leaned against the frame.
Piper crossed her arms over her chest. On the outside, she was the picture of coldness, but inside she was falling apart. She had spent a year and a half getting over this man. She had convinced herself that she had made the right decision, and now he was standing in her doorway. After a few minutes of awkward silence, she chose to find out what he wanted. Maybe then he would go away. "Dean? What do you want?"
"I told you. I'd like to take you to lunch."
Piper rolled her eyes. "That's not an answer, Dean. You show up in my office after four years, and you don't want anything?"
"Well, there is one thing."
"I knew it. You haven't changed a bit. Goodbye, Dean." She moved back and started to close the door. Dean stopped it with his hand.
"Now, just wait a minute. Let me explain."
"All I've ever done is let you explain, but all you can come up with are smart ass remarks." Frustrated, she let go of the door and pulled off her lab coat. "In all the years I've known you, you've never once given me an honest, straight answer."
Dean looked indignant. "I have, too."
"When?" She retrieved her pocketbook from behind her desk.
"That night on the bridge."
Piper stopped gathering her things and closed her eyes. The bridge. So much had happened on that bridge. So many words had been said. She hadn't been sure what had been true and what hadn't. "That doesn't count," she said slowly.
"Doesn't count? Everything I said that night was the truth." Dean covered the distance between them in a few strides. He gently placed his hands on her arms and turned her to face him. "To be honest, I came here to prove to you that I have changed. I've made good on my word."
Piper blinked back a couple of tears that threatened to spill onto her cheeks. The touch of his hands made her arms tingle. That touch felt so right, like his hands were supposed to be there. His hands were warm and rough, and for a moment, the contact made her feel safe. No, she couldn't afford to give in again. This was the same argument they always had; they were just able to pick it up four years later. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Dean, but it's too little too late."
She moved his hands and walked around him. She entered the lobby just as the bell over the door rang. She looked up to see Emerson Porter standing there. He was a handsome man with a strong jaw line, chiseled cheekbones, dark hair, and piercing deep brown eyes. He wore a brown suit and looked completely immaculate.
He grinned, completely oblivious to the pain in Piper's eyes. "Are you ready for lunch?"
Piper wiped at her eyes and returned his smile. "Of course. Where are we going, dear?"
"Where we always go, The Village Café." Emerson then glanced up and saw Dean coming up behind Piper. "I didn't realize you had company."
"What?" She turned around to see Dean standing there.
Dean narrowed his eyes as he took in Emerson's stuffy appearance. Who was this, and why was Piper calling him dear? He didn't like him. He didn't like him one bit. He didn't like his perfectly ironed suit, or his clipped British accent.
"Oh," Piper continued. "This is Dean, an old friend from college. Dean, this is my fiancé, Emerson."
Emerson offered his hand to him. Dean didn't take it. "Fiancé?" he asked.
"Why, yes," Emerson smiled. "We're getting married in three weeks."
Dean could feel his heart stop. Married? In three weeks? He looked from Emerson to Piper and back again. He balled his hand into a fist, but it took everything he had not to knock the cocky smile off Emerson's face.
"Dean, I have to lock up now." Piper took him by the arm and steered him towards the door. In his shocked state, he allowed himself to be lead outside. Once they were out of Emerson's earshot, Dean recovered. He gazed at Piper with confusion in his eyes.
"You're going to get married? To him?" he asked.
"I told you, Dean. Too little too late. Goodbye." With that, she walked back into the office. A second later, she emerged with Emerson. She locked the door, and they headed towards his car arm in arm.
Dean just stood there, dumbfounded. This had not happened at all like he had planned. In fact, he had never planned this far. Piper had a fiancé. He kicked a stone and made his way to his own car. Maybe she was right. Maybe it was too late. Something inside of him told him he couldn't give up, though. He had to make amends with Piper one way or another.
He climbed into his car and cranked it up. He decided that he definitely needed to see her again, but first, he had to find a place to stay in London. With that thought in mind, he pulled out of the parking lot.
