Fight Song (Rocky River Fighters 3)

Taken aback, Piper stood frozen. Kelly did all this to get Piper and Jax back together? But… “And you thought this was a good way to go about it? You couldn’t have just told me what you thought?”

“I know you, Piper,” Kelly replied softly. “We’ve been best friends since we were six. You weren’t going to give Jax a chance. I could see it in your eyes at the bar. You would have kept yourself closed off from him, wrapped everything up here, and then taken off. And nothing I could have said would have changed that. I had to give you a reason to spend time with him. You never would have otherwise. And I knew if I made it look like someone was messing with you, you’d turn to him. I just wanted to give you two a chance to work it out.”

Some of the anger slowly drained out of Piper, leaving her feeling more hurt than furious. “I almost don’t even know what to say to that, Kelly. I get what you were trying to do. I do. But surely there were better ways of doing it. You broke into my house. You let my dog loose, and God knows what could have happened to him. You broke my grandmother’s flower pots. And then you break in here today. There had to be a better way of handling this.”

“Technically, I didn’t break in. I knew where the spare key was to the house, and I have one to the store from working here.” Kelly must have seen the look in Piper’s eyes, because she held up her hands. “Okay, okay. It was wrong, okay? But your dog was never loose. I dug the hole and lured him out with the chicken, yes. But I kept him with me, and as soon as you guys left, I took him in the house with me. And then when I saw you guys coming back, I put him on the front porch, and left out the back. Please tell me he’s okay. I didn’t know he was allergic, I swear.”

“He’s fine,” Piper said slowly, digesting what she told her. “And I feel a tiny bit better knowing he was never in trouble, but Kelly, at the time, I didn’t know that. Can you imagine the panic that ran through me when I found him gone? Whether he was safe or not, that was a fucking shitty thing to pull.”

Shame filled Kelly’s blue eyes, and she dropped her gaze, shoulders drooping. “I know. I know, and I’m so sorry, Piper,” she said, raising her gaze to look at Piper again. “Truly sorry. But I needed to get you out of the house so I could get in. That doesn’t excuse it, I know. I’m just explaining why I did it. And I didn’t mess up anything in the house. Just tossed some papers around, moved some books. I didn’t want to really trash anything. Just do enough so you’d know someone was in there.”

“And the flower pots? I’m assuming you did it before coming to the fights, since you knew I wouldn’t be there.”

“Yeah, about that,” she replied with a long exhale. “That was an accident. I meant to get in and mess with things a little again, ya know? I was hoping you hadn’t changed the locks yet, or maybe a window would be unlocked. I was searching the pots for the key, and someone honked a horn. I was nervous as could be, and it scared me to death. When I jumped, I knocked the pot over, and then tripped over it. It went crashing down the steps at the same time I fell against the other pot, and it did the same.” She held up her hand. “That’s how this happened.” She shrugged. “I got freaked out, decided that was enough, and left. I’m so sorry about your grandmother’s flower pots. I didn’t mean to do that at all.”

Nodding slowly, Piper absorbed that. “And now? What were you going to do here?”

Pink staining her cheeks, Kelly shrugged. “I actually didn’t have a plan, although I did make a mess out front. By accident. I—”

“Tripped,” Piper finished for her, a small smile trying to break free. Clumsy Kelly. Same as always.

“I really am sorry for the pots. And I didn’t know about Snickers. I wasn’t trying to really hurt anything. I just wanted to give you a reason to see Jax more,” Kelly said softly. “And… well, a reason to stay. I’ve missed you so much. That’s selfish of me, I know. And I’d never want you to do anything you didn’t want to do. I meant it when I said I’d support you in whatever decision you made. I just wanted to give you a reason to want to stay.”

Piper nodded again, going silent as she thought over everything Kelly told her. She could feel the rest of her anger, and even her hurt, flowing out of her. Kelly’s eyes and voice were totally sincere. She meant every word of what she said. And Piper knew her friend. Kelly didn’t have a malicious bone in her body.

She felt Jax lean in closer to her, and she shivered as his hot breath caressed her ear. “She’s telling the truth. All of it,” he whispered.

Giving a tiny nod, Piper took in a deep breath. He was only telling her what she already sensed, but it was good to have it confirmed. Having a built in lie detector in her mate might come in hand

y one day.

Mate? Startled, she pondered that for a second, deciding the word felt right. But she couldn’t think about that right now. She knew Kelly didn’t mean any harm, but could she forgive her? Could their friendship ever be the same? Those were the important questions she had to ask herself.

Looking at her best friend for over twenty years, she realized, yes, she could forgive her. What Kelly did was like what Jax did, in a way. One whose intent was to protect her, one whose intent was to give her happiness. Both misguided. Misguided, but with the best of intentions. And without Kelly’s actions, Piper wasn’t sure she would have given Jax the chance he needed to win her back.

The bell over the front door jingled, and she frowned as bootsteps sounded through the store. Before they could move, the door was swinging open, and Frank, the sheriff, was there.

“Frank? Why are you here?” she asked, confused.

“You called me,” he replied in amusement.

Following his gaze to where her phone was sitting on the table, Piper realized the call must have gone through, and she hadn’t even realized it.

“I’ve been listening this whole time,” he said with a frown directed at Kelly. “What do you want me to do here, Piper?”

Glancing over at Kelly, she took in the resignation in her eyes, the sadness and fear. She was just opening her mouth when Kelly stepped forward.

“You should take me in, Frank,” Kelly said, standing tall with a brave face. “I committed crimes. It’s only right. I assume you have your handcuffs handy?”

Frank’s hand went to his belt, and Piper rushed forward. “No! There’s no need for that. No one needs to get arrested here today. I have no desire in pressing charges. And technically, she didn’t break in. She used a key. Both times.”

Cocking an eyebrow, Frank asked, “You sure about that? Sure this is what you want to do? This is your call, Piper.”

Looking to Kelly, Piper took in the surprise and banked hope in her eyes. Nodding slowly, not looking away from her, she said, “I’m sure. Just forget what you heard today, Frank. But thank you for coming so quickly.”

“Of course. And I’m going to consider it forgotten, but Kelly,” he said with a stern look. “No more of these kinds of activities.”

“Consider this the end of my short-lived criminal career,” she rushed out fervently, relief stamped on her features.