Pierced Hearts (Southern Charmers 1)

Chapter 7

Pierce

Memories bounce in my brain as I stare at the darkened porch that I built for the Grahams. The whole place that Annie liked to refer to as the shed was already built when Darby decided it needed a front porch. Her dad had enough of the construction and cost and told her it wasn’t going to happen. I made it happen, gathering every piece of material myself while bargaining with Miller and Evin to help me finish it.

She loved this shed, claiming it as her own, and I loved being able to give her what she wanted.

Lanterns come to life, illuminating the small area right as the door cracks open, and Darby slips through. Her hair is piled on top of her head, and her face is free of makeup. She comes to the railing wearing a black, silky pajama set that sets my blood on fire. Her nipples are poking through the material, her long legs are on display, her eyes are bright, and I swear I’ve never seen her so beautiful.

“Pierce, do you want to come up?” she calls into the dark quietly, not at all surprised I am here.

I take a few steps forward, sliding my hands into my jeans. “How’d you know it was me?”

She doesn’t answer, giving the welcome hand gesture and disappearing behind the door again to leave me alone when I walk onto the porch. A few minutes later, she returns with two mugs of steaming coffee, this time in a robe that’s clinched around her waist.

“Here.” She hands me a cup. “I hope you still take it the same way.”

“I do.”

She moves to a chair and sits, crossing her legs when her robe slides away. As hard as I try, there’s no stopping my eyes from landing on her bare skin. “How’d you know it was me?”

“I just knew.”

“It’s five a.m. Why are you awake?”

“I should ask you the same. Don’t you sleep in on Sundays?” She evades my question.

“I came to apologize.”

“Why?”

“Because of last week.”

“You don’t need to apologize to me. You didn’t do anything out of character.”

“Out of character? I came into your place, showed my ass, and stormed out.”

“Yeah, you did, which is your character. You’ve always been protective of those you love. I shouldn’t have brought up your children. You went into protection mode.”

Fuck me! She thinks I was being protective of my children? “I wasn’t mad about Maya and Cole.”

She flinches at their names and directs her attention to the contents of her cup.

“I didn’t like what Connie did to you.”

“It’s fine, Pierce. Life moves on.”

“Does it?”

“Yes, it does.” She sighs. “You moved on.”

Her honesty fucking hurts, and I have no choice but to turn away and look to the darkness, knowing the sunlight will rise right above the east meadow soon. Memories of watching the sunrise from her bedroom window roll through my mind.

“I saw Jill Friday night. She looks wonderful,” Darby offers.

“She told me about Annie’s impromptu party. She also said she wasn’t sure she should come. I think she’s glad she did.”

“I’m happy she changed her mind. It was nice to see her.”

I nod, still staring out into nothing, unsure what to say. Mom was my date to the baseball banquet last night, and the instant she got in my truck, I knew something was up. She was hesitant to tell me about coming here Friday night, scared I’d feel somehow betrayed. It was the opposite. I’m glad she made the decision. Losing Darby was hard on her. The reasoning behind it was even worse. She begged me to chase after Darby, but she had no idea of the colossal damage I’d caused the day Darby and I broke up. Things I said were reprehensible, and of course, I was too much of a stubborn ass to admit it.

“Is that why you came to the hospital? To apologize?” Darby breaks into my thoughts.

I swing to face her. “You knew I was there?”

“I always know when you’re close. I guess I was a little rusty at the bakery because of all the time that passed, but since then, yes, I know. That’s how I knew to start the coffee before even coming to the porch.” She sways her mug at me.

“I am sorry, Darby… about it all.”

“Apology accepted. Unnecessary, but accepted.”

I sip the coffee, thinking it’s time for me to go. I did what I came to do.

“Apologies are weird, don’t you think?” She sounds almost wistful.

“Why do you say that?”

“Apologies are a few simple words that have such a tremendous impact. When said with the right amount of sincerity, they can change the course of everything. I have owed you an apology for a very long time. I have owed your family the same. It’s a little late, but I’m sorry, too, Pierce, for everything that happened back then.”