Wright Rival (Wright)

I jumped into my Jeep, glad that I’d taken the top off this morning when I drove into work. The weather was warming up, and I lived with my top off all summer. Rain or shine, it was the Jeep way.

I parked outside of Thai Pepper. They’d closed for a few months, and everyone had feared that they were going to close forever. It was the best Thai in town. It would have been a real travesty, but they had opened back up and were busier than ever.

Peyton had on a little skirt and cardigan over her leotard and tights when she met me at the door. A tall blonde trailed behind her in a burgundy dress and chunky heels.

“Pipes!” Peyton said with a Miss America wave. “Hope you don’t mind that I invited Tori. She didn’t have plans.”

“The famous Tori,” I said, holding my hand out. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

Tori shook my hand with a wide smile. She was gorgeous in that dancer sort of way. Lean muscle mass on a narrow frame. Her legs were toned almost as much as Peyton’s were. Though it was nearly impossible to be as fit as my sister. Her blonde hair was down in loose waves around her shoulders, and she had an easy smile that met her soft green eyes.

“Piper! God, it’s so good to finally meet you.”

Tori had been hired as the costume coordinator for Lubbock Ballet Company right before The Nutcracker season. She and Peyton had hit it off, and Peyton had insisted that we’d be fast friends.

We stepped inside the busy restaurant, put in our orders, and took a seat. Peyton pulled out a notepad filled with to-do lists.

“I have so many things left,” she said with a sigh.

“You’ll get through it,” Tori said confidently.

Peyton smiled at her. “Thanks. I’m glad Nora is doing so much.”

We talked through the cake choices and agreed on a half-dozen for her to taste-test with Isaac later that week. I’d agreed to watch Aly that afternoon so they could have some time together. His daughter was a dancer as well and quite a joy. I couldn’t wait for her to be my niece for real. My mom and Isaac’s parents had been doing double duty, watching her while they wedding-planned.

Our food came, and I ate the pad thai with gusto. Even if I hadn’t been starved, I’d have scarfed down the noodles like they were my life force. Sometimes, I wondered if they put something in them to make them taste this delicious. To make me always crave them.

“How was your concert, Pipes?” Peyton asked. “You never mentioned it.”

I swallowed hard. “It was good. I went backstage with the band.” I hesitated a moment. “Saw the tour bus.”

“Really?” Tori asked. “That sounds so much fun. What band?”

“Cosmere.”

Tori arched an eyebrow. “Wow. They’re pretty huge.”

“The lead singer is local,” Peyton filled her in.

“I’d heard that.”

“Why are you fidgeting?” Peyton asked. She pointed her chopsticks at me. “What happened? You’re only like this when you’re hiding something.”

When I’d gotten home from the show, I’d confided in Blaire what had happened. She hadn’t been that surprised, which I found mildly insulting, but she’d laughed it off. I’d begged her not to tell anyone else, but this was just Peyton. I could tell her. And I didn’t know this Tori girl from anything. Made it easier.

“I might have done something rash.”

“Oh?”

“Like hook up with someone on the tour bus.”

Tori whooped. “Girl, get it!”

Peyton’s jaw dropped. “You?”

“I know. Crazy, right?”

“Who was it?”

“Was it a band member?” Tori asked. She nudged Peyton. “You didn’t tell me your sister was wild. I like her already.”

Peyton eyed me with questions in her eyes. I wasn’t wild. That wasn’t me at all. And yet it had happened. This wasn’t like me.

“It wasn’t a band member. A band member’s brother.” Peyton’s eyebrows shot up, and I gave her a look that said we’d talk about it later. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Well, was it at least good?” Tori asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

I couldn’t hold in my own secret smile. “It was.”

“What a way to get over Bradley,” Peyton said.

Oh. Bradley. Right. I hadn’t been thinking about him at all.

“I told you it was really over.”

“You’ve proven your point,” Peyton said gently. The big-sister voice.

“Ah, don’t give her a hard time,” Tori said. “Every girl needs to feel that thrill a little bit. Find that man who sets her blood on fire.”

“Success,” I said, returning to my food.

We returned to the safe topic of the wedding for the rest of the meal.

It wasn’t until we left and Peyton hugged me good-bye that she whispered in my ear, “We’ll talk later?”

I huffed. “I don’t know, Peyton. Am I stupid for having done this?”

She glanced over at Tori to check that she was still on the phone. “Hollin?” she guessed.