Blended Ch 19

It’s a little past eight. Late for Bella and Piper, early for Riley and Kayla. Piper peels oranges, scrambles eggs, and mixes up pancakes from a box. She brews coffee in a pot instead of using the Keurig, and predictably, the smells bring the Jameson girls downstairs.

Riley is cute with bedhead. Kayla looks like shit.

“You OK?” Piper asks as she fixes their plates.

Kayla just grunts and gets orange juice. Bella arrives, already cleaned up and dressed for the day in capris and a floppy Gap button-down. Kayla looks extra judgmental with those circles under her eyes.

Bella is no less polite than the day she moved in. “Thanks for cooking, Piper.”

“Of course.” Piper puts a plate in front of her. “There’s blueberries if you’re still doing that yogurt thing, Riley.”

“Thanks.” Riley rubs her face and pours coffee.

“Was Kylie saying anything spicy at the party last night?” Piper asks casually as she soaks the skillet.

“Mostly badmouthing Leni. Some rude things about her and Flynn,” Bella reports.

Kayla’s eyes flash. “Flynn’s hanging out with Leni?”

“They said he was there to fix stuff,” Piper says.

Bella nods. “He was. I think.”

“Wait, where was Flynn last night?” Kayla snaps.

“At CCL. Fixing a sink, I think,” Piper replies.

“A sink named Leni?” Riley asks. “Is she actually scary or do people just say that? And Kylie’s the Australian one, right?”

Kayla puts her face in her hands.

“She’s so pretty,” Riley says glumly, shoveling eggs into her mouth.

“Yeah, and you think she doesn’t see you creeping when she’s on the Stairmaster,” Kayla says bitterly without looking.

Piper wipes her hands on her apron and approaches the table. “So? What’s everybody doing today?”

“Go fuck yourself,” Kayla says.

“I have Habitat,” Bella adds.

Riley sips her coffee. “Work.”

“Neat,” Piper says, keeping her smile in place. She smooths her apron. “Who’s gonna need lunch?”

“Me,” Kayla says without hesitation.

Riley shakes her head.

“I won’t be here,” Bella says.

“OK, cool. Lunch for Kayla. How about dinner?”

“Working,” Riley says, raising her hand.

“I’ll be here. And I can help,” Bella says quickly.

A moment passes. “Kayla?”

“I don’t know,” Kayla snaps, busy with her phone. “I don’t know,” she repeats, blowing out her breath.

Bella sighs. “Look, Kayla. Graham and Ash will be at the site. I can ask them what’s going on with Flynn if you want.”

“I want you to mind your fucking business.” Kayla points at Piper before she can defend Bella. “And don’t lecture me.”

“I never lecture you.”

“But you want to. Don’t act like I’m the thirsty one. I don’t have a Fenty babydoll in my closet.”

Piper’s smile stiffens, but only for a moment. Kayla wants her to ask why she knows what’s in Piper’s closet. “If you decide that you want dinner, just text me. OK?”

Kayla doesn’t like that, but she has nothing to hit back with. “Fine,” she mutters.