Blended Ch 24

Piper heads back to the site.

Sparks are flying. Not from any power tools; it’s too hot and dry for that. It’s Megan and Riley. This isn’t the red-hot chemistry of two people completely on the same page. It’s two people on wildly different pages. Meghan sees Riley’s athletic bod and chipper, wholesome presentation, and she’s like a dog waiting to be fed. It’s a tale as old as time, and one that Piper understands on a personal level. She’s not about to pretend that she’s never objectified her stepsister and her perfect ass.

Riley, meanwhile, is buzzing on positive attention. She’s not after someone like Meghan; she’s after someone like Kayla if Kayla were sweet and not her sister. Actually, she’s after someone like Kylie. But that’s neither here nor there. Meghan’s hot, and she knows it. She doesn’t have the fine skills, but the jock energy does a lot of the lifting. There are other stud ladies like Meghan around—Moko springs to mind—but they always have another warm body in their bed before they meet Riley. To Piper’s knowledge, this is the first time this has happened so directly, and Riley is uniquely weak to it. One can only be alone for so long, watching other people hook up before it starts to wear one down. Riley is easy prey.

“She wants to get lunch,” Riley reports to Piper, all but bubbling with excitement.

“What’d you say?” Piper replies, making sure Graham’s looking before she bends to pick up a pair of work gloves.

“That I had to check with you.”

“I’m not your mom, Riley. If you end up needing a ride, just get an Uber.”

“Right.” Living at home makes Riley forget that she’s an adult sometimes, and Mary’s not always the best at being consistent about reminding her. Piper’s not complaining; she loves Mary’s cooking. “OK. OK, so I’ll see you?”

“Yup.” Piper’s not sure about this Meghan chick; being friends with Carla Lucero isn’t necessarily a ringing endorsement, and Meghan’s ten years younger than Carla, at least. Maybe more. It’s unlikely that they’re friends. She’s either a member of the gang or a patron of the bar. Those things don’t disqualify her, though. What Piper is sure about is that Riley needs experience, good and bad. As she said, she isn’t Mary. “Have a nice time. Relax. Be safe.”

“OK. OK.” Riley nods and nervously walks away.

Yeesh. Piper gets out her phone and considers her contacts. She’s got what she needed from Graham, and Riley is entertained; there’s no reason for her to be here sweating and getting splinters. Ying is still around. Cassie. And Bella, of course.

An intrusive memory of that morning pops into her head. Bella’s soft body certainly makes an impression. Piper smiles and clears her throat, then starts texting.