Chapter 3

3

P iper picked Natalie up in the afternoon, more than ready to get on the road after having one of the most relaxing weeks in recent memory. As much as she enjoyed that alone time, she was ready to jump into this project. It had been taking up space in her head for more than a year, and it was time to finally get started on it.

Even now, Piper still couldn't believe that her grandmother had bypassed her son and left Piper the house. Piper never doubted how much her grandmother had loved her, but if she had, the fact that her grandmother had taken her in when her own parents had thrown her out, would have told her everything she needed to know.

But still. It was a big deal for her grandmother to have changed her will, and Piper didn't have to speak to her father to know that he would have been pissed to have been completely left out of it.

And now, Piper had every intention of honoring that decision. She had plans to keep a lot of the house the same, to keep the things that reminded her of her grandmother the most, but with a fresh coat of paint and some updates, the beach house could be Piper's little hideaway when she needed to escape the madness of her life in the spotlight.

As Los Angeles faded in her rearview mirror, she merged onto US-101, the freeway carrying her inland through the San Fernando Valley, enjoying the freedom of driving without worrying about paparazzi spotting her in traffic which was a rare thing.

The open road stretched before her, and Piper rolled down her window, letting the warm breeze tousle her hair. About halfway through the journey, Piper decided to take a detour, craving the scenic coastal route for the final stretch.

She turned to Natalie. "Can you call James and tell him I'm taking the scenic route?"

"Sure."

As she wound her way west, the landscape transformed dramatically. Grassy hillsides yielded to rugged cliffs, and suddenly the vast expanse of the Pacific stretched out beside her, glistening in the sun. Natalie put on her favorite playlist for the rest the journey, and once again, it got Piper thinking how lucky she was to have Natalie. Piper felt so safe having her with her, but it was never in a stifling, overprotective way, and the fact that they'd developed an easy friendship that had strengthened over the years was an added bonus.

Piper wasn't even sure that she needed to bring her whole security team, but Natalie pointed out that she'd more than likely need people helping her whether it was painting or bringing in new furniture or getting new floors. And anytime anyone from outside their well-insulated world needed to be involved, it was a risk, so Natalie convinced her that they might as well do the work, and while they were there, they could install a security system that would allow Piper to go on her own in the future.

It wasn't until Piper approached Morro Bay, that a real wave of emotions washed over her. The quaint coastal town held so many memories, both cherished and painful. She hadn't even made it back for her grandmother's funeral, and the guilt of that alone still gnawed at her, nevermind all of the time they could have spent together if Piper had made the effort to come out here, but she'd allowed the demands of her career to keep her away.

The beach house came into view, its weathered cedar shingles and wraparound porch the same as Piper remembered it.

Piper parked the car and sat for a moment, her hands gripping the steering wheel, while Natalie got out. A part of her longed to walk through that door and find Lily waiting, ready with a warm hug and a mug of chamomile tea. She could almost picture it, and the thought of it was enough to cause her eyes to water.

Taking a deep breath, Piper stepped out of the car. The salt-tinged breeze whipped through her hair as she made her way up the path flanked with flowers, a vibrant mix of pinks, purples, and yellows.

Ryan and James pulled up behind Piper's car, and Natalie was directing them as soon as they got out. "Full search of the house has to be done."

"Nat, it's fine," Piper said, sliding her hand into her pocket to pull out the key to the front door. "No one's going to have been here."

Natalie opened her mouth and closed it again. "Okay, we'll start out here and figure out where to put the security cameras."

"Thanks," Piper said.

Piper slid the key into the lock, her hands shaking a little as she turned it. The door swung open, and the familiar scent of her grandmother's home, a mix of lavender, old books, and the faint saltiness of the ocean breeze surrounded her.

She stepped inside, her footsteps echoing on the hardwood floors. The living room was just as she remembered it: cozy and inviting, with plush couches and bookshelves filled with well-loved novels. Memories of countless afternoons spent curled up with a book, listening to her grandmother's stories, filled her mind, and they were so real, that Piper almost couldn't believe that her grandmother really wasn't here.

But the stillness served as a stark reminder of her loss.

Piper made her way through the house, pausing in the doorway of her grandmother's bedroom, a lump forming in her throat. The room still held Lily's essence, from the soft pastel colors to the vintage furniture she had lovingly collected over the years.

Piper found herself drawn to the kitchen. The large windows overlooking the garden allowed sunlight to stream in, casting a warm glow on the white cabinets. As she approached the window, something caught her eye.

At first, Piper thought she was seeing things, but as she blinked and looked again, there was no mistaking it. A dark-haired woman was working in the garden, her back turned to the house as she tended to the flowers.

Piper's brow furrowed in confusion. Who could be in her grandmother's garden?

Curiosity getting the better of her, Piper made her way to the back door and stepped outside.

As Piper approached the woman, she called out, "Excuse me, what are you doing here?"

The woman stood up from her crouched position, brushing dirt from her hands onto her jeans. As she turned, Piper was immediately taken aback.

The woman had striking green eyes that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight, contrasting beautifully with her wavy black hair that fell just below her shoulders. Piper found herself momentarily speechless as she took in the sight of this gorgeous stranger standing in her grandmother's garden.

The woman offered a warm smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'm Audrey. I live next door."

Piper blinked, trying to regain her composure, and then a hint of a smile came to her lips. Usually, when people met her, they were starstruck, but this woman showed no signs of recognizing who Piper was. She couldn't even remember the last time that had happened.

But now, Piper was the one in danger of making a fool of herself if she didn't stop staring and start speaking.

Before Piper could find her words, Natalie appeared at her side, placing a protective hand on the small of Piper's back. "Everything okay out here?" Natalie asked, her eyes darting between Piper and the stranger.

Piper nodded, finally finding her voice. "Yeah, everything's fine. This is Audrey. She lives next door."

Piper fully took in the garden now, and she remembered the flowers lining the path on the way in, but she hadn't put two and two together. Of course, someone had to be doing all this. The place should have been completely overgrown after two years of neglect.

"Hi," Audrey offered.

"Hi," Natalie answered, but her attention was back on Piper. "Ryan and James are somehow under the impression that there's going to be things for them to smash. Walls to knock?" Natalie shook her head. "I'm just going to go back in and make sure they don't do anything stupid before you give the go-ahead. I had no idea they would be this eager, or I wouldn't have suggested bringing them."

Piper smiled. "I'll be there in a minute." When her eyes landed on Audrey, Piper couldn't quite decipher the expression on her face. It was almost a look of disappointment or disapproval. "Thank you," Piper said. "For doing this. I had no idea."

Audrey's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she held her gaze. "I couldn't not do it, if you know what I mean. I couldn't watch this garden waste away." She ran a hand through her hair. "I didn't catch your name."

Piper felt a flush of embarrassment as she realized she hadn't even introduced herself. It was so rare these days that she actually had to tell someone her name. Usually, people recognized her instantly, their eyes widening with a mix of awe and excitement. But Audrey was looking at her expectantly, waiting for a response.

"I'm Piper," she said, extending her hand.

Audrey's hand was warm as she shook Piper's. "It's nice to meet you, Piper."

Piper found herself lingering, not wanting to end the conversation just yet. But she could hear voices coming from inside the house, reminding her that she needed to get back and start making some decisions about what needed to be done.

"I should probably head inside," Piper said reluctantly. "But it was really nice meeting you, Audrey."

"Likewise," Audrey said.

As Piper went back into the house, her mind lingered on Audrey. It had been a long time since Piper had felt drawn to someone so effortlessly. In her world, people were often more enamored with her celebrity status than with who she was as a person. But Audrey's gaze had held no trace of recognition or awe, just a genuine warmth and a hint of something else Piper couldn't quite decipher.

Maybe it was the way Audrey had looked at her, like she was just another person and not a famous actress, that had allowed Piper to let her guard down, even if only for a moment. It was refreshing to be seen as herself, without the weight of her public persona.

Piper shook her head, trying to refocus on the task at hand. With a deep breath, she pushed aside the distracting thoughts of Audrey's captivating smile and set her mind on the countless choices that lay ahead.