Chapter 7

7

P iper's arms trembled, her muscles burning as she struggled to hold the ceiling fan above her head. Sweat trickled down her spine, making her tank top cling uncomfortably to her skin. The ladder wobbled beneath her feet, each tiny movement sending a jolt of panic through her body.

"Come on," she hissed through clenched teeth, blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes. The wires tangled around her fingers, seeming to mock her efforts. Her heart pounded, a mixture of frustration and anxiety making her chest tight.

She should have done this while Ryan was here. He would have had this fan up in minutes, his experience making quick work of the installation, but she'd completely forgotten about it.

The creak of the door opening startled her, nearly causing her to lose her grip on the fan. Piper's stomach lurched as she teetered on the ladder. She glanced over her shoulder, her breath catching in her throat as she saw Audrey standing in the doorway, a bouquet of vibrant flowers in her hand.

"Need a hand?" Audrey asked.

Piper swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry. "Yeah, actually, I could use some help," she admitted, trying to keep her voice steady despite the flutter in her chest.

"Sorry to just let myself in like that, but I saw you through the window."

"It's okay," she said with a smile. "This probably wasn't my best idea."

Piper's mind flashed back to the previous evening, when she and Audrey had shared a bottle of wine on the deck. In the soft glow of the sunset, Audrey had looked breathtaking, her wavy black hair catching in the fading light.

A wave of self-consciousness washed over her as she became acutely aware of her sweaty, disheveled state. She watched, transfixed, as Audrey set the flowers down and made her way over to the ladder.

As Audrey climbed up the opposite side of the ladder, Piper's senses went into overdrive. She could smell the faint scent of Audrey's shampoo, feel the heat radiating from her body in the small space between them.

"Hold the fan steady while I connect these wires," Audrey instructed.

Their hands touched as they both gripped the fan, and the connection sent a shiver down Piper's spine. She glanced up at Audrey, their faces only inches apart. The proximity made Piper's heart race, her breath coming in short bursts.

Audrey's voice was steady, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of something deeper as she got to work.

"We're almost there," Audrey said. "Just a few more seconds."

As Audrey connected the final wire, her fingers grazed Piper's hand again, lingering a moment longer than necessary. Piper's pulse quickened, and she could see a similar tension reflected in Audrey's eyes. Once the fan was secure, they both lifted their heads at the same moment, their faces close enough that Piper could see every fleck of gold in Audrey's green eyes, every subtle line etched by time and laughter. The air between them felt charged, and for the first time, Piper wondered if she wasn't the only one feeling something here.

"Thanks," Piper managed to say, her voice a bit breathless.

"Anytime," Audrey replied softly, her gaze holding Piper's for a beat longer than necessary.

They carefully descended the ladder, but the tension lingered. "That wasn't your first time."

Audrey smiled. "No, it wasn't. Growing up, I helped my dad a lot around the house."

"You brought flowers," Piper said as her feet touched the ground. "Like you used to for my grandmother," she added, a sudden wave of self-consciousness washing over her. Maybe she was imagining things. Maybe Audrey was straight, and what Piper thought she saw in her eyes was nothing more than the start of a new friendship.

Audrey nodded, a soft smile playing on her lips. "I did. Lily always loved fresh flowers in the house. I thought... Well, I thought you might appreciate them too."

Piper's heart fluttered at the thoughtful gesture. "Thank you." She pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, wishing she wasn't such a mess, because she wanted to offer Audrey a glass of wine.

Audrey's eyes moved around the room, taking in the details, and her expression shifted to one of surprise. "You know," she began, her tone thoughtful, "Before I knew you were Lily's granddaughter, I'd assumed you'd be tearing this place apart and making it all modern. But this..." she gestured to the room, "This is not at all what I thought it would be like."

Piper felt a mix of pride and nervousness at Audrey's words. She'd put so much thought into preserving the essence of her grandmother's home while still making it her own. "Really?" she asked, unable to keep the hint of eagerness from her voice. "What do you think?"

Audrey's gaze softened as she continued to look around. "It's beautiful," she said sincerely. "You've managed to keep so much of Lily's spirit here, but it's different. More of you, I imagine."

"Thank you," she said softly. "I didn't even touch her art studio. But every other room got some kind of a refresh." Their eyes met again, and Piper felt that same electric charge from earlier. She took a deep breath, gathering her courage. "Do you want the tour?"

"I'd love to, but I'm meeting a friend of mine, and I'm already running late."

Piper's heart sank a little at Audrey's words, but she quickly masked her disappointment with a smile. "Oh, of course. Sorry for keeping you," she said, trying to keep her tone light. "But thanks again for your help with the fan. I don't know how long I would've been up there struggling if you hadn't come by."

Audrey waved off the apology with a warm smile. "No need to apologize. I'm glad I could help." She paused for a moment, her eyes meeting Piper's once more. "I better get going."

"Enjoy your evening," Piper said as she walked with Audrey to the door.

"Thanks. You too."

Piper watched as Audrey walked down the path. This was not good. Piper knew exactly what was going on here. Yes, Audrey was beautiful and thoughtful and exactly Piper's type, but the fact that Audrey had no idea who she was, unless she was a talented actress in her own right, made her even more attractive than she already was.

Piper had always dated women in the business, because she couldn't imagine being in a relationship with someone who's friend might be a fan or who might unknowingly give away their location by posting something on social media. She'd always known that there were too many obstacles to overcome. Plus, she'd never met anyone outside of her own social circle who had caught her eye.

But Audrey was different. There was something about her that drew Piper in, a warmth and sincerity that she found utterly captivating. The way Audrey had looked at her, with those expressive green eyes, only made Piper want to spend more time with her. And the casual intimacy of their interactions, the way their hands had brushed, the tension that had crackled between them. It was intoxicating.

And Audrey had always treated her like a normal person. There hadn't been even a second where Audrey had looked at her with any kind of knowing, and Piper couldn't remember the last time that had happened. Even when she was traveling through Europe, she was recognized by hotel staff, by people on the street, and by locals who thought they'd find out what it's like to be a member of the paparazzi.

Closing the door, Piper turned to face the room, her gaze landing on the bouquet of flowers Audrey had brought. A soft smile played on her lips as she walked over and picked them up, inhaling their sweet scent.

As she arranged the flowers in a vase, Piper's mind drifted back to the moment on the ladder. The way Audrey's hands had brushed against hers. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more there. Not that it mattered. Piper wasn't staying long enough to even think about dating someone, and she already knew all of the reasons why it would never work with someone who wasn't as famous as she was or who at least had some experience with dating someone in the spotlight.

It wasn't going to happen, but that didn't mean Piper couldn't enjoy the feeling of falling for her new neighbor.