“Emmy and Violet will be happy to hear that,” Ruby said, joining them around the island. Piper followed her.
“Everything good?” Sawyer asked, hoping for some good news. Boone’s answers had only served to overwhelm him more. There was so much to think about, and not having to worry about how Piper was doing would help immensely.
“We’ll have to wait for the blood tests to come back, but Ruby said I seem in tip-top shape.”
“We still need to talk about eating right, foods you need to avoid and the inevitable weight gain that’s coming. I hope you have a good seamstress going on tour with you.”
“I have the best and a huge wardrobe budget.”
While they chatted about tour budgets and the benefits of a good crew, Sawyer tried to wrap his head around what Boone had said. He made it sound even more difficult than Sawyer had anticipated to juggle this career and a family. Sawyer had grown up watching his father do it all. He had run his own business, coached Little League, made dinner for the family every night. Faith and Sawyer never felt like they were a burden. Big John had made it look so easy. Too easy. How was Sawyer going to pull that off? Boone was also under the assumption that Sawyer and Piper were in love and had that on their side to get through all this.
Love wasn’t on their side, only deception. There was no telling how this was going to end.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“AFTER THE INTERVIEW, we need to hurry back downtown to meet up with the perfume people so you can choose from the scents they’ve narrowed down for you. I also confirmed your seven o’clock reservations at La Cage so you and Sawyer can make your first public appearance.” Lana had a hard time keeping up as they made their way through the lobby of the Los Angeles Four Seasons.
Thanksgiving was next week, and Piper and Sawyer—and her team, of course—had successfully put everything they needed in place to make the big relationship reveal. Piper was scheduled to appear on the Whitney Hansen Show to talk about the new album and tour. What Whitney didn’t know was that she was getting the scoop of the century.
Sawyer pulled his baseball cap down. He was about to become Whitney’s surprise guest. He walked out to the limo first to make it appear as if they were trying to hide the fact that they were a couple.
A minute later, Heath held the door open for his daughter. Piper smiled and waved at the mob of fans who had given up their morning to wait outside the hotel in hopes of getting a glimpse of her. Two brawny security guards stood in front of the metal barricades that lined the entrance.
Everyone began shouting at once.
“Piper! You’re the best!”
“We love you!”
“Was that Sawyer?”
“Piper, can you sign this?”
“Piper, can I get a pic?”
Everyone wanted their piece of her, but there wasn’t time to greet them all. She smiled for some selfies and autographed glossy prints of herself. Near the end of the line, the most adorable little girl with big brown eyes and sandy-blond pigtails held out a magazine with Piper’s face on the cover.
“How are you today, sweetheart?” Piper asked as she scrawled her name across the bottom of the photo.
“Good,” the little girl replied. “I love you.” Her fans, big and small, warmed Piper’s heart in ways they would never understand.
Piper handed back the magazine. “You are so sweet. I love you, too.”
“Can she please get a picture with you?” a woman standing beside the girl asked. Her phone was out and ready. “We traveled all the way from Vegas to meet you.”
“That’s so far! Thank you for coming to see me,” Piper said before her dad grabbed her by the elbow.
“We’re on a tight schedule. No more pictures.” He tugged her toward the limo and away.
The look of confusion on the child’s face was heartbreaking. Piper hated disappointing anyone, but a child was the worst.
She slid into the back of the limo as a familiar unease settled in the pit of her stomach. It wasn’t like her to challenge her father, but something made her speak up this time. “It only would have taken a second to pose for a photo. Those people came a long way.”