“I’m working on it.”
Archer moves the phone away from his mouth. I nod at him.
“What is she wearing?”
“Why is he asking that?” Piper’s voice wobbles.
“Mason is on his way,” Archer calls out. “He’s going to get you somewhere safe. I want to make sure he can find you.”
“Mason is Archer’s friend?” she asks.
“Yes. You can trust him, I promise.”
She hesitates. “Okay. I’m wearing black joggers and a pink sweater.”
Archer relays the information to Mason. Then he speaks louder for Piper’s benefit. “Mason will be there in thirty minutes. He’s about six foot three, two hundred pounds, dark hair, and he’s wearing—” he breaks off. “Seriously?” he chuckles. “He’s wearing a sparkly shirt with a unicorn-poop emoji on it.” Pause. “And jeans.”
I speak into the phone. “Stay where you are and get something to eat or drink.”
“I don’t have any money.”
“I’ll call the diner right now and give them my card info, okay?”
“Okay, Finley. I have to give this woman back her phone. But all my things, all my art, everything is still at home.”
Archer speaks before I can. “We’re going to figure it out. Finley and I are going to find a way to get your things and get you home.”
I stare at him in surprise. He speaks into the phone. “Take her somewhere nice. I’ll send you the money. Text me the address and let me know when she’s checked in.”
“We’ll see you as soon as we can, okay?” I say to Piper.
I hang up with her, and Archer hangs up with Mason.
We stare at each other, still sitting on the floor on our knees. I shake my head at him and groan. “My life is a mess. Why did you pick me?”
He leans over and kisses me, a gentle brush of his lips over mine. “I knew you were the one when Jacob puked on your shoes and you laughed.”
A startled chuckle escapes me.
He hauls me into his arms. “We should go there.”
“You don’t think we should get her a ticket home? That would be easier.”
“She doesn’t have ID.”
“Oh. Right.”
“She needs to get all her things, as much as she can. I don’t want her trying it on her own. Mason could help, but I’d prefer he have backup since I don’t know this Ben character.”
I nod. I guess that makes sense. “We can’t leave now though, can we? What about Jacob?”
“Quick trip, there and back. Long enough to get Piper and her essentials. We can have stuff shipped later if she needs it.”
I drop a quick kiss on his lips. “Let’s search for flights.”
We leave all the sanding and staining supplies on the floor, since we can clean it up later, and head up to the main house.
The next hour is a bustle of activity with me on the phone, Archer on his laptop, searching for the next available flight out of anywhere near us in New York to LA.