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“Hey,” Piper said, no smile accompanying the greeting.

“What’s up?”

“What’s up? Seriously?” Piper cringed, her face squishing up and tightening.

“Everything we do has to be done with the business and its future in mind. You know that, Piper.”

“Yeah, I do,” Piper agreed. “So why did you treat me, and Jo and Bea, as though we’re wayward children caught sneaking out in the middle of the night?”

“Because it’s how you’ve been acting.” Bunny was too tired to be tactful. She was too defensive to even try to push into her shame and allow Piper to see it like she normally would. She was too hurt to even think about letting someone else see her wounds.

“Be careful, Bunny. Or you just might get your wish.” Piper met Bunny’s eyes, a sad look in her ever-youthful and happy face.

“And what wish is that?”

“The one where you’re the only professional in the room.” Piper stepped past Bunny after a pointed look and snagged her bag off the floor, putting it over her shoulder to carry it out. “You might want to think about what you’re doing all the extra homework for, because it certainly isn’t that you think we haven’t perfected the performance yet. Get over yourself, and quit while you’re ahead. Or no one is going to be here when you’re done, including me.”

“What are you talking about?” Panic clawed against her throat, and the words came out tight. Bunny couldn’t lose Piper. She was the only person Bunny had left in this world.

“I’m talking about you only making stupid messes when you’re in love.” Piper’s lips thinned and she shook her head.

Bunny’s lips parted, but no words formed again. She sat frozen on the piano bench, trying to figure out what exactly to say. But she couldn’t come up with anything. Piper was right.And so were Bea and Jo. When she went to finally tell Piper that, she was gone.

And Bunny was alone.

Well and truly alone.

TWENTY-SIX

piper

“I wanted to run an idea past you.” Piper plopped onto her couch, her thigh bumping deliciously into Jo’s. She’d been stewing over the idea for a few weeks now—since she mentioned it the first time—but after the disaster that was their last rehearsal and the radio silence from both Bea and Bunny, Piper knew she was going to have to pull out the big guns for this one.

“Sure, what’s up?” Jo popped a pretzel between her lips and grinned.

“I know why Bunny is all pissy lately.”

“I would hope.” Jo gave a half-chuckle half-snort.

Piper wasn’t sure if she was amused or worried. And she didn’t really want to share Bunny’s secrets with the world either. Rubbing her lips together, Piper debated exactly what to say. “I love Bunny dearly. She’s my best friend. We’re closer than sisters.”

“I get that.” Jo looked up into Piper’s eyes, a curious expression on her lips.

Piper knew she wasn’t explaining this well, but she was trying to choose her words carefully. “The last time Bunny fell in love, it was with someone she couldn’t have, someone that it would never work out with.”

Jo frowned. “You think she’s in love with Bea?”

Nodding, Piper snagged Jo’s hand and wrapped their fingers together. “Yeah, I do. And just like last time, she’s digging herself into the biggest ditch ever.”

“What happened last time?”

Sighing, Piper rolled through everything in her memories. What could she share? What should she share? “Let’s just say she fell hard and swiftly, and when the woman she fell in love with wasn’t willing to make changes to be with her, Bunny shut down. I mean hard. She never wanted a relationship again after that.”

“So this is about more than just coming out to the world,” Jo concluded.

“It is, but I’m not sure Bunny will ever admit that. I didn’t honestly think she’d ever open her heart again to someone else.”

“But you think she has with Bea?”