All's Fair in Love and Business: Xavier's Story

Ch. 5

Piper Keller

    I wait until Elizabeth gets back before filling her in on what happened with Xavier. Her smirk as she walks in the room tells me she knows what I'm going to say. I narrow my eyes at her smug yet guilty expression. "I knew it! You were way too unconcerned about falling. How could you do that to me? And especially to poor Aaron!"

As she plops down beside me she smiles widely. "I didn't do anything!" She yells, denying everything.

"Liar." I state, knowingly. Its just like Elizabeth to do something this drastic to get Xavier and I in the same room, or the same car. "Well, he chose a house." I say, handing her the listing.

"Really?" She takes the folder opening it with a perplexed expression. "Already? I knew he was motivated but I didn't expect this." I watch her read the listing her expression becoming even more confused. Its not the house she would've thought he would be interested in, that much is obvious. As she looks at my notes on the house she shakes her head,
"Demands on the furniture? Is he serious?" She asks, bewildered.

"Yup." I reply, vaguely. Not commenting any further on the subject.

"Why would he want only the furniture in the kitchen and family room?" She questions, still focusing on the listing.

Knowing she won't stop asking questions until she gets the answers she wants, I shrug, "I guess he liked it."

Her head whips in my direction so quick I'm surprised her neck didn't snap. "He liked it? That makes no sense. He's a man! They don't have opinions on furniture, stools, rugs and lamps. Now, just what the hell happened at this house?" She demands to know, turning in her seat towards me.

"Nothing happened." I say, a little too defensive. The look she gives me tells me she doesn't believe a word I'm saying, but I honestly don't know what it meant. How am I supposed to explain what happened if I'm not even sure myself?

Hearing my inner-turmoil, she asks, "Really? Okay. Well, was he nice?"

I hesitate for a second before responding thinking back over the day. He was remote, cordial but definitely not what I would describe as nice."Not really."

She huffs loudly. "Am I really going to have to pry this from you? I will literally beat it out of you if I have to."

I laugh at her frustration, but I'm frustrated too. "It was awful, Elizabeth. I can't t believe you deliberately did this. Wait a minute, yes I can." I correct myself.

She groans, "I know. I just thought you needed closure. You've been so guarded with every guy you meet. I want you to move on from him and get on with your life. I didn't mean to hurt you." The honestly of her confession dulls my anger towards her deceiving nature.

"A little tough love?" I ask, knowing her for so long, Elizabeth has always been the strong one. In personality and spirit. She'd never let anyone keep her down, I wish I had half her strength.

"Exactly." She pauses to take my hand in hers. "I wanted you to see, I wanted you to know. The Xavier you are keeping in your heart is not the man you think he is. You deserve to be happy. So, make yourself happy and move on, finally." She begs, her eyes filled with emotion.

Even if I don't want to admit to myself that I've been hung up on Xavier, Liz saying it out loud really opens my eyes. What the hell is wrong with me? I'm hung up on a pipe dream.

"I think he's going to have a kid." I blurt out.

"What?" She questions, loudly.

I shrug and explain, "He seemed concerned about stairs and he mentioned kids."