Ranch Life

Chapter 6

Piper's P.O.V.

It's been three days since I've seen Tori and Charlie. I couldn't care less about Braxton. He's an asshole and he hurt my feelings. After all that, I'm still attracted to the man. Isn't that some shit?

I finally called my parents. I called them the morning after I left the ranch. They convinced me to come home with them. When I got here, they asked me why I left. I told them and Sam left. No one knew where he had gone until we got a phone call. Apparently his big brother instincts kicked in. He went and beat the shit out of Mike. I couldn't be mad at him.

Charlie called me this morning to find out where I was. He said he tried to visit me at the hotel, but I obviously wasn't there. I felt bad for not telling him I had left. I was a little skeptical about giving him my parents home address, but he said he wanted to come visit me. Since my parents said it was fine, I gave it to him.

He should be here soon. It's almost two. That's when he said he'd be here.

The doorbell goes off. Sometimes that thing gets on my nerves.

"I'll get it." Sam gets up before I can protest.

"You must be here for Piper. I'll get her for you." He turns to me. "Piper, he's here."

"Okay." I get up and walk to the door. Looking last Sam, I see that it's not Charlie. Braxton is here. What the hell?

"Braxton, what do you want?"

"Wait, this is the guy who had his girlfriend throw you out? I'll kill him."

I put my hand on his arm to stop him. "Sam, don't. I can't afford to bail you out for jail again. I'll talk to him outside."

Before he says anything else, I step around him and shut the door behind me. I sit on the steps and Braxton follows suit.

"Bail him out of jail again? What'd he do?"

"Nothing you need to worry about."

"You have secrets. I respect that."

"What do you want? I thought Charlie was the one coming."

"I want to apologize."

"Save it. It's not going to change things."

"I know you're pissed at me, but I didn't do anything. I never told Hailey to tell you what she did. That was all her. You've been excellent. Tori is glowing like a little girl should. That's all thanks to you. Hailey's a bitch."

"Did you come all this way just to tell me that? How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"How do you know I'm not? Look, Piper, you've done more for Victoria then I could ask. Why would I ruin her happiness? Why would I say that? Even if I did, I wouldn't have had her tell you. I would have been man enough to tell you myself."

Looking in his eyes, I know he's telling the truth. I sigh.

"Okay. I believe you."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I do."

"That's great."

"If there's not anything else, I'm going back inside."

"Wait. I have to ask you something."

"What?"

"Will you come back to the ranch?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Tori misses you, and I know you miss her. She hasn't smiled since the day I found out you left. She needs you."