Spicy Sapphic Christmas

22. Bunny

TWENTY-TWO

bunny

“This is all bullshit.” Bunny paced the carpet of Siena’s office as soon as she and Piper stepped through the door. Ever since Bea had walked out of her apartment that morning, Bunny had been in a funk. She couldn’t shake it. And the more time passed, the more she stewed, and the more she stewed, the angrier she got.

Siena leaned back in her office chair and watched Bunny silently, the way she did when she thought Bunny simply needed to let off steam.

But this was more than that. This had all gone way too far. She should have gone with her gut instincts in the first place. But not anymore. This had to end.

Bunny’d had enough. She had tried. Hell knew she had tried. But working with Jo and Bea was impossible. She had to put her foot down now before it really was too late. Before they couldn’t pull out of the event.

“This isn’t going to work. And it’s better you have a chance to figure something else out instead of having the shitshow of a lifetime blow up in your face.” Bunny pulsed her hands into fists, staring at the ground. She couldn’t even look into Siena’s face when she said this, because she knew the storm she was stirring up. But she had no other choice. This had to end.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Piper snapped from where she had taken a seat on the other side of the room.

Bunny turned to Piper and shook her head. She was making the decision for both of them without consulting Piper first, which she never did, but this was bigger than the two of them. If they continued to work with Bea and Jo, they were going to face the consequences. “Look, I know you and Jo are getting along really well. That doesn’t have to change just because we aren’t going to do the show.”

“No.” Piper’s face hardened, and for a moment, it stopped Bunny in her steps, her body losing its momentum. Piper had never spoken to her that way before. She’d never been so firm or demanding. Bunny was the unmovable one. Bunny was the hard-ass. Piper was the blessedly gleeful one who was always full of joy.

“It’s not negotiable, Piper. We’re pulling out.” Bunny clenched her jaw, staring into Piper’s eyes. Piper she could look at. She had to know what Piper was thinking, what she was feeling. Because everything ultimately depended on Piper and Bunny working well together.

“No.” Piper stood up and stopped right in front of Bunny, towering over Bunny’s much smaller form.

Bunny narrowed her eyes, not letting Piper intimidate her. Who the hell was she kidding? Piper like this was scary as hell.

“Excuse me?” Bunny said, deepening her voice to try and make a point.

“The world’s different now. The world’s changed, and continues to. We aren’t going to be ruined if our fans know we’re gay.” Piper put her fists on her hips, continuing her stare down.

“You’re pansexual.” Bunny spat, her face twisting with regret the moment the word left her mouth.

“Seriously? You of all people?” Piper’s face crumpled as though she was moments away from crying. “We’ve worked together for years and you still can’t wrap your head around it?”

Bunny shook her head. She couldn’t deal with tears, not even Piper’s. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

Tension pulled taut between them, the threads of their relationship fraying with every second that passed. Bunny needed to fix this. She couldn’t do this without Piper. They’d been so much a part of each other’s lives for so long. They’d built their career together. They were so intertwined.

“That was cruel of me,” Bunny murmured. “I didn’t mean it like you took it. I wanted to make sure that you were included in our community.”

Piper squinted, then wrinkled her nose. “I’m not giving you that one yet.”

“Fair.” Bunny moved her hands out to her sides. She hated living in the tension of unresolved hurt. She just wanted to make it up to Piper already. But she couldn’t force Piper to accept an apology she wasn’t ready to hear.

“I’m doing the show.” Piper channeled her anger at Bunny’s thoughtless words, her face pinching to show just how pissed off she was.

“You can’t. I refuse to participate.” Bunny curled her fists and dug them into her hips.

“I have no idea what’s going on with you. I don’t even know who you are anymore.” Piper’s soft words reached Bunny better than any yelling had. Piper tilted her head to the side, and Bunny had a strange sensation that her friend had gained X-ray vision and thoroughly scrutinized her in ways she didn’t feel comfortable. “I refuse to continue to hide who I am. I’m doing the charity event—with or without you.”

“You can’t.” Bunny turned toward Siena. “Our contract says we either both agree or neither goes ahead with any event.”

“It did.” Siena nodded, her words carefully chosen.

“What do you mean did ?” Bunny’s nostrils flared and a pounding in her head made her far too aware of how little she had spoken to Siena or Piper lately—spoken to them in any real capacity, that is.

“Our contract ran out two months ago, Bunny.” Piper’s voice was softer. “And I asked for the clause to be removed. Siena agreed.”

“But I haven’t signed it,” Bunny snapped.

“I’m well aware of that.” Siena stood up, fingers splayed and pressed down upon her desk.

Now the rush of her blood pulsed at her temple. Siena hadn’t treated either of them like this in years. Not since they had become friends.

“So you’re dumping me?” Bunny’s eyes flew from Siena to Piper and back again. “Both of you?”

“What?” Piper exploded. “Jesus, Bunny. No. What I want is to start being treated like I’m an equal part of this damn group. I have to fight with you over everything. I have to beg for time off. I have to stay in the closet while you fuck any hot chick that smiles in your direction. And then you just expect me and Siena to cover up any backlash that might leak to the press.”

“So why are you still here if I’m so hard to work with?” Bunny’s throat tickled uncomfortably as she forced her voice over the lump and the emotion she refused to let out.

“Because I love you, you idiot. I love making music with you. We’ve always worked well together. But now,” Piper lifted both hands up at her side, palms facing the ceiling as she shrugged. “Now you’ve shut me out. You’re having work meetings alone, and you think it’s okay to make decisions without even talking to me about them.”

Bunny couldn’t argue with that.

The guilt in her chest squirmed.

Piper was right. Bunny had never left Piper out of anything to do with the band before. Their band. It had always been their band.

What the hell was she doing? No wonder she needed to get out of this event. It was turning her into someone she wasn’t, someone she hated. Even more than she hated the closet she refused to step foot out of.

“I know you met with Jo and asked her to change the costumes.” Piper’s voice was filled with a sadness that just about broke Bunny’s heart. It came far too close to breaking Bunny’s rule to keep her emotions in check.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Piper asked, genuine curiosity filling her eyes when Bunny met them.

“I’m not sure exactly.” The heaviness in Bunny’s body doubled as the exhaustion of the confrontation slammed into her. Her arms had never felt so weighed down, not even after a second encore show.

Piper smiled. It didn’t fill her face with the light Bunny had always adored, the light she had always been incredibly jealous of, but it was something. “Well, at least you’re back to telling me the truth.”

They looked at each other, and that lump lodged more firmly in Bunny’s throat.

“And now we can finally talk.” Siena lifted her fingers from her desk and grabbed her phone. After a second, Siena asked for coffee before replacing the phone.

“Care to take a seat now, Bunny?” Siena waved her hand to where Piper had already returned.

Well-chastised, Bunny sat beside Piper without a word.

Siena moved into her normal chair, away from the desk that separated her from just clients. In a silence Bunny wasn’t sure was comfortable or not, they waited until the coffee was brought in.

When they all had a cup in their hands and something other than each other to look at, Siena broke the silence.

“What’s your biggest concern about the event, specifically?” Siena sat a little forward in her chair, just enough to show interest without intimidating. The movement made the corner of Bunny’s lips twitch. Siena’s job was far more complicated than people gave her credit for. She was certain that nowhere on Siena’s job description was there listed therapist to various creative types .

And yet here Siena was, doing that exact job as though it was her entire profession.

“I can’t work with Bea. There’s no way I can do the duet with her. We’ll be lucky not to kill each other on stage even with Jo and Piper there.”

“Okay.” Siena sat back and nodded, her eyes filled with thoughts rushing past too fast for Bunny to understand. But she knew the way Siena worked, fast and effective. It was of the many things Bunny liked about the woman. “So, you and Bea have some issues. Is there anything else besides the costumes?”

“Piper talked to you about the costumes?” Bunny didn’t want to look up and see the hurt in Piper’s eyes again.

“Yes,” Piper answered softly, but loud enough to get the attention of the others in the room.

“I’m going to grab some cookies to go with this coffee. I’m in a cookie mood. I’ll be right back.” Siena hopped up and was already out the door before she finished the sentence.

The silence stretched between Bunny and Piper, but it didn’t last long. Piper was the one to break it.

“I did talk to Siena. That's why she set up this meeting.”

“And you didn’t tell me?” Bunny raised her eyebrows and stared at Piper.

Piper seemed immune to the bait. “I don’t know what’s going on with you. I really don’t. But I’m worried about you, and if you say you really can’t do the event then okay. But I’m not pulling out now. I’m more excited about this than I’ve been about anything else in a while. So please, can you at least think about letting us work through it together so you and Bea don’t kill each other up on stage?”

Bunny looked at Piper, and then closed her eyes.

She wanted to scoff at Piper’s worry, she wanted to shrug off the hurt and the pain she saw in her best friend’s eyes. But every word had hit its target, and each left her wounded and bleeding.

“I’ll try. I can’t promise, but I’ll try. Is that good enough?”

“For now.” Piper’s trademark smile, filled with her excitement and bounciness, filled the room once more.

“Ready for cookies and more coffee?” Siena asked moments later as she pushed open her office door.

“Yes.” Bunny smiled, pretty sure Siena had been standing at the door, waiting for it to be clear to return.

“Excellent.” Siena clapped her hands together and let out a loud breath. “And now Bunny, for the love of God, come and sign your damn contract.”

“You really did change it?” Bunny had been at least eighty percent convinced that the clause change had been a bluff.

“That’s the only clause that is different. Piper has signed her agreement, but I stand by what I always have. I won’t represent any group who doesn’t agree to all the terms. The music industry might still have the Rolling Stones drama in some groups, but not in any that I’m willing to represent.”

Bunny nodded. “I promise. I’ll look at it tonight and send it through.”

“You better. Because I hear there’s this new up and coming female duo that might be worth looking into, and I might just have some extra time on my hands.” Siena winked.

Piper chuckled beside Bunny, while Bunny rolled her eyes, pursed her lips, and found herself entirely grateful for these annoying women in her life.

They finished off their second cups of coffee and nibbled on a few cookies as they discussed finer details of the event and a few things lined up for the next year.

Piper and Bunny said their goodbyes with a much calmer air than their greeting and left Siena to her work.

“Bunny.” Piper stopped as they stepped out of the elevator.

“Yeah?” Bunny turned back to see worry marring Piper’s beautiful face.

“You know I’m always here for you, right?”

“Yeah, I know.” Bunny smiled reassuringly at her best friend, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Something held her back. She couldn’t deny her initial reaction to the whole ambush had been fury, but now, looking at Piper she had to admit the tough love gave her more respect for their partnership.

“Good. Now I really need my best friend.”

“What?” Bunny asked.

“I don’t know what’s going on with you, and I know you’re private and that’s okay, but I could really use someone to talk to, and I don’t want to talk to anyone else.”

“Not even Jo?” Bunny smirked, unable to resist the temptation.

“Nope. When it comes to the big things and the little things, I need my best friend to listen to me bitch, say all the right things in the right place, and only after I’ve given her permission, tell me to pull my head out of my ass and get over it.”

Bunny laughed and draped one arm over Piper’s shoulder, which really wasn’t comfortable considering how much taller Piper was, but together they walked out of Siena’s office building and headed toward their favorite nearby cafe for lunch and a long overdue catch-up.