“I could get you something at the bank.”
She shook her head. “That’s your area of expertise.”
Drew gave an understanding grunt. Olivia had sworn off all interest in the banking business in a silent revolt against anything to do with their neglectful parents. Maybe it was a little childish, but he understood. “I’ll ask around. Something will turn up.”
“Yep. And in the meantime, I’m registering for summer courses online.”
“Great.” He smiled and then straightened, stretching into a yawn. “I’m going to shower and get to bed. I need to head to work early tomorrow to go over transitions with the bank manager.”
“How does he feel about you being so young? Do you think he suspects anything?”
Drew shrugged. “I’ve been sent from ‘corporate,’” he made air quotes, “so no one has questioned me so far. And twenty-six isn’t that young.”
She rolled her eyes. “When you’re a middle-aged bank manager, it’s young.”
He shrugged. “It’s not like I’m staying forever. It’s a good cover job while the bank transitions and I live a perfectly normal life.”
“And find a perfectly normal soul mate.”
His mouth twitched. “And that.” They fell silent, and Drew knew they were probably thinking about the same thing—the inheritance clause.
“Gran called me earlier,” Liv said, finally breaking the silence. “She’s coming out to live in that chalet you made her buy.”
He raised his hands. “I didn’t make her buy anything. It’s a great investment. Is she still planning on coming out in a week?”
“Yes. And she wants you to make sure it’s ready for her and Toodles before she gets here.”
He grimaced. “Why me? I’m the one with a full-time job.”
She reached over the counter and playfully smacked his arm. “And I’m the one looking for a job. But I’ll help you, if you need it.”
“Thanks.” He loved his grandmother, but she was very particular about her living arrangements—for herself and her spoiled tea cup poodle. It had gotten worse since his grandpa died. She would expect the chalet to be immaculate before her arrival. Thankfully, he knew she would also give him free reign on expenses to hire out help for the job.
“She asked about Piper,” Liv said before taking another bite of dessert.
He leaned back on the counter again. “What did you tell her?”
She swallowed. “That she’s beautiful and seems nice. And that you’re completely smitten.”
His phone dinged and he grabbed it out of his back pocket, his pulse beating in hopeful anticipation. His heart soared when he saw the text was from Piper.
Thanks for coming in tonight. The cake was delicious.
Liv laughed.
“What’s so funny?” He didn’t look up at her, too busy reading the words over and over, but he could feel the stupid grin on his face.
“Drew Livingston, you are so in trouble.” She snorted and got up to clear the foam box from the counter. “Tell Piper hi for me.” She gave him a hip bump before tossing the box into the garbage and leaving the kitchen.
He grinned after her and then typed out a reply.
Liv loved the cake. Thanks for the recommendation. Good luck with work tomorrow. I can’t wait to see you again.
He stared at the last line for a few seconds, debating whether or not to send it. He was totally into Piper, and he wanted her to know it. Especially now that she’d be working long hours with Josh Graydon. But Liv’s words of caution finally won out, and he deleted the last line before sending it. He didn’t want to sound desperate.
Her reply came quickly.
Thanks! I’m heading to bed so I won’t be tired on the first day. Looking forward to our date tomorrow night.
His heart caught. Liv was right—he was in trouble. He was falling for Piper. Hard. Me, too. Good night, Piper.
Night.
He slid the phone back into his pocket and turned off the kitchen light, making his way to the bathroom to shower. In less than twenty-four hours, he would be with her again. It seemed like an eternity, but he was determined to take things slow, remembering advice his grandpa once gave him: All good things are worth the wait.
And if Drew’s instincts were right, Piper was definitely a good thing.
Chapter Thirteen
As soon as Piper entered the townhome, she heard Savannah and Leah talking in the kitchen. Both of them quieted when they heard the front door close.
“Piper? Get your little tail end in here!” Savannah yelled.
Piper laughed and hung her purse on the hook by the front door, dropping her bag of dirty clothes off in the laundry room as she passed it. She held the Styrofoam box of cake and walked into the kitchen, the silly grin that had been on her face since kissing Drew still squarely in place.
Both girls were sitting at the island, and both of them squealed after taking one look at her.
“What happened?” Leah asked.
“You kissed him?!” Savannah shrieked.
Piper blushed and gave a breathless laugh. “I totally kissed him!”
They squealed again and Leah slid an open barstool Piper’s way. “Sit and tell us everything.”
“And start at the beginning,” Savannah added. “I’m not satisfied with the abbreviated version I got from Leah.” When Leah scoffed she shrugged. “Sorry, but I need more details.”
Piper sat and opened the box. “Okay, grab some forks though.”
Savannah’s sky-blue eyes lit up. “Ooo, you brought my favorite.” She jumped up to get the forks.
“Actually, you can thank Drew. He bought it for me.”
Savannah raised both eyebrows, her hand hovering over the silverware drawer. “I like him already.”
“He definitely sounds like a keeper,” Leah added.
Piper sighed. “I know. He’s—amazing.” Another smile worked its way across her face before she forced it away, shaking her head to clear it. “But, guys, what am I doing? I just got my new job and that needs to be my focus right now. I can’t afford to be distracted.”
“You can’t plan things like this, Piper,” Leah said, shaking her head.
“I don’t know.” Savannah passed each of them a fork. “Piper has a point. I mean, Drew sounds amazing—maybe too amazing.” She turned to Piper. “Try taking things slow. Get to know him better before you give him your heart.”
Piper sat back, letting the words sink in. She didn’t want anything to deflate the euphoria she’d experienced after that incredible kiss—but the truth was, she hardly knew Drew. Did he have any career plans other than being a bank teller? Was he a player who chased after pretty girls, looking for a fling? She didn’t think so, but he had picked up on her while she was on a date.
Leah’s phone rang, and she checked the screen. “It’s Jade. She’s at a writing conference in LA and I told her I’d call as soon as Piper got home.” She gave a guilty shrug and took the call on FaceTime. “Hey, Jade. Piper just got here.”
“I knew you wouldn’t call me!” Jade accused, tossing her light brown hair. “What have you guys been talking about? Piper, how did the date go?” She pointed at Leah’s face. “Is that chocolate on your lip? Ugh!” She put a hand over her eyes. “I leave town for one minute and miss everything.”
They all laughed as Leah wiped away the cake evidence. “Sorry. I wish we could send you a bite through the phone,” she said. “But you haven’t missed any of the date details. Piper was just getting started.” She handed the phone to Piper and waited expectantly.
Piper lifted a shoulder, pushing aside her doubts for now to recount how she’d met Drew, and every detail she could remember leading up to the kiss. A warm rush flooded her entire body as she remembered how it felt to be held in his arms. There were so many things about him she liked. How could she put those feelings aside, even if it was the logical thing to do?
Her friends squealed and stayed silent at all the right mome
nts, but just as Piper finished describing the kiss, Savannah’s phone rang. She glanced at the screen and frowned. “It’s Sharon. Why is she calling so late?” She stood and walked into the living room to take the call.
Piper and Leah exchanged glances. Sharon owned the wedding planning business Savannah worked for.
“Dang it. Now we have to wait to hear the rest, and it was just getting good,” Jade complained from Leah’s phone screen. “When’s your next flight, Leah?” she asked.
Piper listened as Leah talked about her work schedule, angling the phone so Jade could see her too. She tried to focus on the conversation, but her mind kept straying to Drew. After a few minutes Savannah walked back into the kitchen, her face tight. Piper sat up in alarm. “What is it?” she asked.
“The Briarwood Chalet. It’s been sold.”
“What?” Leah’s mouth dropped open.
“It was for sale?” Jade asked from the screen.
“No!” Savannah said, fisting her long dark hair in both hands. “Apparently some uber rich Eastern snob bought the place,” she turned and pointed a finger a Piper, “making an offer your little Josh couldn’t refuse.”
Piper stiffened. “Hey! He’s not ‘my’ Josh.” She bit her lip and slumped. “But . . . I did hear about this when I went in for my interview.” She shook her head. “I’m so sorry, Savannah. I hoped the sale wouldn’t go through.”
Savannah’s blue eyes blazed. “Sharon is beside herself. We have weddings booked there through next year. It’s our most popular venue. What are we going to do?”
Piper put a hand on her shoulder. “It will work out. You can find a new venue. Now that I’m working with Josh, I’ll be able to help see what’s available.”
Savannah turned and pinned her with a look. “That’s right—you’ll be working with Josh. Maybe you can somehow sabotage the Briarwood sale.”
“Savannah!” Leah protested.
Jade laughed from the phone.
Piper dropped her hand and folded her arms. “Very funny.”
Savannah’s mouth twisted. “Okay, maybe that’s a stretch. But can you at least try to find out who bought it so we can talk to them? Maybe they’ll be reasonable and let us pay to hold weddings there.”
Piper squinted. “I don’t know. Josh told me today the buyer asked to remain anonymous. I’m surprised you found out they were from back east. Josh didn’t even tell me that much.”
Savannah clasped her hands. “Please, Pipe. Just see if you can get any information. It would mean so much to me.”
Piper hesitated. She didn’t want to overstep her bounds—especially on her first day. But she couldn’t stand Savannah’s pleading blue eyes, and she did know how much it meant. Savannah was on track to take over the wedding business when Sharon retired, and if she could salvage Briarwood the promotion was as good as hers.
She sighed. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Savannah gasped and pulled her into a tight hug. “Thank you so much. I owe you for this.”
“Yes. You do.” Piper gave a short laugh and hugged her friend back, suddenly a lot more nervous for her first day on the job.
Chapter Fourteen
“Piper, come on in,” Josh beckoned her into his office, a wide smile on his face. “I’m so excited to have you on our team.”
Piper straightened her black pencil skirt and entered with a confident smile. “Thanks, Josh. I’m excited too.” At least she’d remembered to call him by his first name. Even though he was only a few years older than her, she had to fight the urge to call him “Mr. Graydon.”
“Did Elsie fill you in on some of your new office duties?” he asked, gesturing for her to take a seat.
“Yes. She’s brining me up to speed on the filing system and main clerical tasks.” Piper sank into the comfortable chair, grateful for a break from standing in her peep-toe heels. She’d meant to wear flats because of the whole height thing with Josh, but the heels were so much cuter that they’d won out in the end.
“Excellent.” He sank into the chair behind his desk and leaned back, regarding her. “It will take a few weeks until you really get the swing of things, so don’t stress out about too many details right off the bat.”
She nodded. “Thanks. I’m a fast learner, so hopefully it won’t take long.”
He smiled and tilted his head to the side, studying her. “I’m sure it won’t.” He cleared his throat and straightened. “Since we’ll be working so closely together, I thought it might be good for us to get to know each other better over lunch. Elsie ordered takeout. Do you like Chinese?”
Piper smiled, but her pulse picked up. His spacious office suddenly felt smaller. “I love it.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Will Elsie be joining us?”
He shook his head. “Unfortunately, she has to take her granddaughter to a dentist appointment, but she’ll be back after lunch. Don’t worry, you won’t be on your own.” He winked and Piper tried to convince herself it was a charming quirk. But somehow only Drew could manage to make a wink look charming. She quickly banished the thought. This was no time for swooning over thoughts of Drew.
Elsie knocked on the open office door and Piper turned.
“I’m taking off now,” Elsie said to Josh.
He gave her a little salute. “Hope she doesn’t have any cavities.”
She crossed her fingers. “Your food should be here in about fifteen minutes.” She smiled at Piper. “I’ll be back in a little while, honey.”
“Okay. Thanks, Elsie.”
She winked and left. Piper pressed her lips together. This was an office full of winkers. She’d have to practice her wink to get on board.
“So, tell me about—” Josh was interrupted by a phone call at his desk.
“Would you like me to answer?” Piper asked.
He smiled and gestured to the phone.
She picked it up. “Good afternoon, Josh Graydon’s office.” She pulled off the greeting just as she’d been trained.
There were a few beats of silence.
“Hello?” she said, casting a questioning glance to Josh.
“I’ll call back later,” the gravelly male voice answered, and then hung up.
Piper arched a brow and then slowly returned the phone to its cradle.
“Who was that?” Josh asked.
“I don’t know. Some guy who said he’d call back later.”
“Weird.” He shrugged. “I was hoping it was a call about Briarwood. The sale went through yesterday, by the way.” Wink. “I wanted to invite you to dinner last night to celebrate but didn’t want to come on too strong.”
Piper didn’t know what to say. “Too strong” as in liking her? Or “too strong” as her new boss who dominated all her time? She bypassed the comment and arranged a smile on her face. “That’s wonderful! Congratulations on the sale.” She knew another opening might not present herself, so she forged ahead. “Can you tell me who purchased it, or is that information still confidential?”
He leaned forward. “The broker didn’t say one way or the other, so I’d better keep it under wraps until I know for sure. The information will get out eventually, once the owner moves in, right?”
Piper gave an absent nod. “True.” She took a breath, deciding to just give it to him straight. “The reason I’m asking is because one of my best friends is a wedding planner. She had weddings scheduled at Briarwood through next year, so she was wondering if she might be able to contact the new owner to work out some kind of arrangement.” The words came out in a rush.
Josh frowned. “Oh. Hmm.” He scrubbed the back of his neck. “Let me look into it, alright?”
She relaxed. “Thanks so much. I really appreciate that you’d be willing.”
He nodded, his eyebrows pulling together. “Yeah. The thing is, we don’t want to annoy the buyer right after making the sale. Let me give it a few days to feel things out first.”
Oh. Her stomach twisted as she realized he was only trying to appease her. He
wouldn’t do anything that might impact the buyer’s opinion of him. It wouldn’t be good for business. The Briarwood sale was probably the biggest commission he’d ever made.
Piper gave a weak smile, trying not to picture Savannah’s crushed expression when she broke the news. “Of course. I understand.”
His face relaxed and he leaned back into his chair. “So. Tell me about yourself.”
She shifted, unsure where to start. “What do you want to know?” Don’t ask about my family. Please don’t ask about my family.
He clasped his hands behind his head. “Your family. Do you have any siblings? Are your parents still in Pine Ridge?”
Her stomach twisted. Why was that always the first thing people wanted to know? She pasted on a smile. “I’m an only child. And yes, my parents live here.” She smoothed out her skirt, ignoring the stab of guilt when she realized she’d forgotten to call her mom back. “I live with one of my best friends, Savannah,” she continued. “The one who works as a wedding planner.” She hoped that little plug would motivate him to help her with Briarwood. “We share a townhome we bought just over a year ago.”
That piqued his interest. “Really? Where?”
Her shoulders relaxed. All she had to do was get him talking about real estate, and she wouldn’t have to talk about her family. She smiled and crossed her legs. “In the Whisper Springs development.”
He nodded. “Those are really nice. In fact, I have a few for sale there right now.”
She fed right into the conversation, asking questions about the real estate market until the delivery boy came with their Chinese takeout. They spent a few minutes dishing up their food and spent the rest of the lunch hour discussing Josh’s road biking hobby. He was passionate about it, and she learned that he often competed in bike races—which explained why he was so fit. She was relieved when he talked the entire duration of the lunch break, and in no time, Elsie was back.
She peeked into Josh’s office. “Are you ready for more training, Miss Piper?”
Lucky You (Pine Ridge Romance Book 1) Page 7
