One Perfect Day

by Jennifer Youngblood

  “That’s the plan,” Deidre trilled. “Darling, I need to let you go. I’ve gotta get to the airport.”

  “Have fun,” the woman chirped. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”

  “Don’t worry,” Deidre sang. “Ciao.” There was a click as she ended the call.

  Scotty held up a finger. “Ah ha. The truth comes out. Nolan Vant’s exclusive deal is up for renewal the first of next month. If Deidre can trap him into marriage, she really will be unstoppable.”

  Piper’s eyes widened. “Do you really think Deidre would stoop so low as to marry a man just to sell his art?”

  He shrugged. “It’s Deidre we’re talking about. Who knows how low she’ll stoop?”

  “Maybe you’re right,” Piper said with a shrug. Deidre was power hungry, but she seemed crazy about Nolan Vant. It was hard to say what Deidre’s motivations were.

  A couple seconds later, Deidre strolled into the gallery area and up to the reception desk. She turned to Scotty. “How did it go with the new shipment? Were there any damaged items?”

  “Nope. All good.”

  “How did the conversation go with Mac Wilbrook?” Deidre asked, homing in on Piper.

  “Surprisingly well. He was gracious. He does want the prints he already has and is grateful for the discount.”

  “Good.” Deidre punched out the words like she was checking off a list. “Did you order the roses?”

  “Yes.” Sheesh. Hadn’t Piper repeatedly proven that she was capable?

  “Get the inventory done,” Deidre ordered.

  Piper nodded.

  “Well, I’m off,” Deidre said brightly. She walked a couple steps before stopping and tilting her head. “What happened to the music?”

  Amusement flashed over Scotty’s features as he looked at Piper who was trying to keep a straight face.

  “I’m sure it’s just a glitch. I’ll look into it,” Scotty said smoothly.

  “See that you do. It’s much too quiet in here.” Deidre shuddered. “Customers will hate it.”

  “Yes, the silence would be a travesty,” Scotty said dryly as he looked at Piper.

  Deidre’s eyes narrowed like she was trying to decide if Scotty was making fun of her. “Fix it,” Deidre commanded as she turned on her heel and marched out, her shoes clacking.

  Scotty folded his arms as he sighed. “Remind me why I keep working here.”

  “Same reason as me,” Piper quipped, “because Deidre promised us that she’ll feature our work.”

  He cocked his head. “Do you think she’ll follow through?”

  Piper shrugged. “Time will tell. She promised me the first of the year.”

  “She promised me spring.” Scotty pulled a face as he held up his hands. “The real question is—can I keep from wringing her scrawny neck before then?”

  “At the rate she’s going, I’m not sure,” Piper laughed.

  Scotty put his hands together. “Well, let’s go to lunch.”

  “As tempting as that is, one of us should stay here. Why don’t you just bring me something back?” A teasing smile tugged at her lips. “Maybe some chocolate?”

  A broad grin split Scotty’s face. “I like the way you think, love. I’ll throw a sandwich into the mix too.”

  Piper wrinkled her nose. “You know what? On second thought. I’ll just go and grab lunch … after you get back. It’ll do me some good to get out of this place for an hour.”

  “Amen,” Scotty boomed. He pumped his eyebrows. “Wish me luck at the chocolate shop.”

  Piper waved a hand. “Ah, you don’t need luck. Just throw a few of those sexy loves into the conversation. With your accent, you’ll have her eating out of the palm of your hand.”

  “I can only hope.” He went a few steps, then stopped. “The music.”

  “Yep, better fix that. ‘Customers will hate it,’” she said, mimicking Deidre.

  He saluted and went that direction.

  Piper’s stomach rumbled. She touched it before turning her attention to the packing slips. Her hunger would have to wait until Scotty returned. In the meantime, she’d log in the inventory. When the music came back on, Piper found herself humming along to the Christmas song playing. She was excited about Christmas and was looking forward to spending time with her family. Also, she was excited to get a break from Deidre. Piper could only hope that Nolan Vant would keep her preoccupied so that Piper and Scotty could have a little room to breathe. Would Deidre make good on her promise and feature Piper’s photography, or was working for Deidre and putting up with her crap a colossal waste of time and energy?

  Only time would tell.

  2

  As Piper left the sandwich shop, she turned her face upward to the sun, appreciating the warmth on her skin. One of the things she loved most about the winters in Park City was how picturesque everything was with the gleaming snow and quaint western-style buildings lining Main Street. This year, there had been lots of snow, making the ski resort owners and tourists happy with all the fresh powder. The sidewalks were bustling with tourists donning brightly colored coats, scarves and hats. Many an arm was loaded down with various-sized shopping bags, and the chill air brimmed with the excitement of the approaching holiday.

  Piper’s eye caught on a large wreath adorned with red ribbon that graced the center of a restaurant door. She took a mental snapshot, thinking how she would frame the picture if she had her camera. The red bricks on the building would contrast nicely with the greenery on the wreath, giving the photo an ironic homey but urban twist. She chuckled inwardly, thinking that if Cori were with her right now, she’d admonish Piper to put away the camera—literally or figuratively—and just enjoy the experience. “There’s more to life than a career,” Cori always said.

  Piper let out a long sigh. Maybe she should be more like Cori who was content with her job as a sales clerk. Piper’s mother was always saying that Piper’s ambition was eating away at her. Piper supposed that was true. Photography was her passion. Was it wrong to want to be successful at doing something she loved? Piper’s mother and Cori were always encouraging Piper to get out more and date. Maybe Piper would, if she could find anyone worth dating. She glanced at the chocolate shop, trying to decide if she wanted to pop in and say hello to her roommate or just enjoy spending time by herself. She chose the latter.

  Piper had only been gone thirty minutes. She planned to take the entire hour for lunch. She took in a deep breath, her lungs feeling the punch of the crisp, cold air as she strolled along the sidewalk, nodding and smiling at the people passing in the other direction. She made her way down to one of her favorite spots—an open area that led to the town ski lift. Her eyes skimmed over the stretch of gleaming snow, glistening like diamonds in the bright sunlight. Laughter from children playing nearby drifted in the light breeze.

  She spotted an empty bench and was headed that direction when something cold hit her in the face. She gasped! Pain streaked across her cheek as her brain registered what was happening. She’d been pelted with a snowball. She jerked around in the direction it had come, only to get hit again. This time in the head. She gasped, shielding her face. More snowballs pinged her, one lodging in her mouth. She spit it out, sputtering, “What the heck!” A group of boys were throwing snowballs at her. Indignation swelled inside her. “Seriously?” she huffed.

  She glared at them, expecting them to be quelled by her wrath, but then realized their attention was fixed on something or someone behind her. She turned to see a tall, athletic guy wearing a charcoal gray coat and black beanie hat. A jolt shot through her. He was handsome in the rugged, not too pretty, way she liked. He caught eyes with her, giving her a sheepish grin. He looked past her. “Hey guys,” he said as he held up his hands in a truce. “You’ve caught someone in the crossfire.”

  “Not just someone,” Piper countered. “Me!” She shot him an indignant glare. Good looking or not, the man should be ashamed of himself for egging on these kids and getting innocent bystanders caug
ht in the middle of their snowball fight. This was a public place, after all.

  More snowballs came hurling through the air like cold bullets. Some hit the guy. Others hit Piper in the back and head. “Watch out,” she shouted.

  The guy laughed. “You could help.”

  Piper’s jaw went slack. “What?”

  The guy motioned at the group of boys who were bent over, refueling their snowballs.

  “It’s me against all of them. You could help.”

  Piper grunted. The nerve of this guy! She straightened to her full height, giving him a withering look. “I don’t think so,” she muttered, about to continue walking.

  “Listen to the little sissy,” one of the boys taunted, “asking a girl for help.”

  The guy chuckled. “Did you hear that? Are you gonna let him talk to you that way?”

  For an instant Piper was floored. Her eyes connected with the guy as a sizzle of awareness traced through her. His adventurous expression called to her inner child, breaking up the last of the tension ball inside her that had formed earlier when Deidre went on her rampage. A grin stole over Piper’s lips as she made a split-second decision. “No, I’m not.” She bent over and began hastily making snowballs.

  “It’s war!” a boy shouted with glee.

  Piper began hurling snowballs at the kids. “Take that, you little menaces!” She squealed, averting her face as an arsenal of snowballs came flying at her.

  “Fall back,” the guy directed as he rushed to her side, grabbed her arm, and pulled her to a park bench. They ducked behind it, hastily making more snowballs. When they had a decent stash, the guy’s golden-green eyes took on a wicked glint. “You ready?”

  “Let’s do it,” she said, a surge of adrenaline running through her as they began hurling snowballs at the boys. It wasn’t long before they had the boys retreating. Finally, it was the boys who yelled truce.

  “That was impressive,” the guy observed with a large smile that revealed neat rows of sparkling teeth.

  A shot of warmth ran through Piper as she returned his smile. “Thanks. We make a pretty good team.”

  A wide, reckless smile filled his face, causing the lines around his eyes to crinkle. “Not bad for someone who was on the fence,” he winked.

  “Yeah, not bad,” she chuckled, surprised at how her heart had picked up its beat. What was it about this guy that had her so worked up?

  The four boys gathered around them. The ringleader frowned as he made a fist and nudged the guy in the arm. “We would have taken you, had she not stepped in.”

  The guy’s eyes widened in mock shock. “What? Are my ears deceiving me? Is my nephew actually giving credit to a girl?” He grabbed the boy and ruffled his hair. They scuffled for a minute before the boy escaped.

  “No way,” the boy scoffed. Then, he grinned, shooting Piper an impish look. “You’re pretty good … for a girl.”

  Laughter rose in her throat. “Thanks … I think.”

  The guy caught eyes with her. “I’m Noah.”

  “I’m Piper.”

  He held out his gloved hand. Also, wearing gloves, Piper extended her hand as they shook. “Nice to meet you, Piper.”

  Everything seemed to slow like a camera lens coming into focus on the primary subject. “Nice to meet you, Noah.” She couldn’t quite place his accent. Was he from the South? There was only a hint of something, so slight she couldn’t pinpoint the region.

  Noah motioned. “This is my nephew Milo and a few of his buddies.”

  The fresh young faces gave her mildly interested nods of acknowledgement.

  “Hey, can we go and get some ice cream?” Milo asked as all eyes turned to Noah.

  “I suppose.” Noah heaved out a dramatic sigh as he reached in his back pocket, removed his wallet, and pulled out a couple of twenty-dollar bills.

  “Alright!” Milo boomed as he eagerly grabbed the money. With that, the boys took off.

  “Bring me back the change,” Noah called after them.

  “We will,” Milo responded in a singsong voice.

  Amusement quivered on Piper’s lips. “I doubt you’ll have much left. I imagine those boys can eat a lot.”

  “You’re probably right,” he agreed so casually that Piper suspected he didn’t really care about the money.

  Noah placed his wallet back into his pocket. “So,” he began with a boyish grin that caused her heart to skip a beat, “tell me about yourself. What do you do when you’re not launching snowballs at rowdy ten- and eleven-year-olds?”

  The sparkle in his arresting eyes was infectious, causing a grin to slide over her lips. “Oh, no, snow boy, you don’t get the information fed to you on a silver platter.”

  A deep, full-throated laugh rumbled out, indicative of one who lived fully in the moment. What must it be like to be so content with the present? Piper knew she was making assumptions, but that’s the read she got on Noah.

  “Snow boy, huh? You know,” he mused, pursing his lips as he studied her.

  “What?” she asked, tucking a dark curl behind her ear. She’d let her shoulder-length hair do its thing and go curly today. She would give anything to read his thoughts right now. Did he like what he saw? She certainly did. His gaze was penetrating, exhilarating.

  “You throw pretty well … for a girl.” His eyes lit with teasing.

  “Ah, a sexist snow boy. I see how you are.” Dark strands of hair were peeking out beneath his beanie. Piper wanted to yank it off to see what he looked like. He was so ruggedly handsome with his even features and strong jawline—the kind of man who commanded attention in any environment. Yet, he was free and easy rather than overbearing … the kind of man whose laces were never tied too tight. She laughed inwardly. Okay, that assessment was premature, especially since she didn’t even know Noah. He would obviously have flaws. What were those flaws? Did she need to be worried? Maybe she was setting herself up for failure here, using her mental camera to reshape reality into her version of perfect. Piper shrugged off the nagging thoughts, not wanting to obsess over what the future might or might not hold. She wanted to be more like Cori and just go with the flow, enjoy spending time with this dreamboat.

  He pumped his eyebrows. “I’m an equal opportunity snow boy.” His voice took on a husky edge as he leaned closer. “With a distinct appreciation for the opposite sex, especially when she’s as beautiful as you.”

  Tingles spiraled down Piper’s spine, bringing with them a rush of heat. Her gaze traced his broad shoulders and lean frame. Dang it, he was attractive! The Southern twang was more pronounced that time. It was sexy. She realized that he was waiting for her response. “Thanks,” she stammered, wondering if he also felt the zings of attraction ping-ponging between them. “How about you? What do you do … when you’re not pummeling an innocent bystander with snowballs?” She glanced at his lips, wondering how he would react if she kissed him right now.

  A crooked grin pulled at his lips. “Innocent bystander?” His head dipped as he assessed her. “You crossed the line and left that status the moment you picked up those snowballs.”

  She gave him a begrudging smile. “Touché.”

  He motioned in the direction the boys had gone. “So … can I interest you in some ice cream?”

  By Piper’s mental estimation, her hour was almost up. Then again, it wasn’t like Scotty was keeping track of the time. He’d taken longer than an hour. The sun was shining, she’d just indulged in a snowball fight. She felt a streak of recklessness. Maybe it was time to let her hair down and bend the rules a little.

  “You know you want some,” he urged.

  She lifted an eyebrow. “Ice cream? When it’s thirty something degrees outside?”

  “Ice cream’s always a good idea.”

  “You’re an ice cream lover then?”

  He grinned like a kid. “Yep.”

  “What flavor?”

  Amusement creased his features. “Is this some sort of test?”

  The corners of h
er lips quivered. “You bet.”

  “Strawberry.”

  She shrugged. “Strawberry’s okay.”

  His eyebrow shot up. “What flavor do you like?”

  “Definitely chocolate.”

  He rewarded her with a brilliant smile. “Chocolate and strawberry go well together, don’t you think?”

  She blinked, realizing his implication. It sent a burst of pleasure through her. “Absolutely.” Who was this guy? Some gift from heaven? To think that Piper had just been complaining to Cori about not being able to find guys that she connected with. Well, she was having to change her tune.

  “Shall we?” Noah asked.

  He had the curious combination of being refined and blissfully spontaneous. “Okay, you talked me into it.” They began walking in the direction of the ice cream shop. She matched Noah’s easy stride as the two moved side by side.

  “Are you visiting Park City?” Noah asked.

  “Trying to get more information, I see,” she quipped, shooting him a teasing grin.

  “You can’t blame a guy for trying,” he said pleasantly.

  “How about you? Are you visiting?” Please, say you live here!

  “Yes, I am.”

  Her heart dropped as she swallowed. Of course, he was visiting! Fate wouldn’t be so kind as to drop a guy like this in her lap for the long-term. Moments like this didn’t happen every day. They were exquisitely rare, making Piper want to savor every morsel. “Where are you from?”

  “Now, who’s the one trying to get information?”

  A smile tipped her lips. “I suppose one of us has to cave, or we’ll go on like this all day.”

  “All day. I like the sound of that.”

  “I do too,” Piper admitted, her lips pulling down. “Unfortunately, duty calls.”

  Interest percolated in his voice. “Duty? What type of duty?”

  “Work.”

  “Ah, so you live here.”

  “Yes, I do.” She smiled as she answered. “I gave you that one. Now, it’s your turn to divulge something to me.” They crossed the street and went down the sidewalk. “Which ice cream shop are we going to?”