Only as I’m looking at her initials do I realize that I don’t know her last name. Huh.
I hit the buzzer and take a step back. Half a second later, the door swings open, and I’m practically run down by a little girl.
“Piper!” a man calls as he jogs out of the building behind her. “Sorry,” he says as his daughter, I’m guessing, turns and gives him a mischievous grin. “She’s a quick one.”
My hands are full, so I can’t introduce myself properly, but I smile and dip my chin. “No worries. I’m heading up to Savannah’s.”
The little girl watches me, eyes narrowed with curiosity, and returns to the entryway.
The man nods, assessing me. “She’s at the Donadios’ place right now.”
I frown. How does he?—
“I’m not stalking her or anything. Swear it. It’s just that they’re pretty loud up there. It’s impossible not to know when they have visitors.”
“And they’re on the second floor?” I ask, scanning the names next to the buzzer again.
Nodding, he snags his daughter by the hand. “How do you know Savvy?”
My smile grows. I like that he’s a bit suspicious and vetting me. “Camden Snow, Sav’s boyfriend.”
He staggers back a step. “Really? Wow. I had no idea she was seeing someone. That’s great.” Head tilted, he studies me thoughtfully. “Camden Snow. Why’s that name familiar?”
I smile. “Hockey fan?”
He points at me, his dark eyes going wide. “That’s who you are. Man, you were on the dream team. I was still in high school when you played. My friends and I even got tickets to a game our senior year. It was the year you guys won the cup.”
“Which one?” There’s no sense hiding the cocky smirk that takes over. I’m well-known for it, after all.
Chuckling, he looks down at his daughter. “Pip, this guy is famous.”
“And Savvy’s boyfriend,” she says in the cutest high-pitched voice.
I grin. “Yup. It’s still pretty new, though. Think you could put in a good word for me?”
She nods. “I can do that.”
“Thanks.”
“Want me to walk you up?” the man asks, gesturing for me to enter the building.
“Nah. Thanks. I’ll call her and see if she wants me to wait for her at her place or meet the Donadios.”
“They’re loud,” he warns, eyeing the stairway. “But no one makes a better meatball than Mrs. D. I’m John, by the way. I live here”—he points toward the door to the left of us—“Savvy helps us out with the kids sometimes. We’ve got four of ’em.”
“Shit.” The word has barely left my mouth when I realize my mistake. Face heating, I cringe. “I mean duck.”
He chuckles. “Oh my god. That’s a Bolts thing, right?”
“More like a Langfield thing, but yeah, all the Bolts say duck.”
He shakes his head, a huge smile on his face. “This is so cool. I can’t wait to tell the guys at the station.”
“It was nice meeting you, John. Make sure you keep an eye on Sav for me, yeah?”
He nods. “Anytime.”
He and his daughter head out into the cool night, and I head up the steps. I consider knocking on the Donadios’ door but decide to text her instead, thinking she may need an excuse to leave. I wouldn’t mind meeting more people in her world, though. Every day I realize I want to know more about her. I don’t think there’s a thing I won’t like discovering about Savannah.
