"Too much," she muttered. "Definitely too much."
"Good news is, they'll never forget me."
Piper didn't respond. She simply took another sip of her coffee and sighed.
He was right. They wouldn't forget him. And, heaven help her, neither would she.
CHAPTER 9
41 DAYS UNTIL ANNA & DRAKE'S WEDDING
PIPER
The Falcon Hotel's rooftop terrace sprawled with sophisticated luxury beneath a sky of blue as clear as Zach's eyes. Glass barriers edged the perimeter, offering unobstructed views of the city skyline, while strings of light bulbs crisscrossed overhead, waiting to illuminate the space after dark. Potted olive trees and lavender plants created natural dividers throughout the space, their subtle fragrance mingling beautifully with the late-afternoon air.
Piper moved toward the bar area, clipboard in hand, mentally cataloging every detail. Once the sun set, the space would transform from elegant to magical.
"So?" Zach asked as they took in the scene. "What do we think?"
Before Piper could respond, the rooftop doors swung open again.
"Sorry we're late," Drake announced, striding onto the outdoor area with a confidence that somehow made the space seem smaller. "Babushka wasn't ready."
His arm wrapped around Anna as her eyes went wide, taking in the view. Behind them followed Tess, tapping furiously on her phone, and Babushka, who carried what appeared to be a large picnic basket. A blonde woman who must've been Zach's mom slipped through last. She was the same height as Anna and had a solid motherly presence about her. Gentle, even. She wore a comfy cardigan over a matching blouse, had florist's hands with neat crescent nails, and the kind of calm that settled a room.
"Ceremonial bread." Babushka proclaimed, holding the basket aloft. "Ve must test acoustics vith traditional Dvornakov sourdough."
"What kind of sourdough tests acoustics?" Piper asked.
"Borodinsky," Zach said as though that was an actual answer.
Anna pursed her lips. "Babushka, we talked about this..."
"I could eat." Drake raised his hand.
"You can always eat," Anna muttered, but the fondness in her voice was unmistakable.
"This is gorgeous," Anna and Zach's mom—Diana, her name was Diana—said. "It's perfection."
They did quick introductions and, while Piper braced herself for Diana to say or do something, well, Dvornakov-esque, she didn't. The woman seemed totally normal.
"This space has several advantages," Piper began, stepping right into presentation mode. "It accommodates up to two hundred guests with the current configuration, though we could increase capacity with some adjustments to the seating arrangement."
Tess glanced up quickly from her phone. "Plan for at least two hundred to be safe. You figure with teammates, plus-ones, coaches, and staff we're already nudging that number. We can still design the aesthetic to seem intimate in photos."
"We agreed it would be intimate," Anna said, her tone tempered.
"Intimate is relative," Tess said without missing a beat. "In celebrity terms, two hundred is practically eloping."
Babushka snorted. "Elopement means bad luck. Vedding needs family vitnesses. Many, many vitnesses."
Piper caught the subtle tightening of Anna's shoulders and the way Drake automatically moved his hand up and down her back in response.
Honestly, the whole dynamic with this group was fascinating: equal parts earnest and dramatic.
"We can layer lounges and vignettes, so it photographs more intimately," Piper suggested.
"Piper's right," Diana assured. "We can make two hundred feel like eighty with the right clusters. I've squeezed receptions into tighter greenhouses. It's a great idea."
