"You didn't tell me your name," he said lower.
She hadn't told her name, had she now? "Cinderella."
For a second, she almost smiled and let something subtler slip through. A crack in the fairy-tale armor.
His lips curved. "See you around, Cinderella."
For the record, she was not running away from him. She was making a strategic retreat from the terrifying little flicker of hope he'd sparked. Everyone knew hope was the most dangerous fairy tale of all.
CHAPTER 2
90 DAYS UNTIL ANNA & DRAKE'S WEDDING
PIPER
With no more time to think about Zach or the fact that she did, in fact, prefer control, Piper fixed a smile on her face. One hand on the railing, she climbed those steps with a conviction like she was climbing the last leg of Pikes Peak.
This was it. This was the contract Piper needed to prove to Aspen Montgomery that she was ready to snatch up the head event planner job and lock down any worry she wasn't the right choice.
She was the right choice. Sure, others might have had better connections than she did. Piper was new-ish to Denver. But connections could always be developed. The grit and commitment that Piper had forged through her life? Not so easy to come by.
She paused at the door to Montgomery Events, using her jacket sleeve to buff a smudge from the gold nameplate.
"Hey, Aspen." Piper called, the lush cream-colored carpet cushioning her footsteps as she stepped inside.
The reception area opened before her with recessed lighting that cast a warm glow across the pristine white walls adorned with framed photos of past events.
And Zach-from-the-sidewalk stood near reception, casually leaning against the sweeping curve of the polished white marble reception desk. Light from the fixtures hanging above caught the rose-gold accents, as if they twinkled for him.
Piper's stride didn't falter, but her internal monologue did a full-on screeching halt. Of course, Zach was there. The universe really had a twisted sense of humor.
He glanced up and grinned like he'd won a race she didn't even know they were in. Her competitive streak flared at the loss, even if she hadn't known she was playing.
"Hello, again," he said, all casual and relaxed. "Cinderella." His eyes lingered on hers a beat longer than necessary, and that dimple in his right cheek made an appearance.
"Hi... again," she replied, still slightly out of breath from the altitude and the stairs. "Zach." A warm flutter spread across her chest, which was ridiculous considering she had other priorities right then.
Still, there was something in the way he leaned forward slightly that made her wonder if he'd been waiting for her.
"This is where you work?" he asked. His voice held the confident air of someone who either had nothing left to lose or had everything already secured.
"Uh, yeah. Who are you meeting with?" Piper replied, surprising herself with the slight hint of flirtation in her tone.
"Aspen," Zach replied. "I'm here for the meet with Aspen."
Despite his relaxed posture, Piper caught a flicker of something more calculated in his eyes. Only a brief professional assessment suggested he had more riding on this meeting than his casual demeanor let on.
But the look vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by that damn smile.
"I didn't realize she was having a meeting." Piper tucked her hair behind her ear, suddenly conscious of how she must look after climbing three flights.
The elevator was clearly quicker. Noted for next time.
Also noted were the three other people in the attached waiting area, seated around the glass coffee table that held the latest issues of Vogue, Architectural Digest, and several high-end wedding magazines.
This was odd because there was no client, potential client, or any other sales meeting on the schedule for the day.
Piper glanced at Zach by the desk, at the couple sitting on the loveseat currently invested in quiet conversation, then at the lady sitting across from them.
