The woman sitting across from the couple cleared her throat and gave Piper a thorough once-over. Dressed similarly in her own version of a pantsuit, she was about the same age as Piper. But where Piper was pink and fun, this woman was severe in a no-nonsense kind of way.
"That's Tess," Zach murmured close to Piper's ear, his breath warm against her skin.
"Same meeting, I take it?" Piper asked.
Zach nodded.
Tess straightened in her chair, her eyes darting between Piper and Zach with calculated interest.
"Strange that we're still waiting to begin," she said loudly enough for everyone to hear. "Aspen is usually so punctual. I wonder what's holding things up today."
Piper's pulse quickened, not just from Zach's proximity but also because Tess wasn't wrong. It wasn't normal for Aspen to keep anyone waiting. Though she had been stretched extra thin lately with her husband traveling for work.
"Oh good, Piper," Aspen said, poking her head out from the doorway to the back offices. "You're here."
"Piper…" Zach stretched her name out, his pupils flaring as though he tasted her name for the first time instead of simply saying it.
Why did that make her feel all warm and cozy and give her a sudden need to fuss with her lipstick?
Piper glanced at Aspen, hoping the many questions she had for her boss reflected in her expression. "I’m here."
"I need a quick sec," Aspen said, tilting her head toward her office.
She had blonde hair with bangs, the kindest smile, and she always came to the office in business casual. Slacks and sweaters or, like today, a long flowing flower skirt she'd paired with a simple ribbed tee.
"Yeah," Piper said. "Of course."
She didn't have a choice; this was her boss after all.
"Just two minutes," Aspen said to the rest of the people in the room. She confidently moved down the hall and stepped into her office, making room for Piper.
Piper fought the urge to share her good news because something was seriously off here.
"I have a job for you," Aspen said, sitting on the edge of her desk. Her mannerisms were the usual calm and put together paired with perpetual smile lines around her eyes. But she also used her matter-of-fact, this-is-how-it-is tone. The one she didn't pull out often and, frankly, had never used on Piper.
"Okay," Piper said, cautiously, taking the seat Aspen waved her hand toward.
"That's Drake Wellington and Anna Dvornakov out there," Aspen said with a deep sigh.
"Oh," Piper said, the little hairs on her neck prickling because somehow, she just knew she would not enjoy what came next.
Drake was the quarterback for the Denver Stallions football team. The thing to understand about Denver was how bananas over-the-top everyone got with their football team, the players, and all things Stallions.
"I didn't catch that's who was there," Piper said.
This was a total faux pas because Denver bled gold and blue during football season. And during all the other seasons, too. This was a football town. Something that took getting used to when you didn't grow up here, but like the Rockies standing tall to the west? You just accepted it as how things were.
"What I mean is that the two of them were turned away…" Piper continued.
Could she blame her inattentiveness on Prince Charming and his stupid blue eyes?
"They are engaged," Aspen said like she was leading Piper somewhere she didn't want to go. Only probably with confetti cannons and fondant cake.
"No-o-o-o," Piper said, frowning. "Did it just happen?"
Aspen nodded, obviously understanding the full implication of what this meant.
"They can't do that," Piper said, quickly.
