“You do possess a certain shimmery glow.” Levi’s chuckle melded with hers. “Do you feel older?”
“Interesting segue,” Piper said with a frown as she wondered at his abrupt change of topic. “Why do you ask?”
“Because as of thirty seconds ago, today is your birthday.” Before she could argue that tomorrow was the day she was born, not today, Levi added, “London time. I wanted to be the first to send you greetings.”
Levi remembered everything. Not just birthdays or holidays. He kept track of every milestone—large and small. Just last week he sent her flowers to commemorate the anniversary of the day she opened the doors to her business—a date she told him in passing during one of their marathon gabfests.
If left to her own devices, Piper would have happily let her birthday pass like any other. Her family by blood was too busy jockeying to be first in line to inherit her grandmother’s fortune to care. The hurt she felt by their careless disregard had long ago faded to a manageable ache.
Besides Levi, the only person who would remember was Darcy. Despite the fact her oldest friend was busy trying to turn the Seattle Knights’ season around, they were scheduled to have a quiet, lowkey dinner tomorrow night—just the way she wanted.
Perhaps Levi knew Piper better than she knew herself. More likely, a bit of his childlike belief that birthdays were meant to be celebrated in big, bold strokes. Whatever the reason, when a chorus of Happy Birthday broke out in the London bar, sung by her boys, tears filled her eyes and streamed down her face.
“Are you crying?” Levi asked. When Piper sniffled, his voice lowered, the tone turning warm and intimate. “Open the bottom drawer of your desk. Right side.”
“How do you know I’m in my office?” Piper asked, doing as he instructed.
“Sunday afternoon. Where else would you be?”
Yes, Piper thought as she discovered a neatly folded handkerchief. Levi knew her too well. She wiped her cheeks.
“Don’t feel too smug,” she warned. “Everyone knows I weep buckets at the drop of a hat.”
“Is she crying?”
Dylan’s question made Piper smile. She heard a thump followed by Levi muttering several colorful expletives.
“What happened?” Piper wanted to know.
“Dylan passed out,” Levi said with a resigned sigh. “More accurate, he fell asleep. I swear losing a game is a hundred times more exhausting than winning.”
“Is he okay?” Piper asked. “Tell me he didn’t bruise that handsome face.”
“Handsome?” The sneer in Levi’s voice made Piper smile. “He’s freaking pretty—as opposed to me. I, on the other hand, possess rugged, manly good looks.”
Piper wouldn’t argue. The first thing she noticed about Levi was his gorgeous face. Next came the way he filled out a suit in all the best ways. Though she once told him he wasn’t her type, she lied.
Lucky for Piper, she and Levi settled into the friend zone quickly and decisively because, under different circumstances, she might have fallen hard which with her track record in the romance department would have been a doggone shame. Lovers were a dime a dozen. A person she could call on day or night and knew he’d be there for her was priceless.
“Is Dylan okay?” Piper inquired.
“He’s a little sad,” Levi said.
“Sooo sad, Pretty Piper,” Dylan called out. “I need one of your patented feel-good hugs.”
“Give him a hug, Levi,” Piper said.
“A hug? People already talk about Dylan and me like we’re an old married couple.” Levi hesitated, then let out a resigned sigh. “What the hell. He wouldn’t make a bad wife.”
“I’ll be the husband; you be the wife.”
Piper chuckled at Dylan’s muttered response, wondering how close he had to be to the phone to listen in. She could picture the sight of the two men, heads together, taking turns commenting on her side of the conversation. Just the thought of how adorable they must be brought a huge grin to her lips.
Levi was right. Where a wife was concerned, he could do a lot worse than Dylan.
“Get some sleep,” Piper said in her best brook no argument voice. “Both of you.”
“I’ll be back to help you celebrate your birthday in person,” Levi promised.
“You know I hate a fuss.”
“Wrong. What you dislike is over the top and insincere,” Levi said. “You’re fine with fussy as long as it’s understated and from the heart.”
As usual, Levi was right. He’d heard the stories about the elaborate birthday parties her mother used to throw with the sole purpose of impressing friends and neighbors. They hadn’t been a wealthy family, but that hadn’t stopped Edina Engels from acting the part of the grand dame—to the despair, and occasional humiliation, of her daughter.
The best birthday’s in Piper’s memories came after she left home. A quiet drink with Darcy. Dinner with Levi at their favorite pizza joint.
Piper hadn’t been able to erase the bad times from childhood. However, worst of the worst was now coated with the blissful haze of time and pushed to the back of the line by newer, happier memories.
“Bring a pizza,” Piper said.
“And a bottle of Chianti to toast the birth of one of my all-time favorite people.” Levi paused. “I assume Darcy will provide the cake?”
“She knows I have a sweet tooth.”
After high school, though they attended different colleges and began their careers in different cities, rain or shine, no matter how dire her financial situation, Darcy never forgot to have a cake delivered on Piper’s birthday. Chocolate, with thick, fudgy cream cheese frosting.
Naturally, Piper returned the favor.
“Darcy and I have plans for lunch. Her job as the Knights’ general manager is weighing heavy on her shoulders right now.” Piper sighed. “My birthday comes at a good time. She’s getting a lot of flak from the press and the fans and needs something to celebrate.”
“The problem with the team isn’t Darcy,” Levi said, his frustration palpable. “Nor should anyone blame our new head coach—though Mac isn’t one to shirk responsibility. Nothing wrong with his game plan.”
Levi didn’t verbally call out the Knights’ quarterback—he had too
