“Trust me, you’re not my type,” Levi said with a sigh. “Let me get to the point. Instead of worrying about a new car, work to help the team. We lost. Again. Remember?”
“We?” Monte sneered. “Since when do you have anything to do with wins and losses?”
“Never,” Levi admitted without hesitation. “But I know the team needs you to step up your game. If you don’t want my help—”
“I don’t need your help, old man.” Anger flushing his cheeks, Monte jumped to his feet. “You’re a has-been. Nothing. A joke. I’m a star. Keep your advice to yourself and fuck off.”
“Delightful personality,” Dylan said as he arrived after spending the last hour flirting with a pretty, blonde flight attendant. Taking his seat, he watched Monte storm off down the aisle. “Stellar. Top-notch.”
“Everyone heard?” When Dylan nodded, Levi rubbed his temples. “Not good.”
“The guys are on your side.”
“Which is the problem,” Levi said, keeping his volume down so only Dylan could hear. “For better or worse, Monte is the starting quarterback, the leader. The team needs to have his back.”
“Except the jerk doesn’t lead, he alienates.” Dylan rarely spoke out against a teammate and then only to Levi. “What Monte needs is to ride the bench for a few games. Bench the bastard. Might knock some of the wind out of his pompous ass.”
“Doubtful.” Levi crossed ankles, resting his head against the seat. “Today wasn’t my first attempt to make Monte understand his role as a leader on and off the field.”
“He’s an egomaniac,” Dylan said in disgust. “I hear his press agent hired a few bloggers to write only positive opinions. She makes certain he only sees the positive stuff. Combined with his warped opinion of his talent, it’s no wonder he won’t take responsibility for the Knights’ record.”
“Everyone is to blame but him.” Levi nodded, dropping his voice to a bare whisper. “Our head coach has little tolerance for players with bad attitudes. Monte needs to pull his head out of his ass, and soon.”
“From your mouth to management’s ear, my friend.” Dylan bumped fists with Levi before settling back into his seat and closing his eyes. “Wake me when the flight attendants serve the next round of snacks.”
“Food over a nap? You? Since when?” Levi asked with a grin. “Unless…”
“You guessed correctly,” Dylan said. “I’ll trade sleep for a warm chocolate chip cookie any day.”
Less than a minute later, Dylan’s dark head fell forward. Out like a log, Levi thought with a wave of envy. He could rest on a flight, but he rarely slept. Since any kind of chemical sleeping aid was a no-no, he’d long ago resigned himself to waiting until he was at his destination before slumber took hold.
Levi picked up his book and was quickly immersed in the story. If he had to stay awake and alert, at least he would be thoroughly entertained.
CHAPTER THREE
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THE RESTAURANT WAS small, quiet, and out of the way. Only a few blocks from her office, Piper discovered the culinary gem one day when she took a much-needed break from work to walk around the neighborhood and clear her head of warring numbers and spreadsheets.
Curious about the unobtrusive building front, plain white with a small sign lettered in black that contained one word: HAPPINESS. With a name like that, how could Piper resist the urge to go inside?
What she found was magic. From the bright and cheerful décor to the simple but delicious food, to the effervescent chef and her high school sweetheart manager husband. Piper ended her first visit with a full stomach and renewed energy. Happiness, indeed.
“With the right marketing, I could turn this place into a huge hit. Customers lined up around the block,” Riley Preston said as she popped a bite of bruschetta into her mouth. “But the charm would be gone.”
“And Millie would be miserable,” Piper added. “Not to mention Wade. She loves to cook for a select few people. And he loves it when his wife is happy. They wouldn’t want anything to change.”
“I’m just grateful you found the place.” Darcy Stratham sipped her herbal iced tea and smiled. “And thank you for sharing with us.”
“My friends know how to keep a secret.” Piper winked. “I can’t believe all of you were able to get away from work. A mega-entrepreneur, an NFL general manager, and an in-demand OB-GYN? That’s quite a trifecta. When was the last time we all got together in the middle of the day?”
To look at them, a casual observer might mistake them as ladies who lunch; women who had the luxury of spending their days shopping and meeting friends for a long, leisurely mid-day meal.
Riley and Erin were particularly cutthroat in their fashion rivalry. One always tried to outdo the other, acquiring the latest piece of designer outerwear before the other had a chance to do the same.
The truth was that each of the four women was a powerhouse in her field. However, simply because they were busy and hardworking, they still took the time to preen and pamper themselves whenever possible.
Wearing the latest styles from the tips of their stilettos to the tops of the salon styled heads, they proved the adage to be true. Women don’t dress for men. They dress for other women.
“Don’t leave yourself out,” Dr. Erin Ashmore said as she set down her fork and wiped the corner of her mouth. “Even with the other accountants who work for you, I don’t know how you handle the workload. Not to mention the math.”
“Makes my brain hurt just thinking about so many numbers,” Darcy agreed with a laugh.
“To us.” Riley raised her glass. “Let’s face facts, ladies. We are freaking rock stars.”
Piper looked around the table and smiled. When she moved to Seattle, she had one real friend in the city. Now, she couldn’t turn around without meeting someone she knew. When it came to the people she truly held dear, the number was small, though thanks to
