Remembering the goodbye-kiss Gabe had given her on his last visit caused a warm flush to spread throughout her body. He’d held her face in his hands and kissed her long and slow, murmuring sweet words of love against her lips and promising that he was never letting her move away from him again.
“You look pretty today, Ms. Jensen,” a male voice said from behind her.
The muscles in Piper’s shoulders tightened at the sound of Warren Stansbury’s voice. No matter how many times Piper had shot the guy down, he never seemed to take the hint that she wasn’t interested.
“Thank you, Mr. Stansbury.” She took a step back to put a little more space between them. Warren had the habit of invading her personal space. A move most women might find appealing from a good-looking man, but one that left Piper wishing she had a ring on her finger to signify she was taken.
Grinning, he casually put his hands in his pocket and made a slow perusal of her from the top of her head all the way down to her shoes and back up again. “I like your dress.”
“So does my boyfriend.” She liked saying that, although it would be much more impactful if she could use the word fiancé.
“Abe?” Warren asked with a smirk.
“It’s Gabe.”
“Ah, that’s right.” He leaned against the door, still studying Piper closely. “So, only a few more days and then you’re moving back to Montana?”
“Yes.”
“We should go out for drinks tonight, you know, since you’re leaving and all.”
Warren Stansbury was over the math department of the academy and was supposedly a bright man, yet he continued to ask Piper to go out for drinks with him.
“You know my answer,” Piper said, glancing to see how many more students needed to enter the auditorium.
“We’ll order virgin drinks for you,” Warren said, leaning in so close she smelled the peppermint gum he was chewing.
She shot him a peeved look. “I’m dating Gabe.”
“I won’t tell him if you don’t.”
“The answer is no, Mr. Stansbury.”
Thankfully, the last student filed in, followed by the academy’s principal, Mrs. Bybee. “Mr. Stansbury, you’re just the teacher I’m looking for.”
“Lucky me,” Warren said dryly. “What can I do for you, Mrs. Bybee?”
The woman narrowed her gaze and handed him an orange vest and a whistle. “You’re on playground duty for the next two hours.”
“It’s not my turn today.”
“Mr. Lewis’s wife went into labor, and he said you agreed to cover for him. Something about you owing him a favor?”
The tips of Warren’s ears turned red before he snatched the vest and whistle out of the principal’s hands. “I guess I’m on ground duty.” He winked at Piper. “I’ll catch you later.”
“I hope not,” Piper muttered under her breath. She wasn’t entirely sure what Mr. Lewis had on Warren, but Piper had heard it had something to do with a party and some questionable photographs that Warren never wanted posted on social media.
Mrs. Bybee laughed and patted Piper on the shoulder. “We’re going to miss you around here.”
“Thank you.” Piper had enjoyed her temporary job and, if not for Gabe, would’ve accepted the full-time position the principal had offered her for the following year. “I appreciate you giving me a chance when others wouldn’t.”
“You’re a wonderful teacher, Piper. If things don’t work out in Snow Valley, you let me know, and I’ll find a place for you.”
“I will,” Piper said, hoping she wouldn’t need to take the woman up on the offer.
“Are we all set for the concert?” Mrs. Bybee asked.
“Yes. The kids have worked hard, and I think the parents will enjoy the program.”
“Fantastic.” Mrs. Bybee’s cell phone chimed an incoming call. “I need to get this, but let me know if there’s anything I can do.” She waved and then turned away to answer her phone.
Piper walked into the room and waited for the students to settle down. When the boys on the back row continued to joke around, she put her fingers between her lips and whistled loudly. Once the room was quiet, she signaled for the pianist to start with the first number. The program ran smoothly, with only a few minor mistakes.
By the end of the practice, Piper felt a little more confident the concert would be a success. “Okay, those of you with solos, don’t forget to be here an hour before the concert starts so Mr. Jackson can make sure your mics are working. The rest of you please be here thirty minutes before it starts.”
Piper answered a few more questions and then excused the talented group of kids. Once the room was empty, she pulled her phone out to check for any new messages. Gabe had only left one.
Missing you and counting down the days until I get to see you. Love Gabe
Piper sighed dreamily, loving that her boyfriend had turned out to be such a romantic. She quickly typed in a reply, adding several heart emojis at the end. She hit send and waited for a few moments to see if Gabe would text her back. When nothing happened right away, she figured he was in a meeting and slipped the phone back inside her pocket. Gathering up her coat and purse, she made her way toward the exit. She didn’t bother going back to her room, mainly because she didn’t want to run into Warren again.
The drive to the condo didn’t take long. Presley was working behind the counter and waved at Piper when she came inside the lobby.
“Hey, Piper,” the girl said. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Is he waiting in my room?” Piper asked, hoping Gabe was her surprise again.
“No, and it’s not a him.” She pointed across the room, and Piper turned to see her sister.
“Tomi!” Piper said, rushing across the room to hug her sister. “What are you doing here?”
“I told you I was coming, silly.” Tomi squeezed her hard before stepping back. “Didn’t you get my message?”
“No.” Piper pulled out her phone and checked to make sure she hadn’t just missed it. “I don’t see anything new. When did you send it?”
“Oops,” Tomi said with a laugh as she held out her phone. “I guess I forgot to press send.”
Piper grabbed the phone and read the message out loud, “Don’t make any plans tonight. I’m flying in this afternoon to take my favorite sister out for a night on the town.” Handing back the phone, Piper hugged her sister again. “I’m so glad you’re here. You have no idea how lonely it gets at night.”
“I know. You call me every night when Gabe isn’t available.”
“You know I still love you, right?” Piper said, pulling back.
“You better.” Tomi slipped her arm through Piper’s. “Because I just landed a new part, and we are going shopping to celebrate.”
“Tomi, that’s awesome,” Piper said, leading her sister toward the exit. “I can’t wait to hear all about it.”
Tomi insisted on taking her rental car, since it was a sporty BMW, but Piper knew it was because her car was a total mess.
“Where to first?” Tomi asked, pulling out of the parking garage.
“Caytie’s been begging me to stop in and check out a boutique on Main Street, and I promised her I would do it before I move back to Montana.” Piper gave her sister directions to the clothing store, and Tomi found a parking space a couple of blocks away.
“So,” Piper said as they walked toward their destination. “Tell me about your new commercial.”
“It’s not a commercial.” Tomi glanced over at Piper. “I did it, Sis! I got the leading role for a new television pilot that is set to air in the fall.”
“What!” Piper squealed as she tugged on her sister’s arm. “That’s amazing!” She hugged Tomi tight around the neck. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you.” Tomi pulled back. “Guess who the leading man is?”
“Who?”
“I’ll give you a hint.” Tomi’s face split into a wide grin. “I’ve been in love with him forever
and have an autographed picture of him I got a few years ago for my birthday.”
Piper’s jaw dropped. “Jake Kelley?”
Tomi’s eyes sparkled. “Jake Kelly.”
“No way.”
“Way.” Tomi tugged on Piper, and they started walking again. “If the pilot is a hit, then it will turn into a weekly series.”
Tomi filled Piper in with all the details as they continued toward their destination. By the time they got to the clothing boutique, Piper was teasing her little sister that she needed to be careful or she’d be falling in love with the good-looking movie star for real.
“Would that be so bad?” Tomi asked as they stepped into the boutique.
“No, I just want you to be careful. Jake’s got quite the reputation as a Hollywood bad-boy.”
“He’s a good actor, and those are all the roles he ever plays.”
Piper lifted a skeptical brow. “Hasn’t he been in and out of rehab?”
“Yes.” The light in Tomi’s eyes dimmed. “But the last one he was in must have helped him, because I heard he’s been sober for nearly a year now.”
Not wanting to be a downer, Piper reached for her sister’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “That’s wonderful. I’m so excited for you to actually meet him.”
“Thank you.”
A pretty woman with long, sleek dark hair approached them. “Hello, ladies. May I help you find something?”
“Yes,” Tomi answered. “We’re here to find my sister a sexy dress for tomorrow evening.”
“I don’t think I need a sexy dress, since it’s an elementary school event,” Piper said, nudging her sister in the shoulder.
“Who says teachers can’t look hot?” Tomi said, leading Piper over to a selection of beautiful dresses. “Besides, it’s not like the concert is the only place you’ll wear it.”
Piper thought about the upcoming work party Gabe had invited her to attend with him after she moved back to Montana. She would most likely need something dressier than what was in her closet. Plus, Caytie could get an idea of what the boutique was offering.
“Okay, let’s find me a sexy dress.”
For the next hour, Piper tried on multiple dresses that were all beautiful, just not the right look for her.
Jayne, the sales clerk helping them, studied the current dress Piper wore and shook her head. “I think I have just the dress for you. I was saving it for one of my clients, but she won’t be back in town for another three weeks. Plenty of time for me to order another one in her size.” She pivoted on her heels and walked toward the back of the store, reappearing a moment later with a black dress bag.
“Ooh,” Tomi said after Jayne unzipped the garment bag. “I love the lace.”
Piper did too. The champagne colored dress had a simple cut that would hug every one of Piper’s curves, but the lace overlay gave the dress an elegance that was stunning.
“I think it’s going to be perfect,” Jayne said, handing over the dress to Piper.
Going inside the dressing room, Piper took off the dress she had on and hung it back on the hanger. Then she unzipped the lacey dress and stepped into it. The three-quarter length sleeves were made of lace only, so she was careful not to snag her watchband on the delicate fabric as she slipped on the dress.
“Need help with the zipper?” Tomi asked through the door.
“Yes.” Piper opened the door and stepped out.
“That’s it,” Tomi and Jayne said at the same time.
“Is it too tight?” Piper asked, moving in front of the large mirror.
“It’s perfect,” Tomi said as she zipped up the dress.
Piper stared at her image and smiled. It was perfect, and she could hardly wait for Gabe to see her in it when they attended the party next week.
After finding a gorgeous pair of high heels to go with the dress, Piper treated her sister to sushi, something she couldn’t get in Montana unless she traveled to Billings. When they got home, they changed into their pajamas and watched a Jake Kelley movie. Gabe called just as the end credits rolled.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said in a low voice. “How was your day?”
Piper told Gabe all about the rehearsal and then her surprise visitor and subsequent shopping trip. Then Gabe told her about his day, including their visit to Ivy and Kellen’s house to see Anastasia.
“Thank you for taking the kids to see my sweet dog. I can’t wait to see all of you this weekend.”
“Me too,” Gabe said on a yawn.
“You sound exhausted.” Piper glanced at the clock and saw it was close to midnight. “Gabe, we’ve been talking for almost an hour. Go to bed, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow after the concert.”
“Goodnight, Piper. I love you.”
“I love you too.” Sighing, she ended the call and sank back into the couch cushion.
“Everything okay?” Tomi asked, coming out of the bathroom and towel-drying her hair.
“Yes, I’m just missing Snow Valley and everyone I love there.”
“If I didn’t like Gabe and his kids so much, I’d call you crazy for wanting to live in such a small town.”
“It grows on you.”
Tomi shot her a skeptical look. “If you say so.”
“So, what are you going to do tomorrow while I’m at school?” Piper asked, knowing she needed to go to bed if she had any hope of functioning the next day.
“My agent sent me the script last night, so I’ll read through that and get to know the storyline and my character.”
“And Jake Kelley’s character?”
“Definitely.” Tomi wiggled her eyebrows. “I get to meet him next week. I hope they want us to practice a few of the kissing scenes.”
Piper scooted off the couch and stood up. “I hope he lives up to your expectations and doesn’t have chronic bad breath.”
“They have great mouthwash for that now days, so I’m not too worried.”
Laughing, Piper hugged her sister and said goodnight.
The next day went by surprisingly fast, with only a couple of encounters with Warren. Arriving home just in time to change into her new dress, Piper found Tomi all ready to go. “You look gorgeous,” she said, taking in the form-fitting blue dress that made Tomi’s eyes appear even bluer. “Remind me to show you a picture of Warren Stansbury so you’ll know to stay away from him.”
While touching up her makeup, Piper told Tomi all about Warren and emphasized the necessity to not be fooled by his good looks. Her sister had looked interested when she’d seen the math teacher’s picture.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got my eye on someone else,” Tomi said as she motioned for Piper to sit down on the chair so she could style her hair. “Are you okay if we go with an updo?”
“Sure, you know I love it when you do my hair.”
Tomi worked her magic. She pulled Piper’s hair into a low ponytail and then twisted it into an elegant knot, leaving a few loose curls to frame her face.
“You look stunning,” Tomi said when Piper looked at herself in the mirror.
“Thank you.” She turned to the side. “But I might be a little overdressed for being just the teacher.”
“A teacher who knows how to dress,” Tomi said with a wink. “Let’s go.”
Arriving at the school an hour before the concert began, Piper helped Mr. Jackson get the mics on the kids that had solos. Thankfully, everything still worked, and when it was time for the curtain to go up, Piper was confident the concert would be a success.
Each number was done to perfection. Only one of the students singing a solo forgot her lines, but she hummed like Piper had taught her until she remembered the words. After the last number ended, Piper signaled for the children to exit the stage. One by one they exited the stage, but when it was the last row’s turn to go, they remained standing in place.
Still on the platform, Piper motioned for the kids to exit once more, but they weren’t even looking at her. Suddenly, the student on the far left held up
a large sign with the letter W printed on it. The audience immediately stopped clapping, and the entire theater grew silent.
Confused, Piper watched as the next student held up a sign with the letter I printed on it. Each student that remained on the stage continued with the process, and Piper started trembling as she deciphered the lengthening message. Low murmurs of excitement rumbled from the audience behind her as the last student held up a sign with a question mark printed on it.
Piper read the message in its entirety. Will you marry me? The chatter from the audience grew louder, and Piper looked around her, wondering who had orchestrated the message and if they were serious.
Returning her focus to the students, Piper’s breath caught as Gabe Wesson strolled across the stage. Her legs felt like wet noodles as Gabe got down on one knee, and she pressed a hand to her mouth to cover a sob.
Mr. Jackson must have fitted a microphone to Gabe’s suit coat, because his voice sounded loud and clear through the speakers.
“Piper Jensen, my two children might have fallen in love with you first, but it didn’t take long for me to follow them. I love you and would be honored if you would agree to be my wife.”
“Say yes,” the audience chanted over and over and began clapping in unison.
Since Piper didn’t have a mic on to give her answer, she climbed down from the platform and nearly tripped on the rug when the heel of her shoe caught on the edge. The audience’s chants continued, and Piper kicked off her shoes before walking rapidly down the aisle to reach the stage.
The closer she got, the better she could see the expression on Gabe’s face. He looked hopeful and nervous all at the same time. She laughed as she clumsily loped up the small staircase that led to the stage.
Her bare feet barely registered the cold floor as she quickly closed the distance between her and Gabe.
“Yes,” she managed to choke out over a mixture of a sob and a laugh.
“She said yes,” Gabe said in his mic before he got to his feet.
The audience roared with delight and thunderous clapping pounded the auditorium. Gabe unclipped the microphone from his collar and set it down just before Piper threw her arms around his neck. “I can’t believe you’re here,” she said, catching the familiar spicy scent that was all Gabe. “I love you so much.”
Destiny Came Knocking: A Snow Valley Romance Page 17