Every. Single. Day.
"I'm in."
Paige raises an eyebrow. "Don't you want to hear the details?"
"Nope. Where do I sign?"
Delaney and Paige exchange a look that I pretend not to notice. It's the kind of look that saysthis is going to be so entertaining.
"Great enthusiasm," Delaney says dryly. "But maybe let's make sure the business owner is on board first, yeah?"
She reaches for her phone, grabs another gummy bear and starts dialling. She hits speaker and leans back in her chair, grinning like this is all part of her grand plan.
Ring. Ring.
"Delaney?" Zoey's voice fills the office through the speaker. "That was fast. I figured you'd at least give me until dinner before ambushing me."
"Ambush is such a strong word." Delaney grins. "I prefer 'strategic opportunity presentation.'"
A soft laugh comes through the speaker, and something in my chest loosens. I love hearing her laugh. Even when I'm not the one doing it, just hearing that sound does things to me.
"Uh-huh. And what exactly is this strategic opportunity?"
Delaney launches into her pitch, the same rant about community partnership, team involvement…blah blah blah. She makes it sound like a win-win wrapped in a bow, which I suppose it is.
For me at least.
Paige leans toward the phone while I remain sitting completely silent. "So, babe, we think Butter Batch would be perfect as our flagship partner. The community connection you've built, the quality… it's exactly the image we want associated with the Snow Leopards brand."
Paige and Delaney look at me, but there's only silence from the other end.
Then, carefully, Zoey's croaky voice echoes through. "And who exactly would be my... ambassador?"
Delaney's eyes flick to me.
"Colt Lane," she says, smug as hell. "He's very excited to be involved."
Oh God.
"Colt Lane. Gee I don't know you guys."
The way Zoey says my name,Jesus Christ,the way it sounds in her mouth. Low and skeptical and wrapped in that wispy tone that makes me want to do very inappropriate things.
I grip the armrest of my chair.
Say it again. Say it slower.
"I'll need to think about how this fits with my schedule. The bakery's a one-woman operation most days, and I've got Morgan to think about. Having a hockey player underfoot might be more chaos than I can handle."
Chaos?I mouth at Delaney, offended.
She waves me off.
"Colt's very eager to help," Paige adds. "He specifically requested this assignment."
I did not!
I mean… I would have.
