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“Pffft, a big boy like Buzz, he doesn’t need to lose any weight, he’s just perfect.”
Piper sighed as she heard a crunch.
“Hey, Buzz.”
Her entire body jerked at the sound of that deep voice. Ryker didn’t have a huge population, but it swelled by hundreds due to tourists at any given time, so why the hell was she bumping into him again today?
Last night he’d kissed her senseless, not something that happened often to Piper. The kissing, or the senseless part. For all her cousins thought she dated a lot, she didn’t; mainly she just kept company with her male friends. Anything more usually became too complicated.
“Miss Marla, Miss Sarah, you remember Dylan Howard,” Piper said as she heard the heavy thud of his feet entering the shop. “Mary’s boy?”
“More silence,” she heard him mutter. “My mother’s name seems to have the effect on people.”
“Oh, well now,” Miss Marla said, rushing to speak. “You need to understand that important women can be intimidating sometimes. It’s just their way, dear. Now let me look at you. I have to say you’ve grown into a fine young man since I would find you in the back of my class drawing on the furniture. You come in and take a seat, we won’t be but a minute.”
“Hi, Piper.” The deep words were whispered in her ear, and his breath brushed the sensitive skin beneath, making her shiver. “You smell nice.”
“Hello, Dylan,” she managed to get out. “You got a thing for Buzz? Because this is the second time today you’ve run into him.”
“He and Mr. Goldhirsh took a ride in my car this morning to the hospital, then we did exercise together, as you know. It’s a guy thing we like to call bonding.”
“Why would Mr. Goldhirsh want to get in your car when he runs everywhere always?”
“My guess is the lecture that followed.”
“That’ll be it, he’s good at that. Nearly as good as these two.”
“Wisdom comes with age,” Piper heard Miss Marla say. “Therefore it is our job to impart that wisdom to you young people who have yet to achieve any.”
“I think we were just insulted,” Dylan said. “What is she doing?”
“Tea testing. You can be next if you want, Dylan. You go on and take a seat, and Mandy will bring you a scone,” Miss Sarah said.
“I’d be grateful because I have to admit that since someone told me Tea Total served the best scones in Colorado, I’ve been dying to taste one.”
Piper rolled her eyes, which wasn’t easy behind a blindfold.
“Oh now, aren’t you sweet,” Miss Marla cooed. “It seems that boy who covered my car in Christmas paper has grown up.”
“He did that?” Piper turned, but of course couldn’t see anything.
“Me and your cousin actually, so I’m not taking the rap for all of it.”
“And they stole my favorite lipstick out of my top desk drawer and wrote ‘A’s for everyone’ all over the windows in the classroom,” Miss Sarah added.
“Wow, I was so tame in school,” Piper said.
“We could go on, but as he’s already squirming we’ll leave him be.”
“If I say sorry, will that help?”
“Dylan, we had a lot worse, believe me.”
“Thanks, Miss Marla.”
Piper listened to Mandy arriving. She knew it was her because there were no heels clicking.
“Mandy, this is Dylan Howard. I’m not sure you remember him from school, dear.”
