Page 67 of Silas's Sweetheart

Ziggy:When are we going? I’ve got things planned.

Frey:Is this your planned date with Officer Mere?

Bowie:Oh, how exciting. Are you going out to dinner or is he coming to your place? I could make you a dessert, if you like, you know, for protecting us.

Ziggy:Thanks, Bowie, but I told you, you don’t have to do anything for me. And we’re going out to a restaurant for our first date.

Bowie:Maybe next time. I don’t mind when it is, and I wanna do it for you.

Ziggy stared at the screen and debated for a second on how to reply. He really wasn’t sure having Bud in his home with a homemade dessert would send out the wrong message.

It would!

Seriously, we aren’t talking about this. I’m going on a date with Bud.

Not anytime soon if you’re off to a ranch!

He was so gleeful, Ziggy didn’t hesitate to point out:you hate horses, remember?He snorted at how his snake side shuddered.

I’ll suffer for Silas.

Ziggy couldn’t help but chuckle at how put out his snake was.You wait. One horse and you’ll be more worried about getting trampled to death than anything else.

Jupiter strolled into his office. “Ziggy, I need the Baxter file. Do you have it?” he asked, glancing around with interest before his green eyes strayed to Ziggy’s hand that held the phone. “Am I interrupting?”

“No.” Ziggy resisted explaining why he was on his phone and placed it down to reach for the file Jupiter wanted. “It’s here. I was going through the details for the stage setup and lighting you requested.”

Jupiter came and took the file Ziggy offered him. “How far along are you?” he asked, his attention on what he held.

“I’m all but done. The only thing left outstanding is the carpet for the runway. We have a clash between two of the designers on color. One wants black, the other wants purple. Whereas the others have no preference. I clarified via email,” he explained before Jupiter could ask.

Jupiter’s usually smooth brow furrowed. His sea-green eyes narrowed on Ziggy and there was the sharp business executive instead of the flirt. “I bet it’s Delilah and Rense. The pair are a fucking nightmare.”

Ziggy nodded. “It is.” He’d spoken to both designers and got why Jupiter groaned. “I’ve looked at sourcing a black carpet with purple edging or vice versa. I’m waiting for Osbourne's to get back to me about their stock. Stu has explained if we need toorder it, we’ll be cutting it close to fashion week for delivery and fitting.”

Jupiter released a loud sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ll deal with it. I’ll speak to Rense. He’s more likely to be swayed than Delilah.”

“So do you want me to contact Stu and tell him to hold off on searching through his warehouse stock for what we need?” Ziggy grabbed his pad and pen, looking at Jupiter expectantly.

“For now, let Stu see what he has. At least we’ll know what is available if we should need it.”

Ziggy nodded, eyeing Jupiter thoughtfully. “I’ll let you know when he rings me back.” Hesitating for a moment, Ziggy bit his lip, then asked what was on his mind. “The team building on the ranch, do you know when it’s gonna happen?”

A deep groove appeared between Jupiter’s brows. “Not totally sure, but I’ve a feeling sooner rather than later. Why?”

Caught unprepared, Ziggy answered without thinking. “I’ve got a date.”

Jupiter’s grin was instant. “Oh yes, I heard ‘bout that. It’s with the officer from the lake, right?”

A strangled noise came out without his permission at the knowledge that if Jupiter knew about the date, then so could Silas. This had to prove things were over between them, otherwise wouldn’t he have come to ask what Ziggy was playing at?

“Who… who told you?” he asked, instead of going with what he wanted to know.

Jupiter waved a hand in the air. “The walls have ears here. Nothing is secret.”

Ziggy forcibly kept himself from reacting at the way Jupiter looked at him. Was he implying something else?

Shit!

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