Page 8 of Worth the Risk

“Why?”

I awkwardly look away. “Because… I left before he woke up.”

She slaps her hand onto her mouth in shock. “Who are you?”

Blowing out a breath, I wonder too. “I don’t really know why I did it. I guess I was scared to face him in the morning. It was a great night and maybe I didn’t want to deal with the disappointment that it was only that. We both went into the evening knowing it was a one-time thing, and I’m not accustomed to that protocol, so I guess I freaked out.”

“So, it wasn’t because of his skill set?” She flashes her eyes at me.

I can’t hide my smile. “I mean…” I look around to make sure nobody is watching and lean into the table. “Against the window, on the bed in three different positions, and he went down on me twice. It was unreal.”

April turns giddy. “You’re still able to walk?”

“It happened a few weeks ago, and I didn’t plan on ever telling you. Plus, you were in your engagement bliss,” I explain.

“Does he have a name?”

My voice begins to form the syllables, but I’m interrupted by April’s phone vibrating.

“Sorry, I need to take this. It’s the restaurant for the party.”

“It’s okay. I need to head out anyway.”

She answers her phone and touches my shoulder as she leaves the table because there is better reception out on the street. “I’ll see you tomorrow at 7pm, sharp,” she quickly whispers on the way out.

I salute her in response, relieved I didn’t need to say Hudson’s name, because then it would just remind me that the only thing I regret is not staying in the morning.

3

PIPER

Arriving at the restaurant on the seventeenth floor, I know why April would have picked this place for her engagement party. She is a complete foodie, and the chef at this new restaurant is all the rage.

I enter the private room where a large group is busy drinking, grabbing appetizers off of floating plates, and there’s jazz playing in the background.

It doesn’t take but a second before someone pulls my arm, and I turn to see April smiling brightly at me with her new blue dress. She looks ecstatic.

“There you are, Ginger!”

I adjust my small clutch purse in my hand that matches my pale peach wrap dress. “Sorry, took forever to get a taxi.” I smile at her before we embrace for a hug. “You know I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

We part and look at one another in an excited mood.

“Did you bring your mystery guy?” She flashes her eyes at me. “I didn’t forget about that conversation.”

I scoff. “You know I’m here alone because it was a one-time thing. We went over this.”

“I still don’t understand why you left. Maybe it would have been the most romantic breakfast of your life.”

I touch her shoulders to refocus her attention. “Or maybe we should just talk about you marrying the man who gave you that rock on your finger.”

She holds up her hand to admire the ring, and her smile grows wider still. “Jeff is around here somewhere. Half of his law firm I think are here. Anyways, I wanted to ask you something.”

“Oh?”

She takes my hand and quickly guides me to a quiet spot away from the crowd, grabbing a present off a side table amongst all the gifts in the process. We keep moving until she stops us in a corner, with windows all around, which makes me feel like I’m half in the sky.

April hands me the small pink bag with a lot of ribbon. “I know you promised to design my dress.”

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