Page 73 of Go Find Less

“Everything alright?” she asks, taking another bite of her sandwich and narrowing her eyes at me. I feel heat creeping up my cheeks, trying to determine how to proceed.

“All good,” Chloe answers without waiting for me. “One of our friends just came in.” Chewing, Piper looks between us and them, and when her eyes narrow again while looking at them, realization hits me. She’s seen Savannah. That day, at The Pine, Savannah had been in the office with me. And…oh, God.

It’s obvious when Piper realizes what's happening, watching Savannah gesturing at us while Seer stands in front of her, clearly trying to calm her friend down. Mateo, José’s son, appears in the doorway next to them a second later, wearing a kitchen uniform. Piper freezes, only momentarily, and then reaches out for her water, taking a long sip before fixing me with a serious look.

“I think you better go talk to her,” she says, jerking her head toward the door. “Looks like she’s real upset over that business proposal.” And then, she gives a small smile that tells meshe’snot upset, not mad, or even concerned that another woman just showed up on our date to try to talk to me.

And I’m not sure whether to be thankful for that smile, or worried that something like this, which would normally concern most women, doesn’t phase her.

“Looks like you don’t have to,” Chloe cuts in, and we all look to see Savannah giving us one final glance, before turning on her heel and stomping back through the entrance. Mateo follows after her, and Seer makes her way through the crowd, back to the side entrance of the bar, just in time to meet José at the doorway. When they both emerge behind the counter, I take a steadying breath. Part of me has always relaxed with him around - and if anyone can charm Piper, it’s him.

“All good, Mateo’s talking her down,” Seer says, throwing her rag back over her shoulder and leaning against the workstation in front of her. “You may get a nasty text, later, though.” She gives me a small, sad smile, but under the bar, Piper sets her hand on my knee and gives it a squeeze, like she’s reassuring me without saying a word.

“Mija, what did I tell you,” José says disapprovingly, looking at the drink in front of Piper’s plate. “The orange slices are just fine, you don’t have to do the little twirlies.”

“Ilikethe little twirlies,” she replies, rolling her eyes and flaring her nostrils in a way that tells me they’ve had this discussion several times before.

“I like the little twirlies, too.” Piper says it without a hint of hesitation, and we all look to see her holding up the coiling, thin orange rind in her fingers, letting it bounce like a piece of curled ribbon.

“See,” Seer says, like that’s proof her opinion is correct. “The customer is always right.”

“I don’t know that I’d consider us customers,” I cut in, and Seer’s look tells me clearly to shut the fuck up.

“You’re not.” José points to me, then Piper next to me. “But she is.” He steps toward us both, holding out a weathered hand to the woman next to me. “You must be Piper, I’m José.” Piper looks between him and I, and then gives his hand a firm shake. “We’ve heard so much about you.”

“As everyone keeps saying,” she mutters with a smile that borders on shy. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen her shy about anything in the 20 years I’ve known her. Granted, most of those, I was too oblivious to noticeanythingabout her.

“They’re a bunch of gossips,” José says conspiratorially, gesturing to Seer and Chloe behind him.

“I heard that,” Seer yells, not looking up from her motion of pouring a shot of Patron.

“Good,” is José’s response.

“Does everyone who works here know you?” Piper asks me, and then takes a sip of her drink before moaning. I shift in my seat uncomfortably, and catch Chloe giving me an amused look out of the corner of her eye. I take a drink instead of shooting her a glare.

The few times I’d been to the Menagerie by myself had been when José was still managing the kitchens at the Monarch, which included here. His son Mateo was bartending back then. Seer had been there once, maybe, but this week was the most time we’d spent together in the years of friendship she’d had with my sister.

Then again, the same could be said for my time with Piper.

And as I watch her get dragged into a conversation about the merits of Mocktails vs. Non-Alcoholic beverages, I can’t help but appreciate how easily she finds herself talking to José, to Seer and Chloe even. Like she could find a home anywhere. Her hands switch between holding up her sandwich and waving about with the animated conversation, and at one point, she throws her head back to laugh, her mouth wide and eyes crinkling, and something pangs in my chest.

I missed what could have been years of this. And sure, I didn’t exactly drag Olivia out to do things - if I could avoid interacting with most people, I did. But José, he was as good as family to me, and the way Piper fell into step with him only makes me appreciate her more.

“So when you’re not trying to pull conversation out of this one,” I hear José start, and it pulls me out of my thoughts, “what do you do for a living?” I watch the moment of panic pass over her face and she picks up the drink in front of her, stalling for time.

“Mmm,” she says dramatically, peering over José’s shoulder and making eye contact with Seer. “Watermelon and…ginger?” Seer touches her nose and then points at Piper as an answer. “I work here in downtown, actually.” Drink still in hand, she absently adjusts the napkin in front of her. “For AllHearts.”

I count the beats, watching José’s face. One. Two.

There it is.

His thick eyebrows nearly hit his hairline as he looks over Piper. If it weren’t for the corset over her dress, she could have passed for a fashionable 50’s school teacher.

Except I knew that more than likely, what she had on underneath was anything but matronly. And I do my best not to think about that as José finally regains his ability to speak.

“And what do you do there?”

“I’m on the apparel team.” The same half-answer she’d given me. Except at least, for me, it had been coy for a different reason. More for effect than true shyness. I assume this evasion is because it’s clear that José is a figure of authority among us.

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