WindSwept Narrows: #17 Pepper Ambrose

Shortly before noon, Chase followed the signs in the administration portion of the resort and entered the front office of purchasing. The desk was empty, glass doors to the left was posted for employees only and the door behind the desk was wide. He was about to enter the office when a movement behind the desk caught his attention. He looked down to see a pair of sapphire blue eyes peering through lenses up at him seconds before she bounced to her feet, dusting off the suit skirt.

“I am so sorry,” she glanced around the desk. “Are you here for an appointment? I can’t seem to locate my calendar…thought it might have slipped under the desk…” She thrust her palm out and brought out a bright smile. “Pepper Ambrose.”

“Chase Montgomery,” he returned, enveloping the smaller palm with his. “I don’t have an appointment, so it’s alright.” He watched relief flood through her seconds before she collapsed into the chair behind her, the chiming of the phone making her groan and hold up one finger.

Pepper tapped the speaker button, her head down on the desk. “Purchasing.”

“You sound like you’re in a tunnel,” came the soft feminine voice through the phone lines.

“Adriana…” Pepper’s head came up. “Please…please…”

“You scared the crap out of the last one, Pepper,” she scolded mildly.

“Oh…poor little girl…because I insisted she learn how to tell time? I was patient, Adriana. The first day…it was the traffic coming up from Stellacomb. Oh, and the next day it was all that pesky rain on the highway. My all time favorite was being out celebrating having a job and missed the alarm going off,” she concluded in a low growl.

“Okay, so she’s not a day person…and definitely not…” Adriana Styles Blackhawk cleared her throat. “I’m sending you someone on Monday.”

“Really?”

“You’ve got a suspicious nature, Pepper. Yes…have something to write on?”

Blue eyes grabbed the memo cube and pulled drawers open, searching until she saw the hand come out with a slim gold pen offered to her.

“Thank you…ready, Adriana….”

“Louisa Hunt. She’s British, married to an Air Force guy at McChord. She worked in requisitions with the British Military and I’m shooting all the particulars to your email. I’ve talked to Abby and it’s cleared.”

“I promise to be patient…thank you.”

“My pleasure. The resort is one of my biggest clients,” she paused. “I honestly don’t think you’ll have a problem with this one, Pepper. She’s older and professional. Gina is a little new at placement and Trinity was not a good fit for you.”

“I’m sure you’ll have her trained in no time,” Pepper said warmly. “Thanks, Adriana, I’ll check my mail. Bye.” She printed out a date on the note and looked up with a bright smile. “Thank you.”

“That seems to have brightened your mood considerably.” Chase commented, sliding the pen back into his pocket.

“It’s the little things, you know…” she stood up and went into her office. “Please, come in…but if we didn’t have an appointment…are you selling something? Or…I’m sorry, are you looking for someone else? I can call to the back and let them know…”

“Actually, I’m here to speak with you. About lunch.” He told her simply, his gaze casually sweeping around the large uncluttered office. Nothing personal on her desk.

“Lunch?” Pepper frowned and leaned against her desk.

“A midday meal, sometimes shared between people,” he suggested quietly. He almost laughed at the full lips that shot into a pursed frown while her gaze met his.

“You came here to ask me to lunch?” Pale lashes blinked as if processing his words. She mentally did a quick inventory and found herself caught in the stream from a pair of darkly intense brown eyes.