Smiling, I waved at the workers on the scaffold. They waved back.

My new terrace would have to wait until the summer to get done. Piper was planning upgrades to the guest rooms as well. We were doing them in sections to minimize disruptions.

To think I’d been so dead set against becoming a Langston hotel. I grinned. Now, I’d embraced it. The new upgrades were going to be amazing.

I’d definitely changed my tune about the owner of Langston Hotels too.

“Tessa?”

Jillian raced over. Our excited and anxious bride-to-be.

“I saw the flower arch.” She clapped her hands to her cheeks. “It’s perfect.”

“Did you have any doubt?” I took her hand. “You’re going to be a stunning bride and have a stunning wedding.”

She blushed. “I can’t wait to marry my man. Speaking of men, where’s your hot rich guy?”

“In New Orleans. Designing a new hotel down there.”

“I bet you miss him. I saw pictures of the two of you on TMZ the other week. You looked gorgeous and all you two were doing was getting coffee.”

I controlled my scowl. The shot of Ro and I at Mountain Brew had been splashed all over the website. Thankfully, the locals of Windward had rallied around us and did their best to help us have some privacy. The other week, even Clyde Parker had chased off some photographers.

I did miss Ro. He’d been gone for several days, but he called me morning and night. There were some issues with the planning of the New Orleans Langston, and it was an open-ended trip. I had no idea when he was getting back.

I couldn’t wait for him to return. The best part of him traveling was our reunions when he got home.

He’d slowly started delegating more work to his team, which meant more time off for him and less trips away.

“I had better run,” Jillian said. “Or my bridesmaids will drink all the champagne.”

Smiling, I watched her dash away.

“Tessa.” Piper strode over to me on her skyscraper high heels. “Which one of these do you like better?” She held up two paint swatches. “For the restaurant feature wall.”

I pointed to the one on the left. “That one.”

Her lips quirked. “That’s my choice too.”

I’d gotten to know Piper better over the last two months. She was driven, a workaholic, but smart as hell. She’d come to our last cocktail night, and we’d all had fun. There was a good chance we’d become friends.

Everett strolled up. “Hey there, City.”

Piper sniffed and glared at his flannel shirt. “Don’t you have a hammer to wield?”

“Don’t you have some papers to push?”

I hid my smile. The two of them were like wild cats circling each other.

Piper’s cellphone rang. “I’ve got to take this.”