Off Guard

PIPER’S POV

The restaurant was only a few blocks from the company, close enough that most of us decided to walk.

The evening air was cool, the city humming in that familiar in-between hour, when offices emptied and nightlife hadn’t fully taken over yet.

Hannah lingered by the curb as the others started ahead. “You go,” she said quietly. “I’m exhausted. I’ll just head home.”

I stopped beside her. “