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"I'd never lie about weddings," she said as she put the glass on the counter and turned to face him. "Another bride went on a rant on social media this weekend. She said I was the Wedding Killer, and I'd cursed her wedding. She's the one who discovered that three other couples that I had done weddings for were already divorcing. She said I was bad luck and any bride who wants to actually get married and stay married needs to stay away from me."
He sat back. "Damn."
"Right? She fired me publicly on social media today, then another one called me an hour later to fire me as well. And then, April is our biggest client, and she's left me three messages today. My boss gets back in the morning. If I've lost three clients, I'm sunk. No one will hire me. Brides are superstitious." She leanedon the counter. "I've spent my entire life working toward this, and I'm going to lose it all if I lose April. I'm desperate, Declan. This is my only chance. I—" She cut herself off, and he knew there was more to the story, more that she wasn't willing to share.
He wanted to ask, but she'd respected his privacy, so he owed her the same.
He knew it didn't matter whether the bride could be held liable for her social media posts or not. The damage was done. Trust had been broken. "Your plan, then, is to show April that your wedding not happening was actually a good thing, because you wound up with an even better guy?"
She wrinkled her nose. "I know that sounds silly, but I think it will work. But you have to be so amazing that she falls a little in love with you tonight."
He rubbed his jaw. He was committed to helping her, but romance? "I'm not the most romantic guy," he admitted.
Piper snorted. "That doesn't surprise me, but women love unavailable men. So just be your grumpy self, plus in love with me."
In love with Piper.Those four words sat like a weight in his chest. For so many reasons. But he owed Piper. He could fake it. It was like going undercover, which he'd done on plenty of occasions. He could do this. "All right," he said. "Where are we going?"
"A local place that has an outdoor patio. It's called the French Quarter. My friends are there, and they saw her." Piper shook out her shoulders, and he could feel her tension. "Sound good?"
Piper's career was at stake tonight, and whatever else she hadn't been willing to talk about. Like why she'd left her fiancé at the altar. Had she just decided she didn't love him? Or had it been something else? Something more? The cop in him wanted answers, but he'd get them later.
Because he would get them, if for no other reason than to make sure she was not in danger. Or in trouble. Or in need of help that she wouldn't ask for. "I'm in," he said. "But we need to make a stop on the way."
She checked the clock on her phone. "Where? We don't have much time."
He grinned. "It won't take long. Do you trust me?"
"No. You're a great liar. I'd be an idiot to trust you."
He felt the truth of her words, even though her tone was teasing. Frowning, he leaned in. "Piper, I swear to you, I won't lie to you. I promise."
She searched his face, and slowly nodded. "All right. But you get only one chance, and then trust is broken."
He could tell she meant it, but that was fine. He was a lot of things, but a liar wasn't one of them. Well…fuck…hewasa liar. He'd been lying to his family for more than three years about what had really happened the night Diana had died…and how badly he'd screwed up.
But he wouldn't lie to Piper.
Because with Piper, it was different.
It was the chance he'd blown before. And now he had an opportunity for a redo.
Fake or not, he was doing it right this time.
For himself.
And for Piper…because he could tell she needed it, too.
CHAPTER EIGHT
As Declan pulled into the parking lot of the French Quarter, the diamond on Piper's left hand caught the light.
He glanced at it again as he parked the truck, and he grinned.Yes.
Piper held up her hand. "You could have warned me that the detour you wanted to make was to get me a diamond the size of my entire torso." Her eyes were glinting with amusement, which he found immensely satisfying.
"Big enough?"
"Big enough?" She rolled her eyes. "The jeweler said it was four carats? Plus the small ones? Was that what he said?"
