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"Absolutely. You know I'm the best at what I do. All you have to do is enjoy the most special day of your life." Piper winked. "I'll even keep Wendall's mom off your back. She loves me."
April laughed. "She does. I don't know how you do it, but you're amazing with her."
"Because I'm great at what I do." Piper patted April's hand. "It's all good, honey. I'll see you tomorrow at Vale's Flowers. Sound good?"
April nodded. "Yes, okay." Then she glanced at Declan. "Can he come? I think my mom would like to meet him, to know that everything's okay."
Can he come? Like he was Piper's dog? But when Piper glanced at him with raised eyebrows, Declan knew he was in. Oh, boy. He gave April a lazy smile. "What time?"
"Eleven?"
"I can work that in and stop by for a few minutes," he said.
Relief flashed across April's face, making Declan wonder if it was actually her mom who had wanted to fire Piper, not April herself. He saw from Piper's frown that she had noticed the same thing. "I'll see you later," April said. "So glad I have a bride protector on my side! That's such a better job title than wedding planner!"
Piper grinned. "I'll add it to my business card."
"Perfect!" April gave them both a quick wave, then hopped to her feet and strode back over to her table. She hadn't even sat down before her friends were leaning in, looking at Declan, and asking questions excitedly.
Piper sat back, her shoulders slumping with relief. "We did it. I can't believe it."
"That was well done. Quite a story you fabricated." Declan continued to watch April's table, and the glances shooting their way. "I think we need to dance."
"What? Why?"
"Because we're being watched. We need to do a steamy dance that makes every one of those women jealous of us, and then we can jet." Oh, boy. A steamy dance. This night was becoming far more than he bargained for. "We need to get their discussion off you being a wedding killer and onto you being luckier than all of them combined."
Piper started laughing. "You're that great of a catch?"
"No, but I can make them think I am." He winked. "I did some undercover work in my day. I can lie with the best of them. Let's go get hot and steamy."
Piper's cheeks turned pink, and she grimaced. "I'm not really into PDA."
"Me either. We can be super awkward and uncomfortable together, but make it look like we're suave, polished, and completely comfortable making out in public. Duplicity at its best."
She laughed, as he'd hoped she would. "A perfect pair."
"Yep." He rose to his feet and held out his hand to her. "My darling, this is one of my favorite songs. Would you care to dance?"
"My little pumpkin latte, it would be my greatest joy."
He started laughing as he led her to the little dance floor. "Your pumpkin latte?" He pulled her against him, so her torso was against his, and clasped his hands behind her lower back.
She linked her hands behind his neck and gazed up at him with a deadpan expression. "No. You're not a latte. You're my Man O' War."
He grinned. "Your jellyfish?"
"Big, deadly, long-tentacled jellyfish," she said. "If there was such a thing as a hot, sexy jellyfish, it would definitely be the Man O' War."
"I'll take it as a compliment, then."
"As it was intended, of course."
He pulled her closer and brushed his lips over her neck. "They're still watching," he said.
"I know. Don't they have anything better to do than watch a grumpy old man and his hot, young fiancée?"
He swore. "I'm not old."
