AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her mom would be crushed if she saw how badly Piper was failing.
Not because she would be disappointed in Piper, but because this had been Piper's dream, and her last words had been to tell Piper to go for it, to get out of the life that had trapped her, to run like hell and make it.
Piper loved planning weddings. She loved creating magic, joy, and perfection for this important day in their lives. She wanted to be the romance and happily ever after specialist.
And she wanted to do it at this level. The top. The best. Like she and her mom had planned.
"Sunday at eight," Irina shouted from her office. "But I'm going to post your job now, just in case. I can't afford to be without an assistant, so if I fire you Sunday, I need to hire someone two minutes later. It's fine to feel threatened by my actions, by the way. Fear is a strong motivator."
Crap. Piper's heart started to race. The normal acquisition rate of new clients was one out of every six meetings, which was apretty high rate. And this week, she needed to be four for three? That was impossible.
She touched the tiny diamond one more time. "I'm not giving up, Mom. I'm going to make it."
She needed a plan.
And fast.
The moment Declan pulled up to the florist and parked his truck, he had a flashback to when Diana had dragged him to the florist to choose flowers for their wedding.
He remembered his crankiness, and her happiness. He recalled her trying to coax him out of his bad mood, trying to convince him to care about the flowers, but all he'd wanted to do was get back to work on a case that had been pressing at him.
He sat back in his seat, suddenly remembering with vivid clarity the interaction they'd had, and what an ass he'd been. Damn.
He'd expected to feel sadness or PTSD upon showing up at the florist to look at wedding flowers, but he hadn't. He'd just felt this sudden sense of clarity about what a freaking jerk he'd been.
Shit. He almost started laughing. He'd remembered so much about his time with Diana, but this was the first time he'd seen it from the point of view of him being a jerk. It was Piper's fault, the way she called him out on being a grumpy cactus.
He let out a breath. Yeah, his first instinct had been right. As difficult as it was at times to fake this engagement with Piper, she was what he needed. He'd never met a woman who pushed at him so relentlessly, completely uncowed by his moods or his attitude.
Piper was fucking sunshine in a bottle, and he owed her better.
He hadn't been able to man up for Diana at the florist, but he could step up for Piper right now. He could almost feel Diana laughing, delighted that Piper was making him be the man hehadn't been able to be for Diana. "You sent her to me, didn't you?" he asked aloud as he got out of his truck.
There was no answer, but he felt the truth of his words. He was supposed to move forward. He was supposed to follow this path, no matter how fucking hard it was.
He shut the door and faced the florist. It was a different one than he and Diana had used, obviously. They hadn't had a five-star wedding, like the ones Piper planned.
But this was the world he'd grown up in. He could walk in these circles even if he didn't want to. "Right. Let's go."
He squared his shoulders, headed across the parking lot, and stepped inside.
Piper, April, and a woman he assumed was April's mom were gathered around a table filled with flowers in vases. Maddie was laughing with delight, beaming at the trio as if there was nothing more fantastic in the entire world than to be helping a bride select her flowers, which he was pretty sure was the truth.
Her smile was radiant, and her laughter was infectious, as high energy as Piper.
He was willing to bet that Piper had directed April to Maddie's store. Bride Protector indeed. Positive energy all around. Maddie glanced his way, and her smile widened. "Well, hello, Declan."
All three women turned, but Declan only had eyes for Piper. Her eyes widened when she saw him, and then relief filled her face. He was instantly glad he'd come.
"Declan!" Piper said. "This is my fiancé, Declan Jones. Come on over."
Declan strode across the room, summoning the power and authority that his money afforded him. His parents had both grown up poor, and they'd fought hard to get over their sense of not being good enough for these people. They'd taught their kids to present as if they belonged, no matter what they felt like.
So, Declan turned it on, and he saw April's mom stand a little taller, watching him with great interest.
He hadn't bothered with the jacket and tie, but he'd worn the watch. He walked straight over to Piper, slid one arm around her waist, and moved his body at an angle that was pure possession and protection. "I missed you," he whispered softly, just loud enough that the others would think they were overhearing a private moment. "Morning, love."
Piper's eyes widened, and then he kissed her, short and proper, but lingering with a promise of so much more. He flashed her a grin, then turned to April and her mom. "April," he said. "Good to see you again."
