Page 37 of While You Were Trending

The fake front teeth that I had to get after the worst moment of my life.

“Mine are fine. And how are yours?” His front two teeth were also missing when I knew him.

He didn’t go viral for it the way I did, but then, it’s a lot more common to lose teeth in hockey than it is when disrupting a wedding.

“Permanently fixed now,” he tells me.

“Congratulations.” I reach into the cabinet for a normal, boring Makepeace Cellars mug—we have a million of them—but Declan sets my now-clean mug on the counter in front of me. “Here. Guessing you want this one.”

I suck in a breath and tamp down on the urge to tell him to stop being nice to me.

He’s getting what he wants. He’s filming here.

He doesn’t have to pity me and make a show of being the bigger person or whatever mind game he’s playing.

But I also don’t have to take the bait.

Stars know I took the bait enough with my mother on that horrid show.

“I’m here, bring on the cameras!” Pip announces in her throatiest voice.

She struts into the kitchen in her pink thong, feathered house slippers, matching boa around her neck, a glittery pink top hat perched on her head, and nothing else.

There’s a reason we call her the Notorious P-I-P on occasion, and I take a minute that I don’t have before my meeting to watch Declan’s reaction to her.

“Good morning, Pip,” he says mildly, looking, as far as I can tell, at her face and not her sagging breasts and missing nipple.

“Where’s the camera?” She twists and turns, mugging for us. “I’m ready for my close-up.”

“You’re not going on camera, Aunt Pip.” Mabel sails into the kitchen behind her.

She’s frazzled.

Declan probably wouldn’t be able to tell—it took me a long time to see the signs—but my best friend is clearly having a morning with her aunt.

I catch her eye. “I’m sure we could do a few scenes,” I say, grateful to have something else to focus on.

Mabel stares at me.

I stare back, hoping she can understand my silent message ofand then delete the footage forever.

“Only if Shade’s comfortable with it,” Declan says. “He might have a no-nudity clause in his contract.”

Pip plants a fist on her hip. “Honey, you’re cute, but I already told you that I’m not interested in screw-me clauses.”

He holds up his hands. “Apologies. Sometimes I need to be told twice. I’m working on that.”

Agreeable Declan is starting to piss me off.

“Where’s the camera?” Pip repeats. “You got the lights. But you’re missing the camera.”

Declan glances at Mabel, then at me, and then he gestures to the mudroom door. “This way.”

“Silly to have the lights in here and the camera in the mudroom,” Pip says as she marches past him.

Mabel sucks in a long, slow breath and starts to follow.

“My grandmother lived with us when I was growing up,” Declan says to her. “I’m well-trained if you want me to keep an eye on her.”