Chapter Six

How the hell am I going to explain this to Leo?I'd just rented a room to a strange man off the street for ten grand. No background check. No references. I wasn't even sure his name was Draco.

What I did feel sure about was that he had people looking for him. Seemed shady enough. So why had I let him inside the house so easily? I couldn't wrap my mind around it.

After Draco left, I cleaned the guest room, changed the linens, and put fresh towels in the bathroom. Then I finished up my lecture prep for the week and started on dinner.

"Hey, Pipe. We need to talk." Leo stood in the kitchen doorway, startling me from my intense thoughts.

I stopped stirring the pasta. "How's the head?"

"Been better." He walked over and leaned against the counter beside me.

I instantly felt nervous. No kiss or hug. "What's up?"

"I did a lot of soul-searching last night."

"You mean drinking," I said.

"That, too." He let out a slow breath. "We need to put everything on hold."

I set my wooden spoon on the counter. "Leo, I know losing your job is terrifying. Not to mention embarrass—"

"It's not that. I mean it is, but I've been questioning this plan for months."

He had? I wished he'd told me sooner. This was a big endeavor, and we were putting everything on the line to set up our future. If he was getting cold feet, I wanted to be there to support him.

"I question it every day," I said, "but don't throw away your dream over a snag. We can figure this out. Just give yourself a few days to digest the whole job thing, okay?"

He nodded solemnly, avoiding eye contact.

Poor Leo.I'd never seen him like this. Even after his parents died, he hadn't seemed so utterly defeated.

I gently pinched his chin, forcing him to look at me. "If you decide this house isn't what you want, I'm okay with that. We'll just have to make a new plan. As long as we do it together, I'm happy." Of course, I wasn't being one hundred percent truthful. Giving up on this house wouldn't be easy after all the work and money we'd poured into it, but I loved Leo.

"You're a good woman, Piper. I don't deserve you." He smiled, but his eyes were filled with something bitter. It made my stomach pop and roll.

I shook it off. "Oh, by the way, I found a renter."

"So fast?"

I stalled between wanting to tell him the truth—one I couldn't exactly explain—and lying so I wouldn't add to his stress. I went for the lie. "He's a friend of a colleague at work. He paid everything up front, plus a deposit."

God, I hate lying.It wasn't right.

"That's a relief."

Leo said that now, but wait until he saw the guy. Leo wasn't going to be happy. But ten grand for two weeks? We couldn't afford to pass that up.

I squeezed his hand. "See. Things are already turning around. You just have to take a breath and get back on the horse." And I'm going to try to forgive myself for lying to my fiancé.

"Piper?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you still want to marry me?" Leo sounded absolutely convinced I was going to say no.

"What a stupid question. Of course I do." I pecked his cheek. "You're my forever person."

He nodded, looking…fuck. Disappointed?

"I have to go file my unemployment paperwork." He left the room, but his sour mood lingered in the air.

I sensed something else was going on, but I knew he'd tell me when he was ready. Our love was unbendable.