Chapter 29

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

T wo hours later, Declan was sitting at the empty bar at the country club, watching as Piper and his mom chatted over breakfast with some women that his mom knew.

It had taken his mom less than an hour to come up with a suitable potential client for Piper, as he'd expected. She'd brokered the intro, and now she was sitting back, arms folded, looking very pleased with herself.

His mom looked across the room at him, then winked. He grinned and raised his bottle of water to her.

At that moment, his phone rang. He pulled it out, and saw it was Dylan Hart. He immediately answered, watching Piper as he spoke. "Declan here."

"It's Dylan. I've sent people scrambling to track down Dick. His record is spotless. He may pay someone money to keep it clean, or he may be one of those guys who keeps his bastard side hidden inside his own family."

Declan relaxed his shoulders slightly. "You don't think he'll come after Piper?"

"I didn't say that. I said we can't find any evidence to indicate he will, but as we both know, some monsters hide in plain sight and no one knows. What about you? Did your contacts come up with anything?"

"I haven't heard back yet."

"All right. I'm going to send some folks to set up shop with Tori and Keira for the next few days so they don't have to stay in the hotel with Lucas and Maddie." Dylan paused. "If you bring Piper to our ranch, we can guarantee her safety."

Declan watched Piper lean in to speak with the bride and her mother. Piper's excitement was so genuine and infectious…and suddenly he realized that the wedding planner dream might have been the one created by Piper and her mom, but it was now fully in Piper's heart.

She cared so much about making these women's dreams come true. He could see it in every move of her hands, her smile, the way her face lit up. This was her zone of genius, her gift. She was gorgeous while she was talking, because her spirit lit her up.

Damn. She had to do this.

"Declan? You there?"

He forced himself to turn away so he could focus on Dylan. "Piper won't hide. She's in the middle of a crisis with her business. She can't walk away."

Dylan laughed softly. "I get that. You good to stay with her for now?"

"Yeah. For sure."

"All right. I'll be back in touch soon." Dylan paused. "Thank you for helping the other night. This is our situation, and we'll do whatever it takes to ensure the safety of Piper and her friends. We fucked up by allowing her to get identified, and we'll own it."

Declan rubbed his head. "Yeah, well, I fucked up by asking her to help." The guilt had been weighing on him constantly. If something happened to her?—

He looked over, and his gut went cold when he saw the table was empty. All four women were gone. He hung up on Dylan instantly, and called Piper as he sprinted across the ballroom, looking around frantically. "Piper!" he shouted .

He'd promised not to make a scene and scare the bride and her mom, but all bets were off when she disappeared. "Piper!"

She didn't answer her phone, and fear gripped his throat as he sprinted toward the main doors. He burst out into the hallway, and it was empty.

"Piper!" He took off down the hall, racing toward the parking lot. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. "Piper!" He burst out the front doors, and saw the four women standing by a Porsche, chatting amicably.

The bride was getting into the driver's seat, and her mom was walking around to the passenger side.

Hell. He stopped and bent over, his hands on his knees, fighting for his breath. He couldn't breathe. His head was pounding. His knee was screaming.

Swearing, he sat down on the curb, bracing his forearms on his knees as he watched Piper and his mom say their farewells.

Hell. They were safe. Completely fine. And he'd nearly lost his mind.

His phone rang. Dylan. He answered it. "Sorry about that. I lost sight of Piper for a minute. Had to handle it."

Dylan whistled softly. "Does she know how you feel about her?"

"I don't feel any way about her. I'm her protector."

"Liar," Dylan said softly. "Your voice is shaking."

Declan cleared his throat. "Just out of breath."

"From running for two minutes? No." Dylan paused. "You ready for her? For this?"

"No."

"You going to do it anyway?"

Declan watched Kitty and Piper wave good-bye and stand arm in arm, watching as the Porsche drove away. They were both laughing and giggling. They looked happy, like partners in crime. "She doesn't want to get involved with me. Or anyone."

"Neither did my brothers, but the best thing they ever did was do it anyway. I didn't believe any of us had a chance until I saw them make it work. You've seen Maddie and Lucas. You going to walk away from that?"

"It's what she wants, so yes."

"Or she's so scared that she can't even let herself dream."

Declan ground his jaw. "She's not scared. She's determined."

"Hell, man. Are you for real? We're all scared. All of us. Piper walked away from three weddings, right?"

Declan didn't ask how Dylan knew. The man ran a detective agency. "Yeah."

"You know why her dad's in prison?"

Declan took a breath. "Don't tell me. It's Piper's story to tell."

"Well, I'll just say that growing up the way she did, if she's not scared shitless to trust anyone, then she's not a human being. And you have your own crap. She's Maddie's best friend, which means she's an amazing human being. And we like you, so that means you're a good guy, but you walk in shadows too. Maybe it's the first time either of you met someone worth trusting. Don't walk away without giving it all you have."

"I'm giving it all I have."

"Are you?"

Declan tightened his grip on his phone as Piper and his mom neared. "I gotta go. Keep me posted."

"Will do." Dylan didn't even hesitate at the change in subject. "See ya."

Declan shoved his phone in his pocket and stood up as the women approached. "How'd it go?"

"Great!" Piper's eyes were sparkling. "I loved her. She's wonderful."

Kitty beamed at him. "Piper is fantastic. She lights up the world."

Declan smiled. "She does," he agreed.

"If Piper were a singer, I'd sign her to a contract immediately," Kitty said. "That kind of passion, fire, and talent is the secret combo to success." Kitty turned to Piper. "I loved how you told her that your schedule was filling up and you needed an answer tonight. Well done."

"Thanks." Piper grinned. "I didn't sound desperate?"

"You sounded confident. I loved it." Kitty looked at her watch. "We have ten minutes until the next one arrives. I'm going to run to the ladies room. Piper?"

"I'm all set. I'll meet you in the café in five."

"Ah…" Kitty looked meaningfully between them. "You want a little private time with Declan. I get that. See you in a minute, my darlings." She blew Piper a kiss and then headed down the brick walkway, pausing to chat cheerfully with the landscapers, as she always did.

Declan watched her go. "Thanks, Mom."

She was already through the doors and didn't hear him.

Piper touched his arm, her face glowing. "Thank you so much for calling her. It's amazing what having her recommendation does. I don't have to prove myself. My capabilities are assumed, and all I have to do is show up and be me. Plus, your mom has amazing ideas!"

Declan grinned. "You're welcome." He paused. "I can see your passion," he said. "This is your dream. I understand now. It lights you up."

Piper nodded. "It does. I want to be the creator of fairytales. It's my gift."

"I can see that." He paused, Dylan's words gnawing at him. "You know, with my mom's help, you may not need someone else's business to get clients. Maybe this is the break to go out on your own."

She stared at him, and there was no mistaking the longing in her eyes.

"Maybe go into business with her," he suggested. "With my mom."

"Holy crap." Piper said. "That's a great idea. You think she'd do it?"

"She likes to invest in women, so yeah, maybe. "

"Kitty!" Piper whirled around and raced into the club. "Kitty, wait."

Declan shoved his hands in his pockets and strode after her. His mom and Piper going into business together? It was a brilliant idea. It would probably work.

But putting his mom and Piper together?

He'd felt Piper pull away from him from the moment he'd suggested it. The idea made her powerful and independent, and she wouldn't need him anymore. Not for her career, and not even for support. Fake fiancé job over. She'd have it all. Hell, she would even have a mom to do the business with. Kitty was his mom, obviously, but he could tell she'd already claimed Piper.

What did that leave for him? What would Piper need him for?

Nothing.

Which meant she had to want him.

But she didn't. Not for the full ride, at least.

He thought of Dylan's advice as he pulled open the front door and strode inside. What if she did want him, but she was holding back because of fear?

And what did he want? He loved her, yeah, but did he want more? Could he afford more? Could he risk that leap? It had taken him years to recover from his last one.

Ahead of him, he saw his mom and Piper talking animatedly, and he stopped, watching them.

Piper was drifting out of his reach as he stood there. All he had to do was nothing, and the engagement would fade. His mom probably wouldn't even be disappointed, because she'd have Piper either way.

They turned and hurried down the hallway, still chattering animatedly.

Piper was stepping into her power, and she deserved it.

If he told her he loved her, if he decided he wanted more, would that screw up everything for her? Steal from her the very dreams that were finally coming alive for her? Would she think that the deal with Kitty would disappear if she turned him down? Would she feel like she couldn't say no to him, and then, on their wedding day, she'd have to run from him, the way she'd had to run before?

Fuck. He wouldn't do that to her.

But…he loved her. He absolutely loved her. His heart was whole again, alive, laughing, joyful, because of her.

If he told her he loved her, what did that mean for him? He'd told Dylan and Aiden he wasn't ready. Was that the truth? Or was he lying to himself?