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“Where is she?”
“Back at the house. Getting herself ready like she’s got someplace to be.”
“What’s your problem? Why are you so hostile toward helping out an old friend?”
I sip my coffee slowly.
Dad shakes his head. “Don’t suppose she told you what happened?”
I glare again. But the voice behind me cuts me off.
“Yeah right,” Levi says, taking a seat beside me and shooting a thumb in my direction. “Because this is the face of someone who says, ‘this is a safe space.’” He scoffs and digs into the basket of croissants. “Yeah, heard about the runaway bride in town.”
“Runaway bride?” Dad jerks. “I told you Pepper Woods stopped by looking for a room.”
“You don’t remember? She was supposed to marry John Mayfield’s son. Yesterday.”
Dad’s eyes widen. “That’s right—she was engaged to Troy Mayfield. The wedding was yesterday?”
Levi reaches for the remote and flips through channels until Pepper’s picture comes on the screen with a red banner moving across the bottom.
Troy Mayfield Wedding Postponed—Bride Missing.
The screen flips to a reporter outside a venue. Behind her, vendors clear chairs, flower arrangements and signs pointing to the ceremony from the scene.
“Thank you, Cindy. That’s right, the wedding is officially postponed. Sources say the bride is ill while others flat out say she’s missing. We don’t have confirmation of either yet. Police are due to accept a missing person’s report as of one p.m. this afternoon when the twenty-four-hour time period is reached. In the meantime, do let us know if you’ve seen Penelope Walker. That’s her on the top right. She has blonde hair. She’s five foot three and is assumed to be in the D.C. area.”
Shit.
The sight of her picture on the screen and millions of people looking for her bothers me.
“Don’t they need permission to show someone’s face like that?” I ask.
“Nope.” My brother, the lawyer, shows up, slipping in beside Levi. “She signed up for this when she agreed to marry a public figure.”
Can’t argue with that.
“Dad says you took her to Elliot’s?” Levi asks.
“You took her to Elliot’s without cleaning it out first?” Noah is the neat freak and nerd of the family. He keeps nearly every aspect of his life spotless—even his relationships. First sign of trouble and this guy is out.
“It was Dad’s idea. Besides, she didn’t mind,” I argue.
“And by the looks of it…she slept just fine,” Levi mutters appreciatively, looking over my shoulder.
I turn and find Pepper with the same hoodie from last night, open this time revealing her white tee and a black silk skirt that looks remarkably fitting. Her hair is still wet from the shower. Her white sneakers making an interesting statement to the entire ensemble.
Quickly, Dad grabs the remote from Levi and turns off the TV. “Morning, Penelope.”
“Morning, Mr. Reeves.”
“You can call me Aiden now.”
She nods curtly. “Aiden.”
“You remember my other two knuckleheads here. Levi and Noah.”
Pepper gives a warm smile, but before she has a chance to say anything, Levi slides off his stool and embraces her.
