Page 85 of Welcome Home to Ivy Falls

‘Maisey, you’re a good friend. You have my word that both Piper and I will be honest with each other before I go back to Africa.’

She gave me a nod and hurried back to where the parents were inspecting the costumes. Her voice continued to rattle in my head. She had asked me to be honest, but on the rooftop that night, Piper had been firm about the conditions of our plan and I’d agreed. If I pushed, wouldn’t I be like all the other men in her life who never listened to what she wanted?

As soon as she was beside me, Piper gave me a smile that pulled all the air from my chest.

Fuck. How could she do that to me?

‘Silvio and Ferris have been pestering me for an hour. They need your help backstage to bring in the admiral’s platform for the show’s opening scene near the Banks’ home on Cherry Tree Lane.’

‘Okay, I’ll head back there in a second, but there’s a question I need to ask first. And please feel free to say no if you want.’

She sat down in the upholstered theater chair and pulled me beside her. ‘You sound too serious. What’s going on? Is it Old Mrs V?’

I clasped her hand. It always felt perfect against my palm. Everything about being near her felt right. ‘Greta is fine.’

‘There’s an uneasy tone to your voice I don’t like.’

‘It’s not a big deal. I just need to ask if you want to go to a party with me?’

Her brows furrowed. ‘A party?’

‘It’s for my parents. I know I talked about keeping you away from them, but it’s their fortieth wedding anniversary. My brother and I have to be there. Give a toast.’

‘Ford, it’s fine. It sounds like fun.’

I pressed my lips together. ‘It won’t be.’

‘Why?’

‘My parents, well, I’ve told you about them. They can be hard on my friends. And,’ I gulped, ‘especially tough on women I bring home. I’d rather eat glass than have you anywhere near them, but if I don’t take a date, my mother will spend the entire evening throwing eligible women in my direction. It will be a nightmare considering the only thing that will be on my mind is you.’

‘Ford.’ She inched close until our knees touched. ‘One night with your parents can’t be that bad.’

‘You have no idea, Bird. If you don’t want to put yourself through the snobbery, the elitist bullshit that’s bound to happen, tell me now and I’ll go alone.’

She rolled back her shoulders. Gave me a wicked grin that made my dick twitch. ‘So you need someone to have your back if your folks get to be too much?’

‘Sadly, yes,’ I confessed.

‘And there’s also a possibility that your date will need to get mysteriously and violently ill, giving you an excuse to leave if things go bad?’

‘Oh my God, you are fucking brilliant.’

She laughed and put her hand to my cheek. There was so much light in her eyes it made me want to pull her onto my lap. Kiss her until she was dazed. Most of all, it made me want to confess that I was falling in love with her and didn’t think I could stop.