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“It’s Stella.” He finally continued. “She’s not my bride, she’s my sister. I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you and I’m sorry I let the lie go on for so long. I shoulda told you earlier. I was afraid you would walk the second you found out there was no brideandhad to plan a wedding in two weeks.”
Wow. Ok. Well, she never saw that one coming.
He pushed to his feet and shoved his hands in his pockets. He could not stand in the middle of the aisle without hunching over a little, but his head still grazed the low ceiling of the cabin.
She followed him to his feet. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand. Sister? Why would you lie to me? What about the wedding? Then it’s off? I’m confused.” She peppered him with one question after another.
“Technically I didn’t—my sister did.”
She stiffened. “Technically doesn’t count.” She could feel the heat in her cheeks, this time not out of any sort of shyness. No,this was pure disappointment and ire. He was wasting her time. And now she would need to find another client to save her shop.
“I need to return to LA. I have things I need to take care of.” An office to pack up and employees to break the bad news to. She retrieved her phone and punched in the shop’s number.
“Wait. You’re not giving me a chance here, sweetheart.” Marshall put a hand on her arm trying to slow her roll in packing up all her work gear.
Her gaze shot to his and she narrowed her eyes to tiny slits. It didn’t seem to bother him in the least, though.
“I need you to hear me out, Juniper.”
“You don’t get it, Mr. Blackwood.” She visibly watched him stiffen at the ice in her voice. Well good. Served him right. “No bride, no wedding, no contract. I need to get home. This leaves me in some hot water and so you know, no refund. My time is worth money. A lot more than what you paid, but frankly I don’t care enough to take your ass to court for breaking the contract.”
Besides, she hated legal anything and taking anyone to court just wasn’t her style.
He glanced at his watch. “We’re only a couple of hours outside of Houston. Take a seat, stop huffing at me long enough for me to explain.”
He gestured to the chair and his eyes pleaded with the part of her that wanted to not be so calm and collected.
Her gaze was drawn to his chest as the white cotton of his shirt clung to his broad chest. He took a deep breath and the cloth tightened further. Why did she have to be attracted to the wrong man? Every. Single. Time.
“I guess I am your captive, Mr. Blackwood. By all means, please explain. And then once we land, I’ll catch a plane back home.”
“We’ll see about that.”
He slid her a look that told her she wasn’t going to like what he was about to say. “First, tell me something. At the coffee shop this morning, before all the interruptions, you were about to say something. What was it?” He angled his head in a way that made the sun peeking through the cabin window catch every shade of brown in his hair. Fascinating.
“Huh?”
“You said something about my shoulders and the tic in my jaw made you what? You didn’t finish.”
Why in the world did that matter right this minute or even at all? Yeah, look at her all cool and calm when her insides were anything but. Not going there. She almost told him she couldn’t explain why, but he made her feel safe. Like the storm of unease that rolled through her since learning she could lose everything settled the second he was close to her. “I don’t remember.”
Marshall frowned for a second and then shook his head.
She didn’t care and it would stay that way.
Juniper blew out a breath and took a sip of her now cold coffee.
He didn’t know the kind of predicament he left her in. Now, where would she find a client in time? Maybe it was for the best she did close.
He sat there, elbows on his knees and eyes cast down. Probably coming up with another lie to tell her.
He reached into his opened briefcase in the seat next to him and placed a single sheet of paper turned to where she couldn’t read what was printed on the front.
“What’s that?”
“The single sheet of paper that will save your beautiful ass. And mine.”
“Excuse me?” Her brow furrowed in confusion. The man was off his rocker. Beautiful? Sure. Of course, her mind clung to that word.
