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“You don’t have to pretend. Just be there for her. You care about her, right? I assume so since you’re not willing to let your cousins do something to hurt her.”
“Yeah…”
“Well, hang around. Keep an eye on her. Make excuses to be with her. I don’t know. Dosomethingto make sure they’re never alone.”
Shane snorted. “How am I supposed to do that? I can’t exactly crash their dates.”
“Why not?”
He gaped at his friend. Technically, he was right. If that was the only way he could make this work, then that’s what he’d do. He’d just have to figure out how to keep tabs on Marc without him knowing.
8
Eloise
“I’m still not sold on this whole thing.” Brielle stood in Eloise’s doorway. It was as if she were trying to block Eloise from leaving altogether. “Are you sure he’s not… you know…”
Eloise let out a laugh. “What exactly are you suggesting? That he’s some serial killer? I assure you, he’s absolutely harmless.”
Brielle’s dark look couldn’t have been more humorous.
“Look, he took me to lunch, and he was a perfect gentleman.” She pursed her lips to the side as her thoughts shifted to Shane’s reaction. “There wasoneweird thing, though.”
“What’s that?”
“Shane didn’t want me to go out with him.”
Brielle stiffened. “See? If his own cousin doesn’t want you to go out with him, then you shouldn’t.”
Eloise placed her hands on her hips and gave her sister a pointed look. “I thought you weren’t on team-Shane. What happened to thinking he was a liar?”
“That was before—well, that was before now. I don’t know what it is, but I’m getting a bad feeling about Marc.”
“You haven’t even met him.”
“I don’t have to. There’s something really weird about this, don’t you think?”
Eloise shook her head. “You’re the weird one. We’ll be going to a public place. I’ll be fine.”
Her sister crossed her arms. “I’m being serious. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t think you should go out with him.”
Eloise let out a groan. “I’m notdatinghim. We’re just going out for breakfast or coffee. If you’re so worried, maybe you should come with us.”
Brielle gave her a disbelieving look. “I’m not going to be the third wheel on your date.”
She shrugged. “Suit yourself. It could be fun. And you could ask him all the questions Shane never told you.” Eloise saw it in Brielle’s eyes. She was tempted by that idea even though she hadn’t dated Shane for several months. That interest faded just as quickly.
“Nope. I’m not going. But I want you to give me access to your phone’s location at all times. I don’t want him dragging you off someplace to murder you before he dumps your body.”
“Geez, Bri. That’s a little morbid, don’t you think?”
“He’s anoutsider. Until he proves himself, we shouldalltreat him like a serial killer.”
“For heaven’s sake. You dated Shane. He was an outsider once.”
“That was different,” Brielle said.
Eloise sighed. “It really isn’t. But do me a favor and refrain from saying any of this in front of him. I don’t need him treating me differently. He’s really sweet. And while I’m notdatinghim right now, maybe it could happen.” She grinned. “You never know, right?” She pushed past Brielle and headed down the hall toward the door. She heard Brielle’s footsteps behind her and smiled wider. Brielle might not be willing to go on their little date with them, but she wasn’t about to let Marc take her little sister out without getting a good look at him.
