Page 33

Bishop

She fell silent, eyelashes dropping to veil her expression while she ate. I didn’t push her to talk. She’d heard a lot of information over the past few hours and needed time to process it. I needed her to be in a clear headspace to sell the story that we were happily married over the weekend, so I focused on my own food and let her process.

When she pushed her plate away and reached for her wine, I placed my silverware down and straightened in my seat.

“How about we met in Dallas? A chance meeting which resulted in you offering me a seat on your friend’s plane back to New York. We hit it off during the flight and made plans to see each other again. And things progressed from there.”

I considered it. “Enough of the truth with a vagueness that will be easy to expand on.” I nodded. “That works.”

“Okay, good.” She toyed with the stem of her wine glass.

“Ask me.”

Her gaze lifted and met mine. “Ask you what?”

“Whatever has you fidgeting and nervous.”

Her tongue came out to sweep over her lips. “Your friend is expecting you to bring someone. A girlfriend. Someone you’re intimate with.”

“I did inform him I’d have someone with me, yes.”

“He’ll expect us to share a room.”

“I imagine so.”

She took a swallow of wine. “And a bed.”

Ahh, that’s the problem.

“You have nothing to worry about. I am in perfect control of my actions and won’t leap on you.”

Her cheeks turned red. “I wasn’t trying to—”

“I know. It’s a valid concern, but I assure you, you’ll be as safe as you would be with a wall between us. There’s no way I can ask for separate rooms without raising suspicion. But you have my word, the only time we need to present as a married couple is when people are watching. I doubt even that will be necessary. The mere fact I’ve brought someone with me should be enough to tell people it’s serious.”

“Because you don’t introduce your girlfriends to your inner circle of friends and family. I remember.” She tilted her wine glass, looking down at the red liquid inside. “Don’t you think that might make it more interesting to people? They’ll be watching to see how you behave with someone you’re intimate with because they’ve never seen you in that situation before.”

“Maybe. But they’re hardly going to expect us to be fucking on the dining room table or anything.” I purposely chose that phrase to see her reaction.

It didn’t disappoint.

Her face turned as red as her hair and her jaw dropped, lips parting on a startled gasp.

“There we go. If people start to question the validity of our relationship, all I need to do is whisper something crude in your ear. That reaction should change everyone’s minds.”

“You wouldn’t!”

“I might. I’m not ruling anything out. I need to send a message, but it also needs to be subtle and unoffensive.” I reached for the wine bottle. “Would you like some more?”

She shook her head. “Not if you want me to wake up and be pleasant to people tomorrow.” She stood. “In fact, I’ll clear up and then I think I’ll go to bed. I get the feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

“Leave it. You did the cooking, the least I can do is clean up.”

She hesitated, hand hovering over her plate.

“Eden, leave it.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m more than capable of cleaning up after a meal. Go and get some sleep. Like you said, tomorrow is going to be busy, and you’re going to need your wits about you.”

***

I was in the kitchen drinking coffee when Eden wandered in, still in her pajamas. She tossed me a sleepy smile on her way to the coffee machine, and I watched her over the rim of my mug as she moved around making a drink, putting bread into the toaster, and taking out a plate, butter knife and spread.

She finally settled onto a chair, one leg bent with her knee leaning against the table, while she nibbled on the toast.

“How did you sleep?”

“Good, thanks. I set an alarm, so you didn’t have to come and wake me.” She sipped her coffee. “Do you have an overnight bag or something I can use to pack clothes for the weekend? I looked in the closet but couldn’t see anything.”

“I do. I’ll get it out for you.”

“Thank you.” The wedding band on her finger caught my eye as she lifted her mug.

“We should add an engagement ring.”

She blinked. “What?”

I nodded toward her hand. “A man in love would have bought you an engagement ring before the wedding ring. We’ll fix that on our way to Crosby’s.”

“You don’t need to. We could just say I left it here.”

I shook my head. “That won’t work. No. We’ll leave a little earlier than I planned, and detour to a jeweler I know.”

“Do you really think it’s necessary?”

“I do. Susannah will be looking for any hint at all that things aren’t what they seem. We don’t want to give her any cause for suspicion.”

Her sigh was soft. “Okay. It just seems like a waste of money.”

I shrugged. “Call it a necessary expenditure.” I drained my coffee and stood. “I need to shower and change. We’ll leave at eleven. I’ll put the overnight bag on your bed.”