Page 41 of Trust

“The maid of honor got my seat.”

Or that is what Royal claimed.

“What the hell?”

She shrugged and tried to ignore the way he looked. The man was made to wear a tux. It looked like it had been custom-made for him, which made sense since he had bought one just for this occasion.

“Lani?”

She blinked, realizing she was staring up at him like an idiot. Yep, she was sure that she looked like an idiot.

“What did you ask? Sorry? Blood sugar is low.”

Her aunt had brought the extra person, as did a few other family members. Any no-shows and extra meals were snapped up.

His frown darkened, and even in his irritation, he was gorgeous. His face flushed, and his eyes narrowed.

“Did you not eat?”

She shook her head and opened her mouth to explain, but he didn’t give her time.

“What do you want?”

She blinked. “What?”

“What do you want? Steak, salmon, whatever, tell me.”

“You don’t have to do that, Jake.”

His eyes darkened. They seemed to do that any time she called him by the nickname. “No,Idon’t. Your dumbass brother should be wondering why you hadn’t eaten. Either way, I want to make sure you’re fed.” The cake had been cut, and the toasts had been given, so neither had a reason to be there anymore. “Which restaurant do you like here?”

She shrugged. “All of them are decent.”

“I’m going to beg off. Tell your brother that I have to call my sister or something. Meet me in the lobby, and we’ll decide.”

She should stay. She shouldn’t run off with Jakob, but she had done her part. From the moment her brother started dating Royal, she had been the dutiful sister. When he had sprung the wedding on her, then dumped everything into her lap, she had done what she needed to do. It had always been the two of them, and she felt he might realize his mistake. Or maybe his love would change Royal. Instead, it had changed him.

“Lani?”

She blinked again and nodded. “I’ll meet you there.”

Then, he kissed her cheek and strode away. She lifted her hand and brushed her fingers over her cheek. He’d kissed her as if it was the most normal thing to do. Her head spun with the turnabout the last few days had brought her. Lani wasn’t a woman who leaped into a relationship or even a situationship without thinking about it for a long time.

No, that was wrong. There had been one guy, and her ego was still reeling from that fallout.

As if to remind her the universe put Rick in her path.

“Hey, Lani. I thought we could talk.”

The man had lost his mind. He didn’t get it. Still, she understood her dumping him had been a blow. Rick wasn’t a man who got left by women. That was all this was, and she didn’t want to deal with it. Lani also didn’t want to have a scene at her brother’s wedding. It would make it harder to disappear.

“I don’t have time right now. I have to check on something for Royal.”

The lie rolled right off her tongue as if it were second nature. Yes, there were times she had to be careful about what she said in public. She was the head of PR, so she understood there weregray areas in business. But in her personal life, she rarely lied and never thought she would be that good at it.

At first, she thought Rick knew she was lying. His eyes narrowed, then his expression relaxed into what he thought was a charming smile. She had felt the same thing at one time. Now, though, he looked like a shark ready to attack.

“After?”

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