You Say It First
Page 29

Nick looked at her. “You’re not in the picture.”
“That’s right,” she said with a lightness she didn’t feel. “It was just her and Cade.” She shivered. “I don’t know why it’s so hard with her, but it is.”
“You still need a distraction.”
“Like a tattoo on my forehead? I’m not sure that would end well for me.”
“I was thinking more of a who, not a what.” His dark gaze settled on her face. “Want a bring-to-dinner temporary boyfriend?”
Her heart stumbled a beat or two while her girl parts began to cheer. “Are you offering?”
He gave her that slow, sexy smile of his. “I am. I can be a great distraction. She’ll be so charmed, she’ll leave you alone. And if she starts in on you, I’ll be there to protect you.”
Unexpected tears burned in her eyes. She quickly blinked them away and told herself not to be an idiot. Having Nick offer to protect her wasn’t cryworthy. Only she thought maybe it was. She couldn’t remember the last time a guy who wasn’t family had wanted to stand between her and potential danger.
“It’s my mother,” she warned, hoping her voice sounded normal and not too fraught with emotion. “There will be drama.”
He lightly kissed her. “I’m an artist, Pallas. We live for drama. It’s all part of the process. Tell me when and where, and I’ll be there.”
“Thank you.”
“Anytime.”
Staring up at him, she felt herself wanting to do more than flash her boobs. She wanted to tell him he was really nice and that she liked him. Which should have scared the heck out of her—and yet it didn’t.
CHAPTER NINE
THE STARBUCKS BY the river was a busy place. Pallas was happy to get a table. She pulled a second chair close and waited for Natalie to arrive. Drinking a Mocha in the middle of the afternoon was playing with fire—or at the very least risking a night of insomnia. But the dinner for Cade was that night and Nick had offered to drive. That meant Pallas could be wild and have a second glass of wine.
She briefly wondered if planning her day around lattes and wine meant she had some kind of problem, then decided she didn’t care. She would face that tomorrow, after dealing with her mother. Surely she deserved that much of a break.
She saw Natalie walk into the store and waved her over. “I took a chance and got your favorite,” she said, holding out the Dirty Chai latte. “It’s the world’s most disgusting order.”
Natalie laughed as she took a seat. “How can you say that?”
“It’s tea with a shot of espresso. You’re not supposed to mix coffee and tea. It’s unnatural.”
“Thank you for the drink and indulging me.” She set her bag on the floor. “How are things? All I hear about these days is the alien wedding. Everyone is so excited. I’m happy to have a small part to contribute.”
She opened her large bag and pulled out a sketch pad. “I’ve been working on a mask,” she said, opening the cover to show Pallas several drawings. Each of them was different, representing the different characters from the game. “I’m already figuring out how to do the folding. I’m going to make them life-size and hang them in groups.”
The drawings were both beautiful and disturbing. Pallas thought they were fantastic, but wasn’t sure if they were wedding appropriate.
“What did Nova say?”
Natalie sighed with pleasure. “She loves them, so yay.”
“Then it’s a go.”
“I’m happy. How’s the rest of the wedding?”
“It’s coming together. Everyone’s helping, which I really appreciate.” Pallas frowned. “I just realized all my friends have time to help me. Is that good or bad?”
“We’re making time because we’re excited about the project, not because we’re bored. Don’t worry about us.”
“I hope so.” Pallas wanted the people she loved to be happy. “None of us are dating. I wonder if that means anything.”
“It doesn’t.”
She looked at Natalie and raised her eyebrows. “Maybe you need a man.”
Natalie held up her fingers in the shape of a cross. “Thanks, but no. I’ve sworn off men. Maybe not for the rest of my life, but for a while yet. My last relationship hardly ended well.”
Pallas wanted to protest that her friend was pretty and smart and funny and kind. She was exactly who every single guy should be searching for, yet Natalie didn’t look or date or even hint that she was interested in anyone, and who could blame her?
Pallas didn’t know all the details, but the broad strokes of Natalie’s story were that she’d been left pretty much at the altar by her jackass fiancé. With no family and no job waiting for her anywhere else, Natalie had stayed in Happily Inc while she figured out what to do next. She’d answered an ad for a personal assistant to Atsuko at the gallery and had quickly worked her way up to office manager.
She’d made friends, rented a great apartment and created beautiful pieces of art. But as far as Pallas knew, she hadn’t been on a date in the past two years.
“What do you know about Nick?” she asked impulsively.
Natalie sipped her drink. “Our Nick?” Her mouth curved up in a smile. “Does someone have a crush?”
“No. Of course not.” Pallas was afraid she’d spoken too quickly. “We’re friends. You know he’s restoring the panels for Weddings in a Box, plus he’s been helping with the alien wedding. We’re friends.”
Natalie looked amused. “Yes, you mentioned that already.”
Pallas ignored her. “Cade’s back in town. There’s a command performance dinner tonight. Nick offered to go with me and run interference. I was just wondering what you knew about him that I didn’t.”
Her friend didn’t look convinced. “If you say so,” she murmured, before adding, “I don’t know him that well, but he seems like a very nice man. He and his brothers get along. They’re not as close as Mathias and Ronan, but then they’re not...” Her voice trailed off.
“I know about them growing up, thinking they were twins,” Pallas told her. “Nick told me.”
Natalie set down her drink. “I haven’t met Ceallach Mitchell yet, but I swear he’s an awful person. He’s demanding and cruel. Who just blurts out that kind of information, and then doesn’t tell anyone so his sons can have a little support? Their mother didn’t know they’d found out, so she didn’t talk to them, and Nick, Aidan and Del had no idea. Ronan and Mathias were totally on their own. They had to figure it out for themselves. It bites.”
Pallas couldn’t remember the last time Natalie had been so upset about something. She worked with the brothers, handling the sales of the work and who knew what else around the office, plus she was an artist, too. It made sense they’d gotten close.
“It’s been really hard on everyone,” Pallas said. “If I were them, I wouldn’t know what to think.”
“Me, either, but at least they have each other and their brothers.” Natalie straightened in her chair. “Anyway, I don’t know Nick as well as the others, but he seems like a good guy. He has a sense of humor and has absolutely no interest in the business side of selling his work.”