Page 78 of Marrying Off My Husband

“I do,” she said with a nod. “We’ll be friends for a very long time. I promise to always listen and never to walk away from you again. Deal?”

I lifted my pinky finger in the air. “Pinky swear?”

She locked her little finger around mine, and we both grinned. “Pinky swear.”

With a squeal, I threw my arms around her and squeezed her tight. “I was so afraid you were leaving me after what happened.”

“No,” she said with a shake of her head. “Now, can you help me put my bracelet on?”

I clasped it around her wrist before she fastened mine. My heart soared as I suggested we take a picture together with them. I snapped one of our clasped hands sporting the bracelets, both of us all smiles, and made it my new background on my phone.

I settled back in the cushions with my wine glass and my best friend to enjoy the rest of the evening. Before we could strike up a conversation, though, the front door slammed shut, startling me.

I twisted to find Spencer shuffling into the room. “Spencer!”

“I’m sorry, Lou. I’m sorry to interrupt, but…I think we have a big problem.”

The look on his face sent a shiver down my spine. What sort of problems did we have to face now?

CHAPTER 19

SPENCER

Both Eve and Louise’s features crinkled at my words as I shifted my weight from foot to foot, not wanting to ruin the special day Louise had planned.

Louise spoke up first. “What? What is it?”

I heaved a sigh, shaking my head as I recalled the news alert flashed across my phone screen, blaring the headline about Louise’s family drama.

My heart sank as I scrolled through the explosive details, the weight of Louise's potential distress pressing heavily on me. I knew this media frenzy could devour her privacy and peace, something she cherished deeply after the tumult with her mother. “The story about your mother leaked to the media. It’s all over the news. I barely made it out of the club without being questioned by half a dozen reporters.”

“Oh, no,” Louise said with a frown. “I guarantee you Mama did this. She’s trying to ruin my life with this nonsense because her plan didn’t work.”

I found my gaze shifting to Eve’s face even as Louise leapt from her seat, pacing the floor.

“Louise, I’m so sorry,” she said.

Louise plopped onto the couch next to Eve and pulled her into her arms. “Oh, darlin’, you don’t need to apologize. It’s perfectly normal for my mama to do this.”

“But it’s so unfair,” she said with a shake of her head. “If there’s any way I can help, I’m happy to do it.”

Eve’s eyes shifted to mine, questioning. In that moment, I wanted to be brilliant. I wanted to come up with a plan to save Louise and showcase my wits to Eve.

But all I could come up with was a weak suggestion. “Maybe you ought to lay low for a bit. I think…I think we need to put the dating on hold.”

Louise’s eyes went wide, her jaw dropping open. “No!”

She leapt from her seat, her fingers curled into fists. “No, not that.”

I hadn’t expected her to take it well, but she was taking it far worse than I expected. What was the big deal if we put off the dates until the media frenzy died down? “Lou, I think–

“No, Spencer,” she growled.

Eve rose, gently placing an arm on Louise’s shoulder. “Maybe he has a point.”

“I said no!” she shouted before her shoulders slumped. “Oh, Eve, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she said quietly.

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