Page 57 of The Backup Bride Proposal

As her friend, he intended to help her keep that secret, no matter what.

Chapter

eighteen

Mae was upto her eyeballs in to-do list items in their morning meeting when Erin nudged her.

“Did you see this?”

She looked up from her list. “See what?”

“Kane and some actress looking cozy and intimate together in a coffee shop in L.A.”

Her heart lurched. She took Erin’s phone, zooming in on the pic of Kane and Everly Sloane looking very cozy, their hands entwined. Her stomach lurched and she wanted to expand the pic, to search every plane and angle and nuance. But then she reminded herself that Kane wasn’t hers, so she handed the phone back to Erin.

By then, everyone else had looked at the pic. Everyone but Brenna, anyway, since she was off on her honeymoon with Finn. At least that was one less person to see her embarrassed.

“No big deal,” Mae said. “They work together a lot and they’re friends.”

“Of course,” Erin said. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“Even if it is, it wouldn’t matter. It’s not like we’re exclusive or anything.”

“Still, it has to bother you, honey,” Honor said. “He could have told you.”

“But he probably didn’t even know someone was taking their picture,” she said, immediately realizing she was coming to his defense. Why would she defend him when it was obvious what was going on?

Her phone pinged and she picked it up to see a message from Kane.

Just saw the pic of Everly and me. We ran into each other at the studio and had lunch. Nothing happened. Can we talk about it?

She stared at the message, searching for clues to the real meaning of that photo and finding nothing.

“Is that from Kane?” Maureen asked, a look of concern on her face.

“Yes. He wants to talk about the photo.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“I don’t know. I guess we’ll talk. But later.” She laid her phone down. “Right now we have things to discuss, so let’s get to it.”

Fortunately, they all got back to the items on the agenda, and Mae’s drama was forgotten, at least for now. After the meeting she went back to her office to deal with her to-do list items.

Honor poked her head in. “Hey. Are you all right?”

She nodded. “I’m fine.”

Honor tilted her head.

“Okay, not totally fine. You know, I have a past with a man who wasn’t honest with me, so I’m wondering if this is a repeat of that. Plus, the whole Hollywood angle.”

“It’s a valid concern,” Honor said, stepping in to take a seat. “You have to be able to trust the guy you’re with.”

“Which is why I’ve never wanted a serious relationship with any man since I broke off my engagement to Isaac. I’m not about to put my heart out there again, only to have it trampled. Again.”

“Noted.” Honor shifted, laying her stuff down on the edge of Mae’s desk. “But, honey. No one deserves love more than you. Eventually you’re going to find someone who loves you back. Wholly. Completely. Honestly.”

Not if she didn’t let them.

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