Page 42 of The Wedding Wrecker

"Shut up and deal."

"What are you two whispering about?" Lily asked with way too much interest.

"Nothing," I said quickly.

"She's remembering this morning?—"

I elbowed him hard enough to make him grunt.

"What happened this morning?" Lily leaned forward eagerly.

"She—"

"Had a very small, super uninteresting incident," I cut in. "Nothing anyone would ever care to know about."

James caught my hand under the blanket and squeezed. "Whatever you say, princess. But maybe tonight we should establish a safe word?—"

I stomped on his foot.

Lily bit back a laugh and shot Marcus a look, but he was distracted by something on his phone.

We played a few hands of various card games while Lily peppered us with questions about "our relationship" between rounds. I tried to focus on the cards and not how James kept absently running his thumb over my knuckles when he thought no one was watching. Or how good he smelled when he leaned close to check my cards. Or how his whole body tensed whenever I gave the slightest hint that I might be in a little bit of pain.

For a man who heartlessly crashed the wedding of my career and ruined two people’s happily-ever-after in Ireland, he was suspiciously good at being a caretaker.

"So what other activities do you have planned?" Lily asked as she shuffled.

"Winter picnic on Thursday," I said. "Though maybe we'll move it indoors given my track record with snow."

"Perfect timing," Marcus said, his professional smile firmly in place. "That's when your new celebrity client's video should be going live, right babe? The one with the high engagement rate?"

I noticed James sit a little straighter.Was he suspicious of Marcus because of his interest in Lily’s business?I could see how it was suspicious, but someone who wasn’t paranoid could also say it was sweet that he was so interested in her career. Some guys couldn’t be bothered to learn a thing about their girlfriend’s company. Marcus already seemed like an expert.

"Oh, right!" Lily brightened. "She has the cutest little cockapoo. I can’t wait to see the video.”

“Right,” Marcus said. “And it’ll be great for?—”

"Well, well." A familiar voice made me cringe. "I’m surprised to see you alive and breathing after that spill on the slopes."

Dick sauntered over, followed by the trio of muscle brothers whose names I couldn’t quite remember at the moment. Richard Wellington, brought up the rear.

"I'm fine," I said quickly.

"Doesn't look fine." Dick perched on the arm of my chair, ignoring how James had gone very still. "I know some massage techniques that might help?—"

"She said she's fine." James' hand slid possessively around my shoulders. The temperature in his voice dropped about twenty degrees.

"Just trying to help." Dick raised his hands in surrender, but his smirk said otherwise.

"Yes, well." Richard's voice could have frozen the fireplace. "We can't have the wedding planner incapacitated. I trust this won't affect your duties?"

"Of course not, sir."

"Excellent. Though perhaps, next time, you could be more of a professional and stick to activities more suited to your... abilities."

James stood. "Emma's perfectly capable?—"

"It's fine," I cut in, touching his arm. The last thing I needed was my fake boyfriend starting a fight with my sister's future father-in-law. Even if the way he'd tensed to defend me was doing funny things to my stomach.

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