Without a Hitch(64)

“Eli! Enough with the thongs.”

“You’re right. Think Mable still has those edible panties from April Fool’s Day?”

“Oh my God. Stop! Everyone, just stop.”

“Till?” Turning toward Delaney, I brace myself for the verbal beating I’m sure she wants to give me. “I—I know what you said on the phone. It sounds like a no-brainer. A deal you can’t turn down, but…” Her eyes go glassy, and she blinks feverishly. I have no doubt my empathetic friend is imagining herself in my shoes. “But do you think it’s worth your heart?”

“I know, deep down, that he isn’t going to try to hurt me.”

“That’s not what I asked,” she replies softly.

“I think it has to be. With his hotels in my back pocket, I won’t have to rely on anyone to get The I Do Crew going.”

“There are so many loose ends though. How do you know he’ll follow through with this?” Hadley asks with a shaky voice that matches her hands.

“I just do. I can’t explain it, but I do trust him on this.” I scan their worried expressions before adding, “And we’ll have a contract.”

“And Colton would probably kill him if he didn’t follow through,” Eli points out while poking her head out of my closet. She’s holding up four different bikini tops. Her boobs are much bigger than mine, so I’m not sure why she’s holding them up to her breasts. As she tosses some into the suitcase, it becomes clear. She’s choosing the tiniest ones she can find.

“There’s going to be a contract?” Delaney asks, not glancing up from her notebook.

“Yes. We started going over it on the plane. The terms are straightforward.” I swallow past the lump working its way up my throat.

“Then we have to ensure this goes the way you want.”

“How do you suggest she does that?” Hadley groans, flopping onto her back dramatically.

“You either make him fall in love with you so you get him and the hotel—because let’s face it, if he’s in love with you, he won’t sabotage your burgeoning business.”

My eyes roll in my head so hard I’m afraid they’ll get stuck.

“Or,” Eli prods.

“Or,” Delaney drawls, “you make sure he doesn’t fall in love with you.”

We all turn slowly to gape at her.

“What?” we ask in unison.

“He doesn’t believe in marriage. That’s one of your goals in life.” Delaney turns kind eyes on me.

“I don’t mean that in a bad way, just that it’s an important piece you’re not willing to give up, right?”

I nod.

“Then you need to remind both of you how much you love love as often as possible. And weddings. And the happily ever after.”

“You want to weaponize her love of love?” Eli nods appreciatively.

“Well,” Delaney hedges. “I didn’t exactly mean it like that. I just meant…”

“That’s exactly what you meant. She’s going to Trojan horse him with weddings. Bombard him with love from the inside out. He’ll either crumble and see the error of his ways, win-win for Tilly, or he’ll run for the hills, which will still be a professional win for Tilly.”

“Trojan horse him?” I ask.

“Trojan horse him,” they all reply.

“No! I don’t want to fiddle your anything.” Lochlan’s raised voice has us all scrambling from the room.

“Are you packed?” he asks, panic evident when I enter the family room to find Mable lounging on the sofa and him backed up against the wall.

“Mable,” Hadley hisses. “Did you ask him to, to…”

“Oh, relax. I did not. I asked him if he liked Fiddle the Bean.”

Lochlan narrows his eyes. “You asked if I liked to fiddle the bean.”

“That two-letter word makes all the difference in that sentence, Mable, and you know it.” I scold.

Turning to him, I bite back a grin. “Mable owns a coffeehouse chain called Fiddle the Bean.”

His gaze is wild as it darts around the room. Mable definitely put him through his paces, and I can’t even feel guilty about it.

“Are you ready to go?” he asks again.

Turning to the girls, Eli rolls a suitcase out behind her. “Anything you don’t have you can buy.”

She winks but I’m not sure I like her expression.

“Done,” Lochlan exclaims, grabbing the suitcase in one hand, and me in the other. “Let’s go. Nice to meet you, ladies.” He lowers his voice and nudges me out the door. “Most of you, anyway.”

Lochlan on a mission is like a cyclone, and I’m caught in the eye.

Where the hell is he going to spit me out when this is all said and done?

Outside, he puts my suitcase in the trunk while I settle in the front seat. Suddenly exhausted, I rest my head on the window. When I wake again, we’re back on his private plane and Lochlan’s gaze covers me like a blanket.





C HAPTE R 23

LOCHLAN

T illy stirs in the seat across from me. As much as I’d wanted to lay her across my lap, I needed some space after the clusterfuck in her apartment.