I stared at her and asked, “What truth? I meant it. I’m serious about marrying you.”
Piper let out a bitter laugh, a flicker of sadness in her eyes. “You don’t have to feed me a line. You’ve always been in love with Elena, haven’t you? I’m guessing that this engagement is just to provoke her. The moment she gives in, you’ll drop me. Isn’t that the plan?”
Her words left me feeling guilty and a little angry that she’d think of me that way.
Grandma chuckled in my head. “She’s jealous.”
When I heard that, my anger melted away. I took Piper’s hand and asked softly, “What if I told you that I’m serious?”
She tried to pull away, but I wouldn’t let her.
She lifted her gaze, as if holding something back. “Rowan, are you done with Elena? Have you really decided to marry me?”
I frowned and asked, “What else would I be saying? Or do you just not want to marry me?”
Before I could finish speaking, she yanked me into a hug, holding on as if she were finally allowing herself to feel it. When she spoke, her voice carried a warmth I had never heard from her. “I do.”
We set the wedding for ten days later.
After everything that happened the day before, Piper and I warmed up to each other quickly. So when she asked me to grab dinner, I said yes right away.
We had barely stepped into the mall when two familiar figures appeared before us.
Elena saw Piper at my side and her brows snapped together. “What are you doing here?”
Piper raised an eyebrow and shot back without blinking, “Oh, so you two can go shopping together, but my fiance and I can’t go on a date?”
She leaned hard on the word “fiance“, and Elena’s expression turned sour.
“There’s nothing between me and Miles. Don’t make things up.” It was the first time Elena had denied her relationship with Miles in public. He looked hurt but stayed silent.
Grandma put it plainly. “She just can’t admit what she wants. She still wants it both ways.”
I agreed silently, I wasn’t about to waste time on Elena. I wanted to live my own life. So, I didn’t give her a chance to keep talking and steered Piper into the restaurant.
Piper placed the order. When I glanced at the menu, I realized that she had already picked all of my favorites.
She caught my look and cleared her throat. “You mentioned what you liked once, so I remembered.”
It surprised me. I couldn’t help thinking back to when I was with Elena. She never once remembered my spice allergy and always ordered dishes loaded with peppers.
I had pointed it out more than once, but she would just laugh and say that she had a bad memory. I believed her, so I let it go. However, I later discovered that Miles was the one who loved spicy food.
Love and indifference couldn’t be more different.
Piper flushed under my stare and hurried to change the subject, “There’s a new ice cream place downstairs. Want to try it?”
I nodded. She practically sprinted off, as if another second by the table would have turned her red as a stop sign.
1/2
Chapter 7
+15 Bonus
Grandma sounded pleased. “She’s really sweet. Rowan’s lucky to have her.”
I didn’t deny it.
Just then, someone sat down across from me. I looked, smiling, but my smile vanished the moment I saw Elena. “Do you need something?”
Elena blurted, “Rowan, there are still ten days before your wedding. It’s not too late. Call off your engagement with Piper and ask Edmund to let us be engaged instead. I’ll marry you right away!”
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
