“And what about you?”

  Blunder five million. She wanted to slap a hand to her mouth. She couldn’t believe what just fell from her lips.

  She swallowed back the lump in her throat.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.”

  He shifted in his chair, stretching all six-plus feet of his body out giving a little more emphasis on the area between his thighs. Where her eyes didn’t need to caress. But they did anyway.

  “Don’t be,” he said, chuckling lightly, his lips pulling into an easy smile. Some reminder or another went off on his computer and he turned to it. His brows drew down and all the mirth from his eyes faded.

  She wanted to kick her own ass a thousand different ways. Why the ever-loving hell did she say that?

  They worked in silence for the next few hours with the occasional answer to one question or another. The only other sound that filled the cabin was the crinkle of papers and the clacking of her nails over the keyboard as she lined up meetings with two local dress shops in Houston. It took finagling and hanging major dollar signs in front of them to stay open on Saturday, but she managed.

  While Marshall tended to his meeting, she could make progress with the wedding and hopefully steal Stella away for a while so she could nail down firm details. She still didn’t know the venue or the number on the guest list to expect. She needed solid details if she was to pull off this miracle of weddings in time.

  Marshall stood and moved to the back of the cabin where the small kitchenette was located. The only thing she spied on her way to the restroom was a coffeemaker and a can of dark roast. A few moments later, sure enough, he came back with two steamy cups.

  “I could use a break. My eyes are starting to cross. How about you?”

  “Sure. Thank you.” She took the offered cup. “Do you travel a lot?”

  He drank deeply before answering. “Not much since Pop became ill a couple of years back. We were in and out of the hospital a lot, the business was in a critical point and I couldn’t take my eyes off it or risk a few ruthless sharks moving in at the smell of blood. They would have no problems leaving us dead in the water.”

  She waved a hand. “I know what you mean. I have a shark of my own.”

  “The aforementioned Stacey Banners.”

  Juniper nodded. “I heard she reached out.” She’d been dying to ask the question, but she had a signed contract, so she didn’t have to worry about Banners poaching her client. But now that the opportunity arose, she wasn’t one to shy away.

  “She did and extended an invitation to my sister and myself to visit her shop should—or more, when—we found your services lacking. Her words, not mine.” He moved on to reassure her.

  “Doesn’t surprise me. What kind of company do you work for?” Now that they were talking, she might as well get some answers to fill in the blanks with.

  “Own actually, BlackCo Texas Oils.”

  Her brows climbed a little at hearing the name.

  “You know it?”

  “Of the name, yes. You’re THE Marshall Blackwood? As in Texas’ richest, most eligible bachelor?” Well, how do you like that? She rested against the back of her chair, taken aback by her complete ignorance. In her defense, she was a little too busy to worry about a name or where her client got his money.

  He cringed. “Yeah, I had hoped we could have blown right over that one, but yes. That’s me. Or so says the magazines and internet. I’m just trying to run a business and take care of my family.”

  “I get that.”

  “We’re the second-largest in the country and working to make that number one. It was my father’s dream, now mine I guess you could say.” He pegged her with a wry smile and a curious stare. “I’m surprised you didn’t Google me the second my sister and I left your shop.”

  He looked at her with a curious smile on his face.

  She paused with the mug halfway to her lips. “Sister?” And come to think of it he’d said sister when referencing Banners phone call too, but she’d paid no mind.

  He sat forward and placed his coffee on the knee-high table between them.

  “Juniper, about that.”

  Dread filled her.

  He paused for a long minute as if to gather his words. The tiny crinkle lines around his eyes deepened with what she assumed was indecision or worry.

  “It’s Stella.” He finally continued. “She’s not my bride, she’s my sister. I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you and I’m sorry I let the lie go on for so long. I shoulda told you earlier. I was afraid you would walk the second you found out there was no bride and had to plan a wedding in two weeks.”

  Wow. Ok. Well, she never saw that one coming.

  He pushed to his feet and shoved his hands in his pockets. He could not stand in the middle of the aisle without hunching over a little, but his head still grazed the low ceiling of the cabin.

  She followed him to his feet. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand. Sister? Why would you lie to me? What about the wedding? Then it’s off? I’m confused.” She peppered him with one question after another.

  “Technically I didn’t—my sister did.”

  She stiffened. “Technically doesn’t count.” She could feel the heat in her cheeks, this time not out of any sort of shyness. No, this was pure disappointment and ire. He was wasting her time. And now she would need to find another client to save her shop.

  “I need to return to LA. I have things I need to take care of.” An office to pack up and employees to break the bad news to. She retrieved her phone and punched in the shop’s number.

  “Wait. You’re not giving me a chance here, sweetheart.” Marshall put a hand on her arm trying to slow her roll in packing up all her work gear.

  Her gaze shot to his and she narrowed her eyes to tiny slits. It didn’t seem to bother him in the least, though.

  “I need you to hear me out, Juniper.”

  “You don’t get it, Mr. Blackwood.” She visibly watched him stiffen at the ice in her voice. Well good. Served him right. “No bride, no wedding, no contract. I need to get home. This leaves me in some hot water and so you know, no refund. My time is worth money. A lot more than what you paid, but frankly I don’t care enough to take your ass to court for breaking the contract.”

  Besides, she hated legal anything and taking anyone to court just wasn’t her style.

  He glanced at his watch. “We’re only a couple of hours outside of Houston. Take a seat, stop huffing at me long enough for me to explain.”

  He gestured to the chair and his eyes pleaded with the part of her that wanted to not be so calm and collected.

  Her gaze was drawn to his chest as the white cotton of his shirt clung to his broad chest. He took a deep breath and the cloth tightened further. Why did she have to be attracted to the wrong man? Every. Single. Time.

  “I guess I am your captive, Mr. Blackwood. By all means, please explain. And then once we land, I’ll catch a plane back home.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  He slid her a look that told her she wasn’t going to like what he was about to say. “First, tell me something. At the coffee shop this morning, before all the interruptions, you were about to say something. What was it?” He angled his head in a way that made the sun peeking through the cabin window catch every shade of brown in his hair. Fascinating.

  “Huh?”

  “You said something about my shoulders and the tic in my jaw made you what? You didn’t finish.”

  Why in the world did that matter right this minute or even at all? Yeah, look at her all cool and calm when her insides were anything but. Not going there. She almost told him she couldn’t explain why, but he made her feel safe. Like the storm of unease that rolled through her since learning she could lose everything settled the second he was close to her. “I don’t remember.”

  Marshall frowned for a second and then shook his head.

  She didn’t care and it would stay that way.

  Juniper blew out a breath and took a sip of her now cold coffee.

  He didn’t know the kind of predicament he left her in. Now, where would she find a client in time? Maybe it was for the best she did close.

  He sat there, elbows on his knees and eyes cast down. Probably coming up with another lie to tell her.

  He reached into his opened briefcase in the seat next to him and placed a single sheet of paper turned to where she couldn’t read what was printed on the front.

  “What’s that?”

  “The single sheet of paper that will save your beautiful ass. And mine.”

  “Excuse me?” Her brow furrowed in confusion. The man was off his rocker. Beautiful? Sure. Of course, her mind clung to that word.

  “Before Stella left, she went by to see Mr. Siggs to discuss the total amount needed to pay off your debt to them. I hope you forgive the intrusion, but negotiation is my business. Information is my tool and I know how to use it.”

  She felt the second her mouth fell open and her brain went into overdrive.

  “You can’t do that. He can’t give you that information. How did you even find out?”

  Arrogance washed over his face. “You will be surprised by what people will do when motivated, Juniper. Your banker was worried about you and once I told him my plans, he slipped me a piece of paper with a final figure on it.” He spoke softly but the blow of his words hurt just as much.

  How could he? Betrayal sat heavy in her heart.

  “Please bear with me,” Marshall pleaded. He reached between them and surprised her with a soft touch to the back of her hand where she had them clasped in front of her.

  “How did you even find out about my bank loan?” She leaned forward and plucked the piece of paper off the table and read over the bullet points, line for line. Then read them again.

  Her jaw fell slack for the second time. No way. What? “This says you’ll pay me a total of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars—my fee, plus the loan I owe the bank. Why? Why would anyone put that much money on the table for a complete stranger?”

  Her gran’s words, ‘never look a gift horse in the mouth,’ came back to her. Yeah, but she didn’t blindly take from people either. Something was fishy. Sure, she could plan a brideless wedding, she supposed, but eventually, they would need someone to walk down that aisle.

  “I saw the red envelope on the counter when I first came in. As I said, I like to be prepared for every eventuality and I always get what I want. So, I had this,” he pointed to the paper she still held, “drawn up last night.”

  His tone held no mocking infliction or pity for her. Just fact.

  “Forget it.” She replaced the paper on the table along with her entire future. She couldn’t take from him. Sure, he lied, but who was she kidding? If he didn’t outright cancel the wedding, she would stay on until her job was complete.

  “You can, Juniper. Taking this offer doesn’t hurt anyone. Plus, there’s a reason I’ve amped up the benefits of working for me.”

  “Ahh…I thought there was something. I mean how guilty could you get over a single lie?”

  “A recent development has come up with my board members and I need your help. This fee will cover your additional work.” He insisted and snatched up a blue pen from the table and signed on the line allotted for his name before she could get a word in.

  “Now, all you have to do is sign too.” He pushed the paper and pen her way.

  “And if I don’t? Why are you so determined to have a shotgun wedding when it’s clear you don’t want it? I know it’s not my place to ask, but you looked pressured yet have no bride. This feels like a drug deal only we’re not in the back of some shitty hideaway house somewhere and you’re not some drug kingpin. Right?”

  He sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair. “Two years ago when my father got sick he was in and out of the hospital a lot.”

  She studied the coffee mug in her hands. “I remember you saying as much.”

  He pushed back in the chair and rested his head against the back. “When we all learned that my father had limited time with us, he became a little rushed. He changed. Before the illness, his work and the company were equal to his family on his list of priorities. But when he found out how much time was on the clock, or rather how little of it, he did a one-eighty and family became everything to him. Don’t get me wrong. He loved us and our mother and loved having us in his office. Growing up, we spent more time there than at home.”

  “So family was second to him?”

  “No, not at all. You see, family was everything, but to him, everyone that worked for him was family too. He carried a lot of weight on his shoulders. Knew all his workers from the roughneck riggers out in the field to the men and women working alongside him in BlackCo offices. I can’t remember a holiday where we didn’t have workers from the office at our house.”

  “It sounds lovely surrounded by so many people that care about each other and have a common goal. But what does this have to do with your wedding and me?”

  He held up a hand. “I’m getting to that part, sweetheart. When he found out about the cancer, he stepped down and I assumed the role he’d trained me for from, I swear, my diaper days.”

  She smiled and watched a myriad of emotions play over his expression. From happiness to fondness and then he grew somber. Her heart broke for him.

  “The day my father stepped down, he took up a new role. He wanted to make sure everyone would be okay after he was gone. He and my mother spent hours upon hours talking. He made sure the twins finished their schooling and Shawn, also my younger brother, had a place in the company. My sister,” he chuckled, “Pop didn’t know what hit him when his only girl came out a redhead. I’m sure he tried to get her to settle down, but I’m equally sure if he tried she wasn’t having any of it. Then there was me. I thought I was set, CEO of a billion-dollar company and heir to a huge fortune, but apparently, Pop had other plans for me and didn’t have any intentions of revealing them until after he had passed.”

  “I’m so sorry. I assume he passed away already?”

  “Only a few days ago. One week to be exact. And that’s been one helluva week.”

  Marshall turned to face her completely and braced his weight on his knees as he held her gaze.

  “His last surprise for me came from his last will and testament. My father has given me two weeks to find a bride and get married or my entire family and the people who work for my family are out of jobs. BlackCo will be dismantled.”

  Surprise sprang her forward to clasp Marshall’s hands. “What? How could he do such a thing? How could he do this to his family, the people he loves?”

  “There’s more.”

  “Oh, this ought to be good.” She almost didn’t want to know. Almost. It was like a telenovela, and she couldn’t look away from it.

  “Before leaving for LA to find you, I told my board I had a full six months to find a bride. Which was true at the time. My father’s personal lawyer crossed some wires and paperwork. He didn’t tell me until twelve hours before I walked through your doors.”

  “So if I don’t sign, you’re in the same boat I am in?”

  He nodded. “My family will lose everything and you’ll lose everything you worked hard for too.” He looked sad, no, not sad. He looked as though he failed, not just himself, but others who counted on him. She understood that. The same weight he talked about with his father now pressed on him. So much so she could almost feel the pressure from where she sat.

  “So what is it you need me to do? Besides plan a fake wedding?”

  “I want you to meet with the board members with me. Sell them on the idea that the wedding is happening and that’s it. Just be your charming self.”

  “So the wedding isn’t about love or romance, especially when there’s no bride, is it? You don’t have to pay me anything additional, Marshall. Nothing has changed from our original agreement.”

  “That’s where you are wrong. You’re helping me save my company, which in turn saves my family. I think it’s only fair I do the same for you.”

  She thought that over for a moment. She wished at another time, another place they had met under different circumstances. Wished life wasn’t so screwed up and complicated.

  He gave a tight smile that morphed into a half-grin that tugged on one side. “I’m not really sure how I feel about the romance department. It’s been a while since I dated.”

  When was the last time he enjoyed a day off? Enjoyed a walk in the sand, a long talk? “I’ll sign on one condition. Make that three,” she corrected and sat forward, holding up her pointer finger like an exclamation point.

  He flashed her a victorious smile.

  “Not so fast, Blackwood. You have to come to Gran’s party, and, if you want me to continue this charade for your board members, you have to go to the summerfest near my shop with me.” The man needed down time and a little fun in his life. “And one more thing. You have to let me help you find a bride in time for the nuptials.”

  The man needed a helping hand in that department if he wanted to admit it or not.

  A strange look passed over his face. He let out a low laugh. “Bested by the wedding planner. You’re good. I’ll see your counter and raise you.”

  Her heart pounded. She enjoyed a good game of cards. “What’s that?” And here it came. She managed what she hoped was a completely perfect tone and not one of sheer and utter panic-laced curiosity. If she didn’t agree to his counteroffer to her counteroffer, she could kiss Vows from Juniper bye-bye for good.

  “Have dinner with me tonight. I’ll cook. I don’t know about you, but eating out isn’t as good as a home-cooked meal and I feel like I owe you.”

  He did not just say that. Coming in at number five on her perfect man list sat loves to cook.

  This could not be happening. “Okay.” And this time her voice did crack. She cleared her throat and took the pen Marshall offered.

  She scrawled her name on the dotted line and looked at the sum she would receive and swallowed.

  “Juniper Winter, you drive a hard bargain.” He propped a foot on his knee and looked like he just won the lottery.