“Hey!” Tessa’s bright voice filled her ear. “Where you been, child? Never mind—you don’t answer to me. Consider this a work call and I want to know if little Pickles has been safely secured.”
Lacey looked over at the crate. “Oh, yeah. He’s out cold and dreaming about his new owner. He can stay here with Roman, I think it’ll be easier.”
“Here? With Roman?” Tessa’s voice rose, then she chuckled.
“Well, I mean, the Summer House is crowded and…he’s happy.”
“Sounds like you are, too,” Tessa teased. “Hey, you deserve a little fun, girl. You work hard. You’ve done all the heavy lifting for tomorrow’s Bat Mitzvah and the client is so happy, Lace.”
“Oh, it’s nothing?—”
“Not nothing.” Tessa’s voice dropped into something gentler. “You’ve been amazing. I don’t say that enough, but I really feel that way. This whole business—Tessa Wylie Events—only happened because of you. I never thought I could do something like this, and here we are, planning a perfect party for a client who worships you. Plus our schedule is filling up with two new projects on the books as of today. You’re my secret weapon, Lacey Knight.”
Lacey’s throat tightened. “That’s sweet. Thank you.”
“I’m just so glad I can trust you,” Tessa said casually—unaware that she might as well have stabbed Lacey right in the gut.
She forced a laugh, even though her stomach twisted. “Well… I try.”
Tessa chuckled. “Okay, ignore me and go back to your boy. Just don’t be too late, or I’ll assume you’ve eloped, which would break both your mothers’ hearts. Also, tomorrow’s a big day.”
“I know. I’m on my way home, I promise.” Lacey ended the call, her fingers trembling slightly as she set the phone down on the coffee table, then dropped back on the sofa with a moan.
Roman inched away, regarding her closely. “Everything okay?”
She stared straight ahead, heart pounding, and whispered the only thing that wasn’t okay. “Wehaveto tell her.”
Roman didn’t speak right away. Instead, he leaned forward, elbows on his knees, rubbing a hand over his jaw.
“I can’t do it anymore,” Lacey said, sensing he would push back. “She just told me she trusts me. She said I helped her build her dream.”
He nodded, quiet.
“I’m lying to her every day, and she’s the woman who took me under her wing, believed in me, gave me a job and a direction and a purpose. I love her, Roman.”
“I know,” he said softly. “I’m so sorry this has been hard on you.”
Lacey swallowed hard. “When can we come clean?”
Roman reached out, took her hand in his. His touch was warm and steady, grounding her like always. “I want to tell her. Iwilltell her. But I need to talk to my parents first.”
“I know. When?”
“As soon as possible,” he said. “I’ll stay for the big Pickles reveal and drive over to Satellite Beach the next day.” He leanedinto her. “Unless you want to come with me. Like my dream? Only no adopted kids.”
She thought about it, searching his face and wondering what it would be like to meet his parents. Under these circumstances? Awkward.
“Never mind,” he said quickly, obviously reading her expression. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“It’ll be a very personal, private time for you,” she added.
He nodded slowly. “I wouldn’t hate you seeing where I grew up and meeting them.”
“Another time?” she suggested. “After this is behind us?”
“Yes, definitely.” He put his hand on her cheek, thumbing her chin. “You okay, Lace?”
“I’m scared this will hurt Tessa. Worried I’ve way overstepped my bounds, concerned about your parents and…” She let her voice fade out because one more sentence and she’d be revealing to him just how real this pretend relationship was starting to feel.
