“Somedays.”
“That end in Y,” Lucienadded.
“Anyway, he said something pretty interesting about Portia. He said she’d been coming around to his friend’s girlfriend’s house. He plans to confronther.”
Lucien let out a low whistle. “That does not seemwise.”
“What’s so scary about a woman who runs a dating agency?” I asked. I’d never gotten the gist of why she was sofeared.
“It’s not the agency, really. It’s her power. She created this place. She runs the entire town. She’s the one who decides which business open. Which businessesdie.”
“Which relationships suit her, too?” Iasked.
Lucien gave a shake of his head. “From my understanding, Portia is heavily invested in ensuring her matches are beyond the pale. I don’t think you can see this, but she’s pulling the strings. Always. Even if you don’t realizeit.”
“I haven’t seen her since she dumped a puppy on my porch.” I frowned. “Even then I didn’t see her. I just had a letter fromher.”
Pepper’s gaze went fuzzy for a minute. “But right after that, Hank delivered your plants. Then you hired him for landscaping. Then he discovered thatdoor.”
“That doesn’t seem like a coincidence,” Lucien said, even as I wondered about the wisdom of telling him what was on my property. Too late for all of that. It was done and I hoped I could trust him. If he was a good enough person to let me bleed all over his fancy upholstery, he could keep asecret.
“I don’t know. But we’re in a better place rightnow.”
“Oooh,” Pepper crowed. “Dotell!”
Lucien pulled inside of the long drive leading up to myhome.
“Nope. Stick me on the couch and get my meds,please.”
Pepper grumbled but didn’t argue. When the vehicle stopped, Lucien jumped out and carried me to the porch. Pepper had an extra key she used to open thedoor.
Oh my god. I had forgotten aboutMargo!
“Oh no,” Iwhispered.
The door pulled open before Pepper got her key in. Hank stood there wearing a pair of jogging pants and a snug white t-shirt. Margo sat right beside him looking no worse for thewear.
“Hank?”
“I figured someone needed to feed Margo,” he said. “Lucien didn’t lock your door when heleft.”
I couldn’t blame Lucien for that. It was a whole lot of blood and drama to deal with in a short period of time. I was feeling a little disconcerted seeing him all rumpled and sexy in my house, but he had done me a hugefavor.
Lucien was still holding me in his arms like a white knight. The look Hank was giving him was a smidge frosty so, of course, Lucien tightened his arms around me and said, “She’s had a rough night. I figure I’ll stay with her thisevening.”
Pepper let out a snort laugh from behindus.
“That won’t be necessary,” Hank said. “I think we have it undercontrol.”
I closed my eyes and counted to ten. “I don’t give a crap who stays but someone needs to get their butt in a car and go pick up my pain meds.Stat.”
“Your wish is my command,” Pepper said with a little bow. Lucien stepped in and deposited me gently onto thecouch.
I could practically hear Hank’s teeth grinding. Lucien made it worse by gathering a stack of pillows and elevating my leg. He grabbed a blanket and fussed with tucking me in. My gaze caught Pepper’s and her eyes were sparkling withamusement.
I finally waved him away. “Lucien! I’m not four. Please go get mymeds.”
He gave me a wink and with one last fuss over the blanket, he left withPepper.
