Page 39 of Face Off

Aura glanced toward the closed door. “You believe ten minutes is enough?”

“To determine whether we can share oxygen without ruining the wedding? Yes.”

“To solve everything?” Cade asked.

“I’m not trying to solve anything.”

The answer quieted him.

Ryan and I had once discussed dead poets with more maturity than we handled our own relationship. Surely we could survive one drink.

I looked toward Aura. “Please make sure Cade doesn’t unzip the garment bag.”

Cade’s head lifted. “Why is everyone convinced I’m going to touch the dress?”

“Because Bliss told you not to.”

“I understand instructions.”

“You hired someone to determine whether her dress had pockets because she refused to tell you.”

“That was research.”

“That was espionage.”

Easton laughed into his glass while Aura moved closer to the dress. “I’ll guard it.”

“Thank you. If Bliss asks where I am, tell her I went to handle the emotionally complicated part of my maid-of-honor responsibilities.”

Briggs stepped aside, though reluctance remained written across his face. “Ten minutes.”

“If either of you comes down before then, I’ll tell Lyric what you called her outside.”

His mouth fell open. “You understood that?”

“I told you I speak Spanish and my hearing is efficient enough from the open doorway.”

“That phrase wasn’t beginner level.”

“I’m an ambitious student.”

Easton looked delighted. Rider dragged a hand over his mouth, failing to conceal his smile, while Briggs appeared to review every Spanish conversation he’d shared within my hearing.

“You wouldn’t tell her,” he said.

“I probably wouldn’t.”

“That didn’t sound convincing.”

“It wasn’t supposed to.”

I opened the library door and stepped into the hallway before anyone could offer additional supervision.

The castle felt quieter away from them. Afternoon light stretched across the polished floors beneath the tall windows, catching against carved wood, pale stone, and floral arrangements Bliss had probably approved after rejecting several nearly identical versions. Staff moved through the corridors carrying boxes and garment bags while distant music drifted from the ballroom as someone continued testing the piano.

Signs directed guests toward the lobby, gardens, dining rooms, and several bars positioned throughout the estate. The west terrace bar sat beyond an arched hallway near the back of the first floor, overlooking lawns trimmed so precisely they looked incapable of surviving the Bennett family.

I found Ryan before I entered.