One Night with Prince Charming (Aristocratic Grooms #2)(13)
Author: Anna DePalo

“Does it matter if you can use the business?” Hawk replied.

Pia’s eyes widened. “I don’t know what you mean. In any case, I’m not that desperate.”

“Aren’t you?” Hawk said. “You’ve dropped hints that you’ve been less than busy lately.”

Pia’s eyes widened further.

“Never play poker.”

“Seeking to make amends?”

“In a sense.”

Pia placed her hands on her hips, contemplating him and his vague response. It couldn’t be that he was feeling guilty about his behavior toward her in the past. He was a seasoned player who had forgotten her easily. That much was clear from the three years it had taken for their paths to cross again.

There was only one other possibility, then, for his motivation in linking her to Lucy.

“I suppose you feel some sense of responsibility since it was your friend who torpedoed my professional standing by ruining Belinda’s wedding?” she asked.

Hawk hesitated, and then inclined his head. “I suppose responsibility is as good a term as any.”

Pia eyed him. He was holding out a lifeline to her business, and it was hard not to grasp hold of the opportunity that he was offering. What better way to signal to society that all was well than to be hired to organize the wedding of the sister of the man whom she’d bearded with baba ghanoush?

She was being foolhardy.

“Lucy isn’t part of New York society, but her future husband’s family is,” Hawk cajoled, as if sensing her weakness. “This wedding could help establish you. And Lucy has many ties to the theater world. I’m betting you’ve never planned a wedding for an actress before?”

Pia shook her head.

“Then Lucy’s wedding will let you tap into a whole new market for your services.”

“Wh-who would be employing me?”

She hated herself for asking—and hated herself more for stammering—but the question came out of its own volition. Rather than appear satisfied, however, Hawk’s expression turned into a study of harmlessness.

“I’d be employing you, but only as a minor, technical detail.”

“Minor to you.”

“I’m the head of the family, and Lucy is young—only twenty-four.” Hawk’s lips twitched. “It seems only fair that I support her bid to remove herself from under the imposing family umbrella. Lucy was an unexpected bonus for my parents more than a decade after my mother delivered the heir and the spare.”

Pia noted that Hawk had deftly turned an act that might be viewed as generous and loving on his part into a statement of sardonic self-deprecation.

She started to waver. She had liked Hawk’s sister even on the basis of a very brief acquaintance. She felt a natural affinity for Lucy. It had deepened on learning that Hawk’s sister was only three years younger than she was. Lucy was, in fact, the same age that Pia had been when she’d first met Hawk.

If her own tale with Hawk wasn’t destined to have a happy ending, then at least she could see to it that one Carsdale…

No, she wouldn’t let herself think of matters in that vein.

“You’ll be dealing with Lucy mostly, obviously,” Hawk continued, his expression open and unmasked. “I’ll try to make myself as unobtrusive as possible.”

“H-how?” Pia asked. “Are you planning to sequester yourself at your country estate in England?”

“Nothing so drastic,” Hawk replied with amusement, “but, rest assured, I have no interest in weddings.”

“Obviously—judging from your past behavior.”

“Ouch.” He had the grace to look abashed. “I stepped right into that comment, and I suppose I deserved it.”

She raised her eyebrows and said nothing.

“The town house belongs to me,” Hawk went on unperturbed, “but Lucy has had the run of it since I haven’t been in regular residence until recently. And though I’m based in New York, rather than London, for business at the moment, I expect that my corporate dealings will still mean I’m not much at home.”

Pia knew all about Hawk’s hedge fund, of course. She’d read about it online. The success of his company over the past three years had raised his reputation to that of a first-class financier.

Darn. He must have women throwing themselves at him.

Not that she was interested, of course.

Pia wondered why Hawk was at home now, actually. The thought had occurred to her earlier, too—the minute he’d walked into the parlor. It could only be that he’d chosen to come into her meeting with Lucy, possibly betting that once she said yes to his sister, it would be best to reveal his connection to Lucy sooner rather than later.

Hawk arched an eyebrow. “And so…?”

Pia regarded him.

“I make you nervous, don’t I?”

“N-naturally. I have a fear of snakes.”

He grinned, unabashed.

“The endearing hiccup in your speech tells me everything I need to know about how much I affect you,” he said, his voice smooth as silk and doubly seductive.

Pia felt a shiver of awareness chase down her spine for a moment, but then Hawk’s face changed to one as innocuous as a Boy Scout’s.

“Of course,” he went on solemnly, “we’ll say no more on that topic. I plan to be on my best behavior from now on.”

“Promise? Really?” she parried.

Before Hawk could reply, the library door opened. Lucy stuck her head inside, and then walked in when it was clear that she’d found them.

“Ah, there you are,” Lucy said. “I was wondering if you’d run off, Pia.”

“Nothing so drastic,” Hawk responded mildly. “Pia and I were just discussing the terms of her employment.”

Lucy looked at Pia with some surprise, and then clasped her hands together in delight. “You’ve agreed? Splendid!”

“I—”

“The hot water has gotten cold, but I’ll order another pot for tea,” Lucy said. “Shall we all return to the parlor?”

“Yes, let’s,” Hawk responded, his lips twitching.

As Pia followed Lucy from the room, and Hawk fell into step behind her, she was left to wonder if all the Carsdales had the gift of polite and subtle railroading.

For despite everything, she was finding herself agreeing to be Lucy’s bridal consultant.

When Hawk emerged from the elevator, he had no trouble locating Pia’s place. She’d opened her front door and was standing in the entrance to her apartment.