Read Online One Night with Prince Charming by Anna DePalo - Free Book Online

inside, and then walked in when it was clear that she’d found them.
    â€œAh, there you are,” Lucy said. “I was wondering if you’d run off, Pia.”
    â€œNothing 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!”
    â€œI—”
    â€œThe hot water has gotten cold, but I’ll order another pot for tea,” Lucy said. “Shall we all return to the parlor?”
    â€œYes, 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.
    Â 
    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.
    She looked fresh as a daisy in a yellow-print knit dress that displayed her lithe, compact body to perfection. The cleavage visible at the V-neck was just enough to give a man interesting thoughts.
    He wondered whether he would always experience a quick jolt of sexual awareness when he saw her.
    â€œHow did you find me?” she asked without preamble.
    He gave a careless shrug. “A little digging on Pia Lumley Wedding Productions. It wasn’t hard.”
    Pia, he’d discovered, now lived on the fifth floor of a modest white-brick doorman building. The older man downstairs—more guard than doorman—had glanced up from his small television set long enough to ring Pia and announce Hawk’s arrival. Even though Hawk had been privy only to a brief one-sided conversation—and from the guard’s end at that—he’d sensed Pia’s hesitancy when she’d been informed of his unexpected arrival. Still, moments later, he’d been directed to the elevator, and then the guard had gone back to viewing his talk show.
    â€œNaturally,” Pia responded now with a touch of sarcasm. “I should have expected you’d do some digging of your own. With a business, I’m easy to find, whether I like it or not.”
    Despite her words, she stepped aside to let him into the apartment, and then shut the door once he’d entered.
    â€œIn a way, I’m glad you’re here,” she said as he turned back to face her. “It makes matters easier.”
    He quirked a brow. “Only in a way? ” he queried with dry amusement. “I suppose I should be happy there is at least one way.”
    â€œI’ve been having second thoughts.”
    â€œOf course you have.” He let his mouth tilt upward. “And that’s why I’m glad I’m here.”
    Hawk watched as Pia sucked in a deep breath and squared her shoulders.
    â€œI’m afraid it wouldn’t be wise for me to accept the job as Lucy’s wedding planner.”
    â€œShe’ll be devastated.”
    â€œI’ll find a suitable replacement.”
    â€œA rival?” he questioned sardonically. “Are you sure you want to?”
    â€œI have contacts—friends.”
    â€œAnd I’m not one of them, presumably.”
    Hawk glanced around. The apartment wasn’t big, but nevertheless bigger than he expected.
    The living room was dressed in a pastel theme, from the peach-colored couch to the rose-print armchair. Wedding colors.
    Binders of various wedding vendors—for invitations, decorations, flowers and more—stood out on the cream-colored bookshelves.
    He glanced down as a cat sauntered in from an adjoining room.
    The animal stopped, returned his stare, still as a statue, and then blinked.
    â€œMr. Darcy,” Pia announced.
    But of course, Hawk thought. A wedding planner with a cat named