“Oh, sweet cakes, how big your teeth are,” Sloane said, surprising herself with some sass. She was about to hop into the cab of the truck just as Felicity and Marcus came into view. They were going to their car but made a point to look at Sloane and Brady as they passed. Both smiled, no suspicion in their expressions.

And Sloane wanted to keep it that way.

Apparently she wasn’t the only one.

She moved up onto her tiptoes to give Brady a peck on the lips to solidify they were indeed a couple, just as Brady moved to do the same thing.

What could have been a nice, quick kiss turned into a somewhat-loud headbutt. Brady’s nose went into Sloane’s eye while her forehead hit his eyebrow. She sucked in a breath, but Brady was determined for the kiss. His lips found hers, and the pain was momentarily forgotten.

Warm. Soft. Bellini.

“Get a room, you two!” Their kiss dissolved like wet cotton candy as Carol bounded by them on the way to the main house. She was all smiles.

Sloane didn’t bother trying to recover after that. The best she could do was take her heated cheeks into the cab of the truck and get a few deep breaths off before Brady had the engine running.

“That was a disaster,” Brady finally said as he drove them out of the estate.

“It’s not my fault you’re tall,” Sloane defended. “Next time don’t swoop down with so much speed! You were like a dang hawk!”

Brady shook his head. “I’m talking about the lunch. We went in there for sandwiches and rich-people drinks, and we came out with plans to be in a pageant, throw a party for the town, and make a parade float? All in two weeks? Dear God, woman.” Brady shook his head. “Why stop there? Why not headline the Arbor Bay concert, too? I don’t know how to play any instruments, but we have just as much time to do that as the rest.”

Considering everything Sloane had learned at the table, she definitely didn’t like his tone.

“First of all, I panicked. Lies are like dominos. Once I knocked the first one over, the rest just kept falling. I tried to think of a way to get out of the pageant and couldn’t, and then Missy was all about floats, and Carol was right behind her and, well, panic.”

He huffed. Actually huffed like she was the most frustrating soul in the world.

Which only turned her annoyance up a notch.