“Do tell,” Viv said. She gestured to the deep blue love seat and two matching armchairs arranged in the corner of the shop in front of an old wardrobe of my grandmother’s. I glanced at the antique cabinet that sported a large carved bird on the top with its wings spread out. I had dubbed him Ferd the bird when I moved in several years ago, and while I supposed it sounded overly imaginative, I truly thought he listened to everything that was said in the shop.

Piper dropped her purse at her feet and sank down onto one of the armchairs as if she were about to collapse. She was full-on damsel in distress. Then she heaved a sigh that sounded as if it had come all the way up from her feet.

Bella, of course, took this as an invitation to join Piper in her chair. Only Andre’s quick reflexes managed to snatch her out of the air before the pup’s diving leap landed her in Piper’s lap. Andre met my gaze over the head of the wiggling puppy with a look that told me I owed him one, and then turned to the others and said, “Shall I fix some tea?”

“That would be lovely, Andre, thank you,” Piper said.

Viv pursed her lips as if she wasn’t pleased with Piper making herself quite so at home. I wandered over to the main counter in the shop and started to busy myself with rearranging a pile of invoices for materials. It felt much like pushing my broccoli around on my plate as a kid and trying to convince my parents it was actually getting eaten when it was really just doing laps. Neither Viv nor Piper paid any attention to me, so I assumed it was working.

“Tell me what’s happened,” Viv said.

“Javier Sebastian happened. He fled the country with the money I paid him to make my bridesmaids’ fascinators,” Piper said.

“Oh, dear, that’s awful,” Viv said. She settled into the love seat, propping her elbow on the armrest and her chin in her hand as she considered Piper’s tale of woe. “I thought Javier was the most sought-after hat designer in town, no?”

I was quite certain I was not imagining the note of satisfaction in Viv’s voice, and suddenly her gracious welcome of Piper made perfect sense. She knew. She knew Javier had split town. She knew Piper was in a jam. And she was enjoying every bit of the grovel show. Huh.