Terms and Conditions (Dreamland Billionaires #2) by Lauren Asher

“It wasn’t the right time.”

Elusive as always. It will help him keep up with his web of lies.

Mom smiles. “Well, I’m surprised she gave you a chance. I’ve been trying to set her up with one of the teachers at my school but she always declines—”

“Because I wasn’t interested, obviously.” I nod my head in Declan’s direction.

He doesn’t so much as look at me. We will need to practice more of these interactions later because his delivery could use some work.

“Iris leaves a trail of broken hearts wherever she goes.” Nana raises her glass toward me like I unlocked some achievement.

“No, I don’t.” I grind my teeth together.

Nana feeds off my embarrassment. “Did you know her last boyfriend proposed to her and she rejected him?”

“Nana!”

“What? I just find it interesting that you are finally willing to settle down. What happened to swearing off men for the rest of your life?”

“Your ex proposed?” Declan’s eyes are lighter than usual.

I never admitted to him why I broke up with my ex a year ago. Declan probably thought we parted ways amicably, but the truth is Richard asked me to marry him.

I declined.

He cried.

I thought we were on the same page with everything. It was my fault for not noticing the signs soon enough. The key to his place. A spare toothbrush he left at my apartment. The way he seemed too enthusiastic to offer me an entire half of his dresser and closet—valuable space currency in Chicago.

After I broke his heart, I stopped dating. It wasn’t fair to lead men on if I wasn’t ready for commitment.

Yet you’re getting married to your boss, the small voice in my head whispers.

This is different. There are no preconceived notions or expectations. I’m simply doing this to help Declan achieve his goal, and once he does, I can move onto mine.

That’s what you’ve said for years.

“Poor man rented out a nice restaurant and everything for the occasion,” Mom adds.

“Ring in a glass of champagne?” Declan asks.

Mom nods. “Oh, yes. Iris nearly choked on it.”

I shoot her a withering glare.

“Rose petals on the table?”

“Yes!” Nana shouts. “Red. Her favorite.”

I hate cut flowers because I find them a waste of a perfectly good plant.

“Sounds like everything you love.” Declan’s gaze captures mine. What an asshole. “I wonder what went wrong.” His eyes shift back to my mom and grandma.

I despise the way he knows about everything I hate.

“I guess it wasn’t good enough because Iris over here flat-out rejected him,” Nana replies.

“How unfortunate.” Declan’s dry tone says everything words can’t.

He enjoys every single second of this.

This is not how dinner was supposed to go. My family was supposed to make Declan feel uncomfortable, not me.

“Unfortunate indeed.” Nana raises her glass in Declan’s direction. “Imagine if she had said yes.”

“With that kind of generic proposal, it’s a shocker that she didn’t.” He takes a sip of his water.

He doesn’t so much as flinch when I stomp on his loafer. I change warfare tactics by dragging my heel up his muscular calf, and I’m rewarded with his sharp inhale of breath. Heat pools in my belly, only to turn molten when Declan clutches onto my thigh.

Stop, his grip says.

Not until you drop the topic, my demure smile replies.

He gives my thigh one last squeeze before abandoning it altogether. The memory of his palm remains pressed into my skin, and I’m hit with a slight chill in his absence.

“Is now a good moment to tell you about the time Iris set a church on fire?” Mom grins.

“I can’t wait to hear about this one.” Declan doesn’t even try to hide the amusement in his voice.

I swear with the way my mom and Nana are acting, it’s as if they have never spoken to another human being before.

I sigh. It’s going to be a long night.





“I approve.” Mom grabs my coat out of the closet. Thankfully she kept that comment to herself until Declan went to use the bathroom before we left.

“You better after all the emotional trauma you put me through.”

She chuckles. “I hope he can forgive me for the chicken. He was only supposed to eat a few bites, but the man cleared his entire plate. I’m pretty sure I used a whole bottle of cayenne pepper this time.”

“I’m still bitter he beat your grandpa’s record. That man lost half of his taste buds after I made the chicken for him.”

“Do you think he knew it was a test?” I ask.

“He does now.” Declan walks toward me with a dark gaze.

Mom presses her lips together to hide her smile.

“To be fair, it really is a family tradition.” I hold up both my hands in submission.

“Any other traditions I should be aware of?”

“No,” the three of us reply at the same time.

Declan’s eyes narrow. “I’m having a hard time believing you three.”

“At least nothing too dangerous,” Nana offers.

His glare makes Nana and Mom break out into a fit of laughter.