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His smile is amused.

Are we playing the I can get to you more than you get to me game again? He already won. Championship-trophy-level win goes to Marcus Delaney. I might intrigue him. I’m fun to toy with. I can make him squirm.

But he has my heart.

And he doesn’t even know it.

He digs into his meal, then dessert. And then Declan tries to pay for the meal. I fight him on it.

“No, O’Connell. I’m paying.”

“Watch out,” Marcus teases. “When Cass wants to pay, things can get a bit wild.”

“We all chipped in,” I explain. “This is Winona’s bachelorette party. I’m her maid of honor. I want to pay.”

“Fine,” Declan says, putting his wallet back in his pocket. And then he quietly adds, “You can pay. I already paid your mortgage. You can afford to cover dinner.”

“You what?” My voice is loud enough it almost supersedes the lead singer on stage.

He shakes his head and looks down at his plate. Then he looks up at me. Now all the women at our table are glancing between me and my future brother-in-law.

“Let’s talk about it later, Cass. This is Winona’s night.”

He’s right. And I am making this night all about her. I’m also not the one who crashed an all-women’s event because I missed my fiancée.

I squint at Declan and quietly ask, “Why?”

“Why talk about it later?” His brow draws in.

“No. Why did you do that?”

“Winona’s moving out. I want you to be able to rest easy and not think about where you’re going to have to live.”

“I could cover our mortgage,” I tell him.

“No givebacks,” he says, standing and pushing his chair back. “Now, let’s go dance with my future bride.”

I sit in stunned silence. Then I look over at Winona. She’s grinning like the Cheshire cat.

“You knew?” I ask her.

“It was your Christmas present.”

“And here I’m getting you a cozy blanket and a book,” I tease.

“I’ll love my blanket and book.”

I want to cry. Not now. I can’t. But it hits me like a ton of bricks that my sister is moving out and she has this amazing man in her life who literally paid off my mortgage so I don’t have to stress while he steals her away from me.

I look down into my lap. This is Win’s night. I’m not the center, and I don’t want to be. I blow out a long breath.

Marcus’s hand lands on my knee and he gives a single squeeze. The nerves in my kneecap must be connected to my tear ducts because one leaks out. I grab my napkin and dab at my mouth, hoping no one notices when the napkin rises to just below my eye.

I steel myself, preparing to look my sister and Declan in the eyes. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” they say in unison.

“Okay! Let’s get our honky-tonk on!” I shout, jumping up out of my chair.