Free Truth or Dare (Liar Liar #2) by C.A. Mason

settle down.”
    “Ah, but it’s not that easy. Sometimes you could search the world over and never find your soul mate.” When I knew I had them captivated, I pulled up a chair from a neighboring table. “I’ve been all over this world, ladies. Dated more women than I care to admit, but something about Maura drew me in from the first time I laid eyes on her.”
    “Really?” Red Hat asked, propping her elbow on the table as she leaned in. “That’s so romantic.”
    The other women giggled, nodding in agreement.
    “I knew she was engaged and that it was wrong, but I couldn’t help myself. I had to see her again. That’s why I came to town. Still, she wanted nothing to do with me. She told me she intended to follow through with her plans to marry your district attorney.”
    The women all glanced at Maura before one whispered, “What changed her mind?”
    “She found out he was cheating on her.” A collective gasp moved around the table before I added, “With multiple… strippers.” I whispered the last word, my tongue firmly planted in cheek as I watched their reaction. Shock, dismay, disgust. Exactly what I’d been hoping for.
    “You can’t be serious,” Red Hat said, looking around the table. “We’ve known Jeffery for years. His mother goes to our church. He would never do such a thing.”
    “I’m afraid he did,” I said, sighing heavily. “You can imagine how devastated poor Maura was to learn the man she’d put her faith in had betrayed her that way.”
    All eyes traveled to Maura as the eldest in the group clucked her tongue. “It’s a good thing she has a good family to help her through this.” She patted my hand. “And you. You came into her life just when she needed you most.”
    “A gift from God, that’s what it was,” Red Hat said. “He never gives us more than we can bear. He brought you into her life to help her see there are still good men out there, men worthy of her.” She shook her head emphatically, causing her hat to slip forward. Adjusting it, she said, “Isn’t that right, girls?”
    A murmur of assent moved through the group.
    I stood. “It was a pleasure talking to you. Enjoy your lunch. It’s on me.” I returned to the table as they sang my praises.
    Maura stifled her laughter. “You’re so bad. I can’t believe you did that.”
    “You wouldn’t let me beat the hell out of him,” I said, shrugging. “That was the best I could come up with to stick it to him.”
    “You know you weren’t completely honest about the circumstances surrounding our break up.”
    “What do you mean?”
    She raised her eyebrows as she tipped her head. “You made me sound so innocent, like an angel who could do no wrong.”
    “You are an angel,” I said, grinning. “My angel.”
    Her eyes softened. She reached across the table to cover my hand with hers. “Thank you for coming to my rescue. Who said chivalry was dead?”
    “Obviously someone who’d never met me.”
    She laughed. “You’re so full of yourself.”
    “Yeah, but you’re still crazy about me. Admit it.”
    “What’s this I hear about dinner at my parents’ house tomorrow night?” she asked, perusing the menu.
    “Oh, were you invited too?”
    She looked up, trying to keep a straight face. “You know I was. I have a feeling you and my father concocted the whole thing. Why is he so determined for us to spend time together?”
    “I have no idea.” I tried to look innocent and failed miserably. Instead, I laughed. “I may have mentioned to him that I’m kind of… crazy about you.”
    She gasped, covering her mouth when a waiter turned in our direction. “You did not say that to him.”
    “Sure, why not?”
    “Blaise, you can’t go around professing your lov-feelings for me. People will think—”
    “That I can’t stop thinking about you? That you’re ruining me for other women? That you’ll break my heart if you reject me again? They’d be right.”
    “You are too much,” she said,