My breath catches. Not just at the pet name, which he tosses around too easily, but at the way he says it now. Like it means something. Like I’m the only one here.
“Uh, yeah. That would be great,” I manage, throat suddenly dry.
He turns back to the server, who’s clearly annoyed by my continued presence. “Two gin and tonics.”
But he doesn’t stop looking at me. Instead, he reaches across the table and takes my hand in his, warm and steady. His thumb brushes over my knuckles once, just a small, absent motion.
But it sends a jolt through me like a live wire.
I try not to show how much it affects me, but my pulse is a drumbeat behind my ribs, and I’m dangerously close to forgetting that this whole thing is fake.
Finally, I murmur, “She’s gone.”
Liam lets go of my hand and leans back shaking his head. “She was a bit rude. Didn’t even acknowledge you.”
“Hate to break it to you, cowboy, but that happens all the time.” I give him a look. “Can’t believe you’ve never noticed before.”
His brows furrow. “It doesn’t.”
“It sure as heck does.” I shake my head, smiling to soften the blow. “It’s fine. I’m used to it.”
But the truth is, I shouldn’t be. But when you get overlooked enough times, you learn to laugh first. It hurts less that way. Atleast on a surface level. Because it hurts no matter how much you pretend it doesn’t.
Liam’s mouth opens like he’s about to say something else, but the server returns, balancing a tray with our drinks and interrupting whatever moment was about to happen.
“Would you like to order?” she asks, barely glancing my way.
Liam looks at me.
I nod, slipping back into business mode.
“I’ll have the five-cheese ziti,” I say, handing her the menu. “And a side salad. No dressing.”
Liam hands his over, too. “I’ll do the same.”
I blink. He hates pasta. But he says nothing, just watches the server walk away with zero interest this time. I bite back a laugh.
“Well,” I say once we’re alone again, “I guess we should come up with a story.”
“Story?”
“You know,” I say, picking up my drink. “For when Teddy asks how long we’ve been dating.”
“Oh. Right.” He chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. “Guess I didn’t think that far ahead.”
Of course he didn’t. He’s the leap-first, look-later type. But something in his voice makes me think he’s not just forgetting logistics. He’s starting to realize how many details he doesn’t actually know about pretending to be with me.
He grins, leaning back like he’s just solved the world’s greatest mystery. “Okay. I’ve got it.”
“Oh, this ought to be good,” I tease, arching a brow.
“We met working together,” he says, slow and dramatic, “and somewhere along the way we fell in love.”
“Mmmhmm.” I take a sip of my drink, eyeing him over the rim. “And why exactly didn’t we tell Teddy that when you had your meeting?”
Liam doesn’t miss a beat. “Because we’re trying to keep it quiet just in case it doesn’t work out. Plus, with Sam’s wedding coming up, we didn’t want to steal the spotlight.”
“Uh-huh,” I say, suppressing a smirk. “Very thoughtful of us.”
