“You’re barely the best part of this conversation,” she mutters, already turning her attention back to her drink.
Liam only smirks, undeterred. His eyes flick to the rest of us, and land, unsurprisingly, on Kym.
“You clean up nice,” he says, nudging her gently with his elbow.
Kym blinks at him. Flat. Unimpressed. “Did you want something?”
He chuckles, clearly enjoying himself far too much. “Maybe just your attention for more than three seconds. Is that too much to ask?”
“Go away,” she says without missing a beat.
Lilia bites back a laugh beside me, and Christian just sips his drink, watching the exchange.
Liam leans in slightly toward Kym, lowering his voice. “One day, I’m going to make you smile. Properly.”
Kym stares at him with no hint of amusement. “What iswrongwith you?”
Liam tilts his head and seems to actually consider that question. “Alphabetically or chronologically?”
Christian lets out a soft snort behind the rim of his glass, and Lilia chokes on her drink from next to me.
“God,” Bea mutters. “Do you hear yourself?”
“I try not to,” Liam says brightly.
Kym turns to me. “You’re seriously friends with him?Why?”
Liam presses a hand to his chest like he’s wounded. “I bring light and joy into your lives and this is the thanks I get?”
“You bring noise and trauma,” Kym deadpans.
“I can do both.”
“Unfortunately,” Christian says under his breath, and Bea actually laughs.
“Okay, okay,” Lilia says, stepping between them before Liam can fire off another line. “We’re not doing this all night. Has anyone actually seen the ballroom yet?”
“Ballroom?” I echo.
Lilia gives me a look like I just told her I’d never heard of Christmas. “Yes, Addie. It’s a Christmas party. There is a literal ballroom. Dancing. Music. The whole thing.”
“Wait,” I say slowly. “We have to dance?”
“You don’t have to,” Bea says, finishing the last of her drink. “But you will. It’s tradition. The Steeles go full Regency-era every year. It’s actually kind of amazing.”
“There’s a live quartet,” Christian adds, more casually, sipping from his own glass. “Gabriel doesn’t do playlists.”
“And the room is huge,” Lilia says. “And stupidly gorgeous. You’ll see.”
“I’ll pass on that, thanks,” Kym says flatly.
Liam grins at her. “So that’s a no if I ask?”
She looks him dead in the eye. “I’d rather dance with a brick wall.”
“To be fair,” he says, unbothered, “I’ve got slightly more charm than that. And marginally better footwork.”
“Only marginally,” Christian mutters.
