“Amber,” Liam interrupted gently, holding up a hand. “Relax. You know Stephanie’s always welcome here. She’s the reason I remodeled the lounge next to my office. But you should’ve told me. I could’ve had someone watch her for you.”
“I didn’t want to bother you,” she said, her shoulders easing slightly. “And she’s fine. I set up a camera, so I can check on her if she moves. Besides, she was on her iPad until she fell asleep.”
Liam’s expression softened, and for a moment, I saw something unexpected: a side of him that wasn’t just charm and wit. He genuinely cared about the people he worked with. I felt my lips lifting into a smile but quickly clenched my teeth to fight it.Two hours.I reminded myself.In two hours Liam would forget I was ever a part of this night. I can’t let myself get attached.
“If you want to crash in the lounge after your shift, go for it,” he said. “You’re family.”
Amber’s shoulders eased as she gave him a grateful smile. “Thanks, boss. I better get back to work.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, waving her off before turning back to me.
“Boss?” I asked, folding my arms and arching a brow. There was a playful edge to my voice, but my curiosity was genuine. “You own this place?”
He shrugged, downplaying the answer. “I might know a guy or two.”
I narrowed my eyes, calling his bluff while trying to put the pieces together. And then it hit me. “Wait a minute. Your last name wouldn’t happen to beSmith, would it?”
Liam’s chuckle gave him away before he even nodded. “Guilty as charged.”
“I think I know you,” I said, the name finally matching up with the face. Excitement filled me with giddiness because I figured out who he was. “We had a class together in my first year of college. Right?”
“Western Civilization.”
“I knew you looked familiar!” I declared triumphantly. Liam sat next to me every day until…
That excitement turned into lead as I remembered what happened between us. He found me on St. Patrick’s Day and wished to go out with me. I rejected the wish because I actually liked the guy and couldn’t stand the thought of him forgetting who I was.
He still ended up forgetting about me, only it was because he ignored me after that, not because my magic erased every conversation, text message, and coffee not-date. Life could be ironic. I tried so hard back then to keep those memories sacred, only for time to wipe them away.
“Hold on a second, doesn’t your family own eight places around town? Why are you here with me instead of, oh, I don’t know, finding a bride to save it all?”
Liam busied himself, grabbing a glass from the tray behind him and filling it with ice, his gaze deliberately avoiding mine. “Believe me, I don’t want to lose Abbott's, but even if I do, I’d still be a partial owner, and depending on how much my brothers like me at the end of the day, I might even get to keep running it.”
“Your brothers would let you stay?”
“Probably,” he said, his grin turning crooked as he poured clear liquid into a mixing glass. “They’d be stupid not to run me into the ground as free labor. It’s hard to say, but enough about me. Sweet or sultry?”
“Sweet,” I answered automatically, watching as he expertly mixed a drink. “But this conversation isn’t over.”
“Good to know.” Liam handed me the glass, his fingers brushing against mine for a brief moment that sent another flicker of heat through me. “Now,” he said, leaning closer, “have you ever played Connect Four?”
I blinked. “What? Of course, I have. I was ten once.”
“Perfect. There’s a giant one out back,” Liam said, his eyes sparkling with amusement and perhaps a little bit of challenge. “Care to play?”
“Wait,” I asked, giving him a skeptical look. “This is your idea of fun?”
“This is my idea of breaking the ice,” he said with a smirk. “Two hours, Holly. Don’t judge me yet. I’m not the same man I was in college.”
A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth despite myself. I liked the man I knew back then, and I had a feeling I’d like to know who he became if given the chance. It hurt to know that this was all we’d get, but I didn’t have a choice. My magic had always been a double-edged sword. It gave me another chance with Liam just to rip that chance away.
I grabbed my drink and hopped off the stool. “Fine. Let’s go.”
HOLLY
"Are you sure about this?" Liam asked, brow furrowing as he glanced at the Dance Dance Revolution screen. The arcade games were my favorite part of Abbott’s. This was the only bar in town that offered something to do besides dance or drink, and since I rarely did either of those, I thoroughly enjoyed both times I came here. This game, in particular, was a favorite of mine.
"Positive," I said, tying my hair into a ponytail. "Why? Are you afraid of a little competition?"
