Rowan ignores him to put his arm around me. He walks me away from Theo.
“I get why you hit him,” Rowan tells me once the SUV pulls away, “but you need to have more control. You can’t do that shit on campus. There are other ways. We’ll have to smooth this over if the administration finds out. Jesus, Liam, if I hadn’t been here—”
“Whyareyou here?” Taryn has come outside and is wrapped up in her own coat. “Not that you’re unwelcome—”
“I was, uh…” Rowan stops. Thinks. It’s as if he has forgotten his original purpose in all the excitement. “I was looking for Cole. Was he here?”
“No,” Taryn answers. “He and Steph are probably out somewhere.”
“She’s out with him?” Rowan growls.
Before Taryn can answer, I interrupt. “I’m leaving. Thanks for the help tonight, Row.” I’m suddenly exhausted, and I don’t want to hear about any drama concerning one of his men.
“Liam, wait. Can you please stay?” Taryn’s eyes are pleading.
I sigh and walk over to her. I kiss the top of her head. “I’ll talk to you later.” I don’t look back as I make my way to my car and drive away.
TARYN
I rub my temples and sip my coffee, still not believing last night actually happened. I have no idea where Liam went. What he’s doing. How he’s feeling. If he’s okay.
“So, if anyone asks, you’re supposed to say Liam was here, and you never saw Sam?” Elizabeth clarifies after I finish my story, ending with Rowan’s call this morning to inform me that I am Liam’s alibi. I said that right—he didn’t ask me. He informed me.
I nod and take a sip of my coffee. “Yeah, Rowan said that Liam had St. A’s security cameras erased so that Sam won’t be able to prove who beat him up in case he decides to turn Liam in for breaking the university’s rules. There will be no parking lot footage. No witnesses. At least that’s what Rowan says. Liam isn’t answering my calls.”
“I’m sorry, babe, but can you blame him?” Stephanie asks with pity in her eyes. When I raise my eyebrows, she continues, “I mean, he had kind of a shit night. Look at it from his perspective. First, he was told by his fiancée he didn’t matter, and then he had to confront her ex. He probably needs a minute to catch his breath.”
“Hold on. I never said he didn’t matter,” I argue, but Gráinne interrupts me.
“Well, you kind of did.” She doesn’t even turn around from making us all breakfast. Just keeps right on stirring eggs as though she didn’t just insult me. “You finally decided to sleep with him but told him it didn’t matter. That’s what youjustsaid.”
“Ugh! You are all supposed to be on my side!” I am pouting now. If these ladies are going to hold me accountable for my actions, can I even consider them friends? I called everyone here to talk things through. We’d normally have Sunday brunch at the diner, but today, I need a more private setting. My feelings have become too confusing to work out on my own.
“Weareon your side,” Elizabeth soothes, getting up from my tile-top kitchen table to hug me from behind.
“Why do boys suck so much?” Steph whines. By the tone of her voice, Cole has done something stupid. Again. She is sipping and adding hazelnut creamer to her coffee in some odd attempt to get the perfect mixture. I know better than to comment since she’s been doing that weird latte dance for years.
Gráinne points a spatula at her. “First, you’re aware that Cole is kind of an asshole, right? He’s already taken up too much of your time. You could have another boyfriend like that.” She snaps her fingers. “If you want one, that is. Let me know if you need me to ask Rowan to talk to Cole. He needs to stop treating you like dirt.” Huh. Gráinne must know something.
Stephanie blushes. “I don’t need Rowan involved.”
“Second of all,” Gráinne continues as if Stephanie hadn’t spoken, “Liam has been telling you since the engagement that he wants a shot at a real relationship.Youeven said he’s been awesome, Tare. You must mean something to him. More than sex. He’s obviously trying to get to know you. Including you. Asking your opinion. That’s what you told us.” She looks over her shoulder to pin me with a look. “How did youthinkhe would feel when you told him sleeping with him was meaningless?”
“I didn’t say it like that!”
“Finally, I am going to say something to your stupid stepsister, Elizabeth,” she tells our wide-eyed friend as she serves her an omelet. “Enough is enough already.”
“Please don’t start things with Valentina.” Liz’s response is pretty much a whimper.
“Well, why not? She doesn’t get to keep calling you names.”
“Yeah,” I chip in. “What does Oz even mean?”
Elizabeth swallows and pushes away her plate. “Ozempic,” she whispers.
“I’m sorry, what?!” I can’t believe what she just said. She must be kidding. Only—it’s not funny.
“Oz is short for Ozempic,” she croaks. “It’s her way of reminding me that I’m heavy. She says being fat is a choice, you know, because there’s Ozempic.”
