He appreciated that Liv never made a big fuss over him. Whenever he came into the restaurant, she treated him like any other customer. All too often, that wasn’t the case. But that wasn’t why he’d stopped by her office this afternoon to ask her out.
Unlike a lot of people, she was real around him. Liv didn’t hang on his every word as if what he said was the most fascinating thing in the world. Even before the band hit it big, women had done that after they found out he was a member of the Sherbrooke family. Some guys might like it. Not him.
When he talked to someone, he liked it to be a two-way conversation. Other people might have kept the problems her family was facing a secret, but Liv had been honest with him. And whereas a lot of people he’d met would’ve asked him to help them out financially so they could buy the building and save the restaurant and catering business, she hadn’t.
Tonight, his attraction to her had grown. While playing pool, she teased him much the way he remembered her teasing her brother. When she wasn’t doing that, she asked him personal but not intrusive questions, such as how he’d gotten into photography and what types of books he enjoyed reading.
Matt sipped his drink and thought about their conversation while eating ice cream. Books weren’t something he discussed with many people. And when Liv said she pegged him as a romance novel junkie, he hadn’t been sure at first if she was joking or not, which was why he’d asked if she was serious. This had led to Liv asking him something no one, not even his family, had ever asked him.
“How do you come up with the lyrics, then?”
Until she’d asked the question, he’d never realized how much it bothered him that no one had ever asked him anything about his music or his career other than when he’d be leaving on tour and when he’d be back.
Other than his grandfather, his family had never been against his decision to pursue a music career. But they’d never understood it either. Business and the corporate world were such an integral part of Graham and Violet Sherbrooke’s life that they couldn’t imagine someone thriving without it in theirs. His brothers were following in their parents’ footsteps.
His thoughts drifted away from their conversation as he took another sip. The first person he’d ever kissed had been Leigh Vincent. They’d both been fourteen. She’d thrown a party to mark both the end of the summer and the fact that many of them were heading off to boarding school in a few weeks. Her parents had kept to themselves, only coming outside two or three times to make sure no one had drowned in the pool. Since then, he’d kissed a lot of women. But tonight had been different. When his lips touched Liv’s, every neuron in his brain fired at once as the outside world slipped away.
His last relationship had ended almost a year ago. Since then, he’d spent time with women and physically desired them, but he hadn’t enjoyed spending time with any of them enough to get serious. When he arrived in Orchard Harbor, Matt hadn’t expected that to change.
Now he was hoping it might.
His phone chimed as he finished his drink. When he checked the device, he found a text message from Theo.
Theo: Brianna said the wedding is at a friend’s estate in Orchard Harbor. Do you know where that is?
Someone had just booked a July wedding with Liv. Something told him it was the same one his brother and girlfriend were attending.
Matt: Yeah. It’s where I am now.
Theo: Will you still be there in July?
Last week, he would’ve said “most likely,” and maybe that should be his answer now. July was more than a month away. A lot could happen in a month. Hell, he could show up at Liv’s place tomorrow night, and she might tell him to get lost.
Maybe it was the optimist in him, but he felt like he’d have a reason to stick around Orchard Harbor indefinitely.
Matt: Definitely. Why don’t you and Brianna plan on staying with me?
Theo: Sounds good. See you then.
Seven
It’s not the end of the world.
Liv had been repeating the same thing to herself since noon, when her dad shared the news that Fredrick had accepted someone else’s offer on the building. Maybe if she repeated it to herself for another five hours, she’d believe it.
Shirley hadn’t known whose offer had been accepted. All she’d known was that three parties had made offers. Her dad and grandfather were optimistic that someone other than Timberlane Development was purchasing the building and that they’d keep the status quo. She was trying to follow their lead, but she kept straying off the path. It was a known fact that Rick and Fredrick had been discussing the possibility of Timberlane Development purchasing the building before it even went on the market. Not to mention, she couldn’t imagine many people who had the financial resources to compete with Timberlane Development and would want to leave the building as it was.
Despite her dad’s optimism, she knew he was considering their options for the restaurant and catering business. And tomorrow she’d help him with that and start thinking about her living options. Both Mom and Dad had assured her that she could move back home if the worst happened. Even her grandparents had offered her their spare bedroom. She appreciated their offers, but staying with either would be a short-term solution. She’d moved out of her parents’ house eleven years ago and had been living alone since Phoebe moved out four years ago. So tomorrow she’d start looking for an apartment.
Right now, though, she needed to focus on cooking; otherwise, dinner would be ruined, and she and Matt would be eating takeout tonight.
Liv lowered the heat under the saucepan and grabbed the meat thermometer so she could check the chicken. Why had she told him she was free tonight? If she’d told him she was busy, she’d be stressing about only her future right now instead of that and the fact that he would be there soon. Unfortunately, with him sitting so close and her lips still tingling from his kiss last night, it had been hard to think about anything but seeing him again.
There was a knock on her door as the thermometer registered the necessary temperature.
Before opening the door, she scanned the apartment and once again wished she hadn’t invited him over for dinner. Her apartment was neat, and she’d spent a lot of time decorating it. However, compared to his house, it was a tiny hole-in-the-wall.
Too late now.
