He grumbled some unintelligible words. “I don’t get you. Really, I don’t.” He shoved a lock of hair off hisforehead.
“What don’t you get, Liam? Did you think I’d enjoy everyone finding out that I went on a date with a guy for money?” I hugged my arms against me, trying to squelch the tremors shooting through my limbs. I was cold and I was mad. Not a goodcombination.
“You said you didn’t sleep with your customers, so there’s really nothing to be ashamed about. Unless you do…sleep withthem.”
My stomach bottomed out. “Them?”
He held my gaze. Did he know about his father? He couldn’t, couldhe?
Keeping my eyes fixed on his, I said, “I only went out with Aidan.” Technically, it was true. I hadn’tgone outwith Liam’s father; I’d stayed in. “But I’m not doing it anymore, so if you can stop tellingpeople—”
“I’msorry.”
“Whatever.” I tried to step around him again, but he whipped his arm out to stopme.
“Come back inside. Let me buy you a drink to make up for being aprick.”
“In what world do you think I’d want to go back inthere?”
“Then let me buy you a drink someplaceelse.”
I tightened my arms. “God, Liam, I don’t need a pitydrink.”
“It wouldn’t be a pity drink. It’d be an apologydrink.”
I shook my head. “Thanks, but no thanks. I just want to walkaround.”
He lowered his hand, and I passed by him. But then he was striding next tome.
“The bar’s the otherway.”
“Maybe I want to walk around,too.”
“There are plenty of othersidewalks.”
“I like thissidewalk.”
“Liam—” Ihuffed.
“What? You don’t have to talk tome.”
“That’s not going to be weird atall.”
I thought I detected a smile, but it could’ve been a twitchingnerve.
“Why?” Iasked.
“Whywhat?”
“Why are you walking with me? And if you say it’s to protect me from a handsypasserby—”
“My earliest memory is of yourbirth.”
“Mybirth?”
He glanced down at me. “Your dad came over to our house to announce that he’d had a kid, and that kid was a girl. I remember how appalled my fatherwas.”
His strange confession unsettled me. “You werefour.”
