She held up a hand. “I don’t need the details. You’re a great actor, Liam, but there was nothing fake about the way you looked at her.”
Liam’s heart gave a tight squeeze. No, there was definitely nothing fake about his feelings. But he didn’t want to think about his loss on this happy occasion. He forced a smile. “So what’s after the honeymoon? Is David moving to LA?”
“We’ll split our time between here and New York as much as we can. And of course, I’ll be gone on set sometimes.”
Here was a couple who was attempting to manage a long-distance relationship. “How has that worked, living on opposite coasts?”
“It hasn’t been easy. I miss him when we aren’t together, but we FaceTime and text a lot. His work situation is seasonal and somewhat flexible, so he flies out to see me at least once a month when I’m home, and I stay in New York a lot when I’m not on set. He works for the Mets.”
“I can see why he’d hate to give that up.”
“So for now we just have to be flexible, play it by ear. Not everyone has a nine-to-five, picket-fence life. And that’ll always be the case when you’re an actor.” She nudged him with an elbow. “No matter where the love of your life lives.”
Chloe was certainly that. “I’m glad the two of you are making it work.”
“A lot of couples do. Not just actors but people who serve in the military. Love can overcome a lot of obstacles—even geography.”
He gave a wan smile.
Daisy glanced over his shoulder. “Uh-oh. David’s been ambushed by my nosy great-aunt. I’d better go rescue him.” She hugged him again. “Thank you for coming, Liam. I’m glad you were able to make it.”
“My pleasure. Have a wonderful time in the Maldives.”
And then she was off, skirt clutched in one hand, beating a pathfor her husband. They seemed like a good couple. Jealousy pricked hard.
His phone vibrated with a text. Welcoming the distraction, he pulled the phone from his pants pocket.
He froze at the name on the screen. The text was from Chloe.
I know I was wrong. I’m sorry, Liam.
Chapter43
Thank you for that.
Liam’s response to her text had been rolling around Chloe’s head for the past twenty-four hours. Her heart had beat out a tattoo and her fingers had trembled as they tapped out that apology on her phone. She paused with her thumb over the Send button for a full minute. And then after she sent it, she waited.
And waited.
Finally his response came—and it wasn’t exactly a conversation starter. She told herself she hadn’t held out hope her apology would develop into more. But her disappointment at his response told her everything she needed to know.
It was now the next day, almost one o’clock, and she was still down in the dumps. It had taken all her courage to unblock him. To write those words. She hoped he knew how much she meant them.
She shook the thoughts away as she loaded another plate in her mom’s dishwasher, then went to work on a spatula.Well, what did you expect?How could she blame him for shutting down after what she’d done? Still, there was no comforting her bruised heart. It wobbled in her chest like a rickety chair.
Mom plunked a handful of silverware into the sink. “That’s the last of it.”
Chloe took hold of her arm. “Mom.”
The woman’s gaze sharpened on her daughter’s expression, her eyes questioning. “What is it, honey?”
“I’m sorry I lied to you guys about Liam.”
Mom squeezed her hand. “Honey, you already apologized and we already forgave you. Please, let it go. It pains me to see you so upset.”
“I shouldn’t have pretended to have feelings for him, especially not to you and Dad.”
Mom gave her a knowing smile. “I’m not convinced there was all that much pretending going on.”
