“My shower pressure’s been inconsistent,” she said. “I’ve been meaning to get my… pipes evaluated.”
I choked on nothing.
From the table, one of the others squealed, “Margaret!”
“What?” she said without looking back.
“That’s enough!”
The third woman nudged the other one. “Shh. It’s barely started.”
“Ma’am,” Liam began carefully.
She lifted a manicured finger. “Do not ma’am me. I didn’t survive three marriages to be calledma’amon vacation.”
Pete bent over the reception desk, shoulders shaking, back miraculously healed.
Liam pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Margaret,” the first woman called again, sharper this time.
Margaret paused. Considered. Then straightened. “We’ll behave,” she said.
“You will not,” one of them replied immediately.
“True,” she agreed. She glanced at me, taking me in properly for the first time. “You’re with him.” It wasn’t a question.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.
“Mm,” she said, satisfied. “You two are adorable.”
My entire nervous system short-circuited. “There is nothing adorable happening.”
“Oh,” she said wistfully, hand pressed lightly to her chest. “To be young and violently attracted to someone again.”
I felt heat climb straight up my spine.
Liam didn’t move.
The woman sighed dramatically. “Enjoy your metabolism and your poor impulse control, children.”
Then she returned to her table full of giggling women clutching their smut.
I stared straight ahead. “I hate this place.”
Liam was still looking at me.
When we pulledup to my building, the adrenaline from Pine Hollow had not worn off. It had relocated, sitting low in my stomach, warm and damn inconvenient.
I reached for the car door handle, then stopped.
I checked my bag. “Oh no.”
Liam came around the front of the truck. “What?”
“I didn’t drive.”
He waited.
