“It’s the entire point.” I paused. “This is a safe space for poor decisions.”
His mouth curved slightly. “I’d like to stay.”
Markie climbed onto the bars of his enclosure and stared at Liam. “DOG.”
“Yes,” Liam replied calmly.
I looked between them. “This is deeply humiliating for me.”
Markie clicked his satisfaction, then settled onto his perch as if the hierarchy had been properly established.
“Well, then… show me what qualifies as high-quality junk food,” Liam said.
I moved toward the kitchen, aware of him following me, aware that the apartment felt smaller with him in it, but somehow it also felt safer.
Connection is not safe, you dumb bitch.Abort mission.
Ignoring my brain’s commentary, I took the ice cream out of the freezer.
“Take a seat,” I told him, pointing toward the couch.
He did, and that surging heat in my belly grew. God, this was a terrible idea.
Still, I handed him a spoon.
“Lesson one,” I said. “We judge everyone immediately.”
He gave me an amused look. “I can do that.”
I sat beside him, close enough that our knees brushed. Neither of us moved away.
“GOOD DOG,” Markie muttered.
I didn’t correct him.
Chapter 14
Liam
“This is mint-chocolate chip,”Zoey said. “If you are anti mint-chocolate chip, you’ll have to leave.”
“I never said I was anti mint-chocolate chip,” I replied.
The show opened with dramatic music and three women arguing about whether someone had stolen someone else’s fiancé. There were subtitles, slow zooms, and a recap of an argument that that had apparently occurred twelve minutes earlier. I barely paid attention to any of it because Zoey’s knee was resting against mine.
“Previously on emotionally unregulated adults,” she muttered, her blue hair cascading like a waterfall around her face.
I took a measured bite of ice cream and watched the screen. “Why are they meeting in a restaurant?”
“Because producers encourage public humiliation.”
“That seems cruel.”
“That’s the point of reality television.”
One of the men on screen began shouting. Zoey inhaled sharply and sat up straighter. “Oh, this is where he lies.”
“He hasn’t lied yet.”
