Page 32 of The Wedding Engagement

There was a beat of silence, and a stab of regret pierced her at having spoken her mind. Sam was watching her with a frown. “Well. When you put it like that.”

Liv puffed out a breath, the need to speak up overriding her usual self-censorship. “I’m sick of everyone acting like a woman’s place is to get dumped. Like, she mustn’t dare be the one to end things, but to know her place and only be ‘let out’ of a relationship when the man decides. Jess had no control over her feelings; none of us do. It just happened to her and so she had to be true to herself for both their sakes. You didn’t choose to love Maya, did you? It just happened.”

The words had come pouring out like steam from a pressure cooker. An inevitable outcome, really, when she kept everything simmering inside until her thoughts reached the boiling point and then erupted like red-hot lava as soon as a tiny nudge cracked her facade and provided an outlet.

But as she surveyed the surprised expressions around the table, the stab of regret amplified into a painful guilt. The heaviness of it dragged at her insides, swelling in her stomach like a sickening bubble.

She met her mum’s eyes, registering the inevitable disapproval there. “Watch your temper, Liv.” A flash of anger singed her guilt to a crisp. As usual, her mother disapproved of Liv’s expressing any kind of opinion that wasn’t one hundred percent rainbows and unicorns. Whereas if her brother did the same, then that was fine—he was just being honest and truthful.

Liv pressed her lips together, burying any further retorts.

Maya saved her with a nod. “I agree with Liv.” She shot Sam a smile. “Your little sister just owned you,” she told him.

“You know what?” Sam said with a shrug. “I actually feel sorry for Jess. You’re right that she couldn’t help falling out of love with Arran. And now she can’t help falling in love with a twat.”

“What do you mean?” Liv asked, anxiety rising.

“He’s the kind who’ll boast to any guy he meets about how he plays around behind his girlfriend’s back. Total small-dick-energy kind of deal. At least, that’s how he always was in the past.” He sipped his tea. “Though you never know. Maybe he’ll be different with Jess.”

Tara shook her head. “A leopard never changes its spots. That’s a lesson I know Georgie will have learned.”

Liv shuddered at the mention of anything related to their father. “Small-dick energy all over,” she muttered. Maya shot her a sympathetic smile.

“Anyhow,” Sam addressed Liv. “I’m glad you’re looking after my best mate while I’m busy with the wedding stuff.” Sam gave her a sly glance. “Is there anythingmorethan friendship going on between you and Arran?”

Liv raised her eyebrow at Maya.

“Hey,” Maya said, holding her hands up. “Don’t look at me like that. I’ve said nothing.”

Sam smiled. “You’d have my blessing, you know, if you want to get it on with my bestie. That’s what I’ve done with yours. It’s tit for tat.” His smile spread into a grin. “So to speak.”

“Ugh.” Liv rolled her eyes. “Please shut the eff up.”

Sam laughed. “You can swear in front of Mum and Angus, by the way. They already know all the four-letter words.”

Liv tried to reach around Maya to punch Sam’s arm, but he dodged out of the way too fast.

“You effing suck,” she muttered, giving Sam her iciest death stare while simultaneously feeling guilty that she hadn’t confided in her twin about her feelings for his best friend, nor the mixed-up reasons why she didn’t want to act on those feelings. Especially with her recent promise to him to always tell him everything, after his awful ex Catriona had come between them for the past several years. But after such a long time of protecting Sam from her woes, old habits were proving to die hard.

She shot Maya a quick glance. Perhaps she should try to be honest with Maya about it, but it wasn’t fair to ask Maya to keep secrets from her fiancé.

Tara cleared her throat. “While we’re on the vague subject of your father, I want to ask whether you’d like to invite him to the wedding.”

There was a few seconds’ silence and Liv felt the blood drain from her face. She took in Sam’s expression and knew, even without a mirror, that she must be wearing the exact same horrified look.

Sam’s jaw was tight. “He’s not our father. He gave up the right to be called that years ago.”

“I just wanted to ask,” Tara said, reaching over to squeeze Sam’s hand. “It’s up to you and Maya. You have my blessing either way.”

Liv held her breath, wanting to speak up and say her piece—that there was no way that dickhead should be allowed anywhere near her brother’s wedding. But then she glanced at her mother, remembering her stern words from earlier.“Watch your temper, Liv.”Instead, she crossed her fingers and willed Sam to say what she wanted to hear, suppressing the need to speak up until it created an almost painful pressure in her chest.

Sam swallowed. “That’s thoughtful of you, Mum. But the only parents I want there are you and Angus, and Omar and Yvonne.”

Liv let out a breath of relief, darting her gaze over to Angus, who was wearing a visibly moved expression.

“Of course, sweetheart. Whatever you want,” Tara replied with a soft smile.

Maya leaned into Sam and kissed his cheek, and Liv eased back into her chair, thanking the heavens that Sam had vetoed that awful idea.

---