Page 53 of The Wedding Engagement

“Yeah.” She nestled into his side. “Hence the handle I’ve given him in my phone.”

Arran allowed himself a gentle laugh, giving her a squeeze.

She played with one of the buttons on his waistcoat. “I mean, it’s no surprise. Well, him contacting us is. But him not asking about me isn’t. He was never interested in me at all. Not that he showed Sam much more attention, but he kind of saw him as a reflection of himself. When he was forced into taking on a parenting role such as a lift to our clubs, he’d always say he’d take Sam to his and Mum could take me to mine. Said he couldn’t relate to me because I was a girl.” She took a breath. “I always felt like the third, unwanted, wheel.”

Arran stiffened. “What a dick.” If he was ever lucky enough to have a daughter, there would be no way he’d behave like that. He drew Liv closer. “He was privileged to have you as his daughter. I’m sorry he fucked it up.”

Her voice was so quiet that he had to strain to hear her words. “And fuckedmeup. At least when he left, I didn’t truly feel like I lost anything. Because I never really had a dad in the first place.”

An icy knife dug into his heart, and he grasped her hand.

She gave him a squeeze. “It was worse for Sam, really. Because they’d had some semblance of a relationship before Dave buggered off.”

“There you go again,” he said, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. “Putting everyone else’s feelings before your own. It was just as bad for you as it was for Sam. You deserve support too, Liv.”

She stayed silent, so he didn’t push it any further.

He kissed the top of her head, his heart aching for her. “Comeon, Aggie. Let’s finish the scones and tea, then I’ll buy you something stronger before we catch the train home.”

—

Liv collapsed into the seatby the train window as he placed their takeaway coffee cups on the table. “Blimey,” she said, blowing a wave of hair away from her glasses. “That last cocktail has totally gone to my head.”

He grinned, sitting down next to her. “Are you sure it was the last one, and not the two prior to it?”

She pursed her lips and it made him want to kiss them. “No. It was defo the last one.”

“Okay. Whatever you say, Aggie,” he said, taking off his jacket.

She removed her coat and stretched. Arran toiled to keep his eyes off how her breasts strained against the white fabric of her shirt. It was such hard work that it had him questioning why he was so determined to keep his hands off her. With his inhibitions somewhat eroded by the alcohol, he was thinking that maybe he should stop being cautious and go for it. Lay it all on the line and then if it all went wrong, surely they were grown up enough to still be friends.Surely, with the way we gel, it wouldn’t ever go wrong…

“Arran. I have had the most wonderful day with you out and about town.” Her words were slightly slurred, and with a cold dousing of his feelings, he figured now wasn’t the time to voice his thoughts. He needed her to be sober and of sound mind first.

Arran tipped an imaginary cap. “You are welcome. I’ll take you out on the town anytime.”

Liv smiled. “Thanks for listening to my woes.”

Warmth filled his heart. “You are, again, very welcome. I like that you can talk to me.”I love it, actually.

“Me too.” She sighed. “I seem to be quite the motormouth lately. Moaning to you today, and even with Brodie last weekend.”

Ice formed in his veins, freezing him in his seat. It had finally come up in conversation, and this was the bombshell—she’d confided in Brodie? When she hardly knew the guy? His heart clenched and a fiery jealousy consumed the warm, privileged feeling he’d gotten when he’d thought that he was the only one Liv had opened up to. The date must have gone well if Liv had poured her heart out to him. He rubbed at his chest, the hollow sensation feeling deeper than usual.

Arran fiddled with his coffee cup as the train began to move, suppressing the urge to ask her what was going on with Brodie because he couldn’t trust himself to do it in a socially appropriate manner. He wanted to get home, track Brodie down, pin him against a wall, and tell him to keep away from Liv.

He took a breath, his voice tight. “Sounds like you two got along well.”

“Yeah, brilliant,” she said, settling into her seat. “He’s really cool. I’m glad he’s coming on the Skye trip. Hopefully you can get to know him better too, because I reckon you’ll get along great.”

Arran clenched his jaw.Get along great? If that involves me whupping his ass, then yeah. We’ll get along great.“I’m sure we will.”

Hold on, why did Livwanthim to “get along great” with Brodie? Because she wanted Arran, as her new “best friend,” to make pals with her new love interest? His heart plummeted into his gut. That must be why she had been trying to get him to rekindle with Jess. She wanted her best friend paired off in the same way that she was pairing off.

Fuck fuck fuck.Typical. The moment the idea of voicing his feelings for Liv crossed his mind, this happened. He’d been right when he’d told Agnes next door that it was a bad idea.

“Speaking of the weekend away,” she continued, seemingly oblivious to his emotional turmoil, “I think we’ve got it all organized now.”

He swallowed, trying to get hold of himself. “Yeah. The transport is arranged, accommodation and dinner booked, and”—he managed a wink—“the most important part, the itinerary, is set.”

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