Page 37 of How to Write a Rom-Com

Liam bellows a loud laugh and actually clutches his chest while he does so. Blue is so surprised by the noise that he must think something is wrong with Liam. He bounds over to him and jumps up, matching Liam in height as he places a paw on each of Liam’s shoulders. Liam’s laugh grows and I can’t help but join in as Blue attacks Liam with kisses. The dog nuzzles his face against Liam’s and slobbers all over him.

“I’m okay, Blue! I’m okay!” Liam says, placing the dog’s paws back on the ground. “He hasn’t heard me laugh like that in a while,” Liam admits, rubbing the dog’s head.

“I’m glad my fishing brought it out of you,” I joke, crossing my arms and pretending to look offended.

“Honestly, me too,” Liam replies, smiling brilliantly at me.

My last conversation with Jill flashes through my mind, but it’s not something I’m willing to address right now. No, right now, I’m going to enjoy the smile on this man’s face. The man who, ironically, is holding a fishing line, but isn’t in a Tinder profile picture, but who is real, right here in front of me, looking at me in a way I have never seen before.

And it scares the hell out of me.

Chapter Twelve

Operation Small Town, Day 24

“Inhale and lift your left leg up,” the instructor says calmly from my phone. I follow her cues and work my way into warrior two. Elle teaches yoga classes as a side hustle, and she’s gotten me into it. At the beginning, I was a complete mess. I honestly felt bad for the other people in the class that had to watch me. I was a one-woman game ofTwister,with a puzzle of outstretched arms and legs, and every time I laid down, I left a sweat angel on my borrowed mat. Since then, I have definitely improved, and luckily, here in my lakeside retreat, the only people who can see me are a couple on their deck across the way.

I made myself a big breakfast and enjoyed it on the deck, but at ten o’clock I found myself staring at my phone, willing it to ring. When I realized I didn’t want to bethatgirl, I pulled up a yoga video on YouTube and got to work.

When I hear a throat clear behind me, I jump so hard that I completely fall out of warrior two and flat on my face. “Ow,” I say, rolling on to my butt.

Of course, it’s Liam. Of course, the one person in the world I would be the most mortified about seeing me do yoga is standing six feet away.Of.Course.

“Hey,” I say, rubbing my head. “You scared me.”

Liam runs his hand through his hair and avoids my gaze. He’s wearing a pair of board shorts and a blue tank top. I remember mocking men who wore tank tops at some point in my life, but from this view, Liam in a tank top is my new favorite thing.

“Sorry. I knocked on the front door but then I heard a voice outside,” he says, gesturing to my phone where the yoga teacher is still talking. I scamper over to where I have it propped up and turn her off.

“Well, I’m sorry you had to witness the hot mess that was me doing yoga,” I say jokingly.

“I’m not,” he says. I squint at him. “But I had to say something before you started lifting your legs up again and I embarrassed myself,” he adds, bowing his head to hide the smile on his face. I giggle.

I’m sorry, did Liam Miller just imply that he is attracted to me? No, that couldn’t be right.

All this back and forth I’ve been doing with Liam, it’s been fun, but there’s no universe in which this man could actuallylikeme. I mean, just look at him. In my experience, guys who look like him don’t give me a second look. At least in Manhattan they don’t. I have several years of dating app history to prove it.

“So, what’s up?” I ask, crossing my legs under me.

“Oh, I wanted to see if you were free today.”

“No work today?” I ask.

“That’s one of the perks of being the owner. I have a bunch of minions who work for me. They can handle lunch. I’ll go in for dinner.”

“Oh, well aren’t you justsobig-time?” I tease.

“I try,” he admits with a shrug. “So, are you free?”

“I am,” I say almost immediately.Cool, Lucy.Cool. “What did you have in mind?”

“I thought you might like to see my favorite place in Hudson Hollow,” he says, smiling.

“Still trying to sell me on the small-town life?” I say, before my brain has a chance to catch up. Ugh, I hate that I said that. Think before you speak, Lucy. Think. “Sorry, I—”

“Yes, I am trying to sell it to you. But I don’t think I’ll have to work too hard,” Liam replies, crossing his arms across his chest.

The smile that breaks out on my face probably looks goofy, but I can’t help it.

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