Page 122 of My Favorite Mistake

Several minutes passed in silence between them. Eventually, Brennan picked up the magazine again and tilted it toward her, displaying a beautiful photo of a bride wearing an elegant gown. “Anyway, I think you would lookstunningin antique ivory lace.”

Liza forced a smirk at him, still stuffing the awkward feeling away. “You and this magazine. I feel like you’re living out secret wedding fantasies vicariously through us.”

“Absolutelynot.” He laughed, and his face relaxed into his typical casual expression. “I’m not the marrying type.”

“I know you’re not, which is why you’re using me and Connor’s eventual wedding to fantasize about it.”

“That is not what I’m doing.” He turned the page again. “I just want to assist in making sure everything is perfect for you guys.”

She laughed. “Kind of like you insisted that I have my nails perfect for this random meeting Jimmy weirdly forgot to inform me about.”

Brennan’s eyes widened as he appeared to stare more intensely at the page. He cleared his throat again. “Tidy nails are important. You never know when you’re going to need your hands looking nice.”

“I guess. I still don’t think this guy is going to be looking at my hands.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Brennan leaned back in the chair and closed the magazine as he offered a mischievous half smile. “He might surprise you.”

* * *

The town careased up to the curb in front of the label house, and Brennan leaped out, jogging around to Liza’s side to get the door and offered his hand.

She looked at him questioningly as she took his palm, and he shrugged. “You don’t want to accidentally chip the polish on the handle.”

She smirked as Brennan released her hand and they approached the door. “You’re cracking me up with this preoccupation with my nails.”

“Well, you know, I just—”

“Riley!” Jimmy’s face poked around the side of the front door. His expression was strained with exasperated urgency. “You’reearly,” he growled through gritted teeth.

“Early?” Liza furrowed her brow. “If this guy’s not here yet, maybe you should let me take a moment to get my—”

“L., tell me about Austin,” Brennan said, grabbing her waist with both hands and spinning her around so that her back was to the door.

“What?” She glanced over her shoulder at Jimmy, who pulled his head back inside. “What is going on?”

“Nothing,” Brennan said, still holding her in place on the sidewalk. “It just occurred to me that I don’t know anything about Austin, and I’m genuinely curious about what the music scene is actually like. Why do they call it the Live Music Capital of the World? What’s that all about?”

“Because there are more live music venues per capita than any other US city,” she explained dismissively, head still wrenched around as she attempted to squint through the windows. “Why does he have all the lights off?” She looked at Brennan skeptically. “What is going on? Who is this person we’re meeting with?”

Brennan’s brown eyes were suddenly wide with panic, and he shifted his gaze from side to side. “How many venues are there?”

Curiosity got the best of Liza, and she wiggled out of his hands to turn around. “More than two hundred and fifty.” She was about to step on the stairs, but Brennan snagged her wrist and pulled her into a hug.

“L., have I told you how proud I am of you?” he said as he swayed slightly, squeezing her like a death grip. “You’ve done so much for—”

“Oh my God, B.” She held her arms stiffly at her sides. “What in the world is going on?”

His phone chirped in his pocket, and he reached to slip it out, but still squeezed his other arm around her back. After glancing at it, Brennan let her go, stepped aside, and smiled pleasantly. “Nothing.” He rubbed her shoulder and then gestured at the door. “Good talk, L. Why don’t you go on in?”

She squinted at him incredulously and then made her way up the stairs.

Pushing open the door, Liza was greeted by dozens of candles set out all over the beautiful old house, causing it to bask in a warm glow, and the soft, low moan of Oscar playing a slowed down rendition ofStand by Mein a far corner. Jimmy was next to him wearing a proud papa grin. Frankie was in another corner, hiding in plain sight with her camera. About a dozen arrangements of red roses sat on the various surfaces. And Connor stood in the middle of the foyer, wearing a fine suit, hands in the pockets of his slacks. He wore the sweetest smile she’d ever seen on anyone’s face, and the entire romantic scene suddenly went blurry as her eyes filled with happy tears.

“Liza,” he said, holding out his hand. “The last time we tried to dance to this song it didn’t really end well.”

She brought her hand to her mouth as she chuckled. “No, it didn’t.” She wiped her eyes and stepped toward him to take his hand, and he drew her close to him.

“How are you feeling right now?” he asked, still smiling as he began leading her through a slow dance. “Not gonna pass out or anything, are you?”

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