Page 31 of Had To Be You

I shoot him a side-eye stare. “What’s the latest, Mr. Grumpy Pants?”

He fires me his own side-eye stare. “Clubbing. Kate has reserved a table this Saturday for the group at that bar she was talking about. Club Eden. I’m guessing you are excited about this?”

“Who wouldn’t be?”

Liam just shakes his head, the corners of his lips curving up in a smile. His dimple is on full display, doing crazy things to my brain. He stares at me as if he’s studying me.

“What?” I ask him.

“You, is what.” Liam rolls on top of me, his corded arms on either side of me, pinning me in place. He brushes his lips softly over mine then pulls back with an up-to-no-good grin. My God.

“What about breakfast?” I ask him.

“I’d rather have you.”

* * *

I pull the heavy wood door to Lola’s open and follow the girls inside. I take a seat beside Olivia at a high-top table near the bar, with Kate and Jules taking the seats across from us. Drinks and appies post-yoga have become our weekly routine after I talked the girls into getting their namaste on with me a few years ago. Lola’s is one of the restaurants we have on rotation of approved girls’ night spots. They make world-class lemon drop martinis and it’s removed from the beach, keeping the clientele mostly local.

We’re all showered and changed after a challenging class and are looking forward to some girl chat. Our waiter takes our order, four Super Sunshine lemon drop martinis as usual, and leaves us to catch up.

“How was everyone’s day?” Kate asks, slinging her purse over the corner of her stool.

My day? If they knew about my day – and the night leading up to it – I’m pretty sure they would lose their minds. After breakfast in bed, me being the “breakfast,” Liam drove me home to get ready for work. After a busy day at the shop with renewed vigor, taking breaks only to salivate over a few flirty texts from Liam, I’m feeling like I’ve won the Heisman. The mother-flipping Superbowl. I know I need to stop this. I need to reel it in and not allow myself to fall for him. I just haven’t figured out how to do that when it feels so good.

“How about you, Ells?” Jules questions me, resting her chin in the palm of her hand.

“Enjoying the calm before wedding season kicks my ass,” I reply innocently because it’s the truth. “Olivia, your wedding feels like the kick-off to our busiest time of year.”

“It really is,” Olivia says, “You guys, I can’t wait to marry that man.”

A pang of envy batters my chest. Olivia has found her person, her one true love. She deserves all the happiness Parker brings her. I hadn’t thought I wanted that kind of love, the forever kind, until recently. Or maybe I’ve always wanted what my parents have but just got lost along the way. Either way, I’m happy for my best friend.

“My brother is the lucky one,” Jules jumps in. “Speaking of…what needs to be done before the wedding? We are at your beck and call.”

“I think it’s mostly under control. The night before is when I’ll need you the most: setting out seating cards, helping with décor, things like that.”

I squeeze Olivia’s arm. “I’ll be there. Whatever you need. I can’t wait to see you in your dress. Parker is going to lose his mind when he sees you.” And it’s true. Parker is beyond in love with Olivia. One look at her in her form-fitted mermaid gown and he’ll be a goner.

“Nine more days, Olivia,” Kate says to her sister. “Can you believe it?”

“Barely.” Olivia smiles. “I can’t wait to be Olivia Bennett.”

“I think that deserves a toast,” Jules announces, reaching for her drink. We raise our glasses to the center of the table. “To my soon-to-be sister and her blissful, perfect happy ending.”

I point at Jules, “Can we keep their sex life out of the toast please? Eww!”

We laugh and then knock back our drinks. I sit back in my chair, taking in the scene around me. The four of us share a friendship that not many are able to find and I feel lucky. And maybe a little bit icky that I slept with Jules’ brother last night. But mostly just lucky.

The warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest turns red hot when out of the corner of my eye I spot Liam striding into the restaurant. He shakes the hands of two older gentlemen I don’t recognize before taking a seat at their table. I take the opportunity to really look at him before he notices me. He’s in the same expensive gray suit he put on when he got out of bed this morning, the one that matches his eyes. And the way that suit fits his body he looks like sex on a stick. For the love of all things mighty, that man was inside of me less than twelve hours ago. Ho-ly.

A minute later we make eye contact and as soon as we do it’s like we’re the only two people in the place. It feels as though silence has descended on the entire restaurant. All I can hear is the hum of the current that instantly connects us, running from his soul to mine. There is no controlling this.

He shoots me a steamy grin that makes my insides light up. I return the smile, then force myself to look away.

After another round of sugary sweet drinks, with Liam and I stealing glances across the room, Olivia spots him. “Hey, Liam is here.” She waves her arm in the air, catching his eye. “He must be with his partners from the firm.”

Liam nods and waves our way, his gaze lingering on me just a little too long.

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