by M. A. Foster
I bug my eyes out at him. “You could’ve started with that, Liam. For a smart guy, you can be really dense sometimes.”
“I’m sorry. I was trying to start from the beginning so you could understand why I was talking to her. She’s one of my best friends. I introduced her to Deacon a few years ago, and last December they got married. They’re expecting their first baby next month.”
I narrow my eyes. “I saw you in the tabloids with her just a year ago.”
Liam dips his chin, giving me an annoyed look. “You really need to stop reading that shit. It was her movie premiere. Deacon had the stomach flu, so I went in his place. Milana likes to mix it up to mess with the media.” He laughs. “She and Deacon are very private, so every once in a while, I fill in just to throw them off.”
I snort. Okay, that’s pretty funny.
“You and me?” he asks with a hopeful expression.
I blow out a breath and avert my gaze. “I’m trying.”
He leans forward and presses his lips to mine. “We’ll get there.”
VANESSA
I feel different today. Like I’m having an out-of-body experience. My whole body is humming, and my heart feels like it could burst out of my chest any second. I feel… in love. God, I haven’t felt like this since Liam kissed me for the first time.
This is what I was missing with Jake. I’d forgotten this feeling because I’d buried it so deep after Liam broke my heart.
I’m on cloud nine as I practically skip into the nurses’ lounge to find Mia sitting on the small sofa, feet propped on the coffee table, a coffee in one hand and her phone in the other.
Her head turns as the door swings open. “Vanessa,” she singsongs, waving her phone above her head, “you got some ’splainin’ to do, my friend.”
I snort at her terrible impersonation and press my hand to my chest. “Me? What did I do?” I bat my lashes for dramatic effect as I move to stand in front of her, dropping my bag on the table.
Mia holds out her phone to me, and I take it.
“I thought you went out with Noah Friday night?” she asks as I stare down at a photo of Liam and me leaving Private Affair.
“Ugh.” I drop down on the cushion beside her. “I did.”
“What happened?”
I dip my head, gesturing to her phone as I pass it back to her. “Liam happened. He hijacked my date.”
Mia’s mouth pops open in shock before she throws her head back and laughs out loud. “Why does that not surprise me? Tell me everything.”
So I do, though I leave out the sex and our heart-to-heart—because that’s awkward.
“Hey, Liam mentioned something at dinner, and I hope you don’t mind me bringing it up.”
“What’s that?” She bumps her shoulder against mine.
“My first weekend back, I was out for dinner with my dad and his girlfriend. We ran into Max and his family. I met Willow.” She stiffens beside me, but I keep going. “I assumed she was Max and Jessica’s. I hadn’t seen them in years, so I didn’t think much of it, but Liam told me she was Cole’s. He also mentioned Cole’s girlfriend, Harper, is Willow’s aunt.”
“That whole situation was a mess.” She shakes her head and takes a sip of her coffee. “Harper’s sister, Jade, was one of my best friends. Jade died in a car crash right there in downtown Heritage, three years ago this past August.” Sadness fills my chest. “Jade was the only family Harper had. When Jade died, I took Harper in, and she lived with me until her senior year. Then she and Jayla became really close, and she moved in with her. A lot went down in between, and the story is exhausting. I’m just glad everything worked out for her and Willow. They’re in good hands.”
“You’re right about that.” I give her hand a squeeze. “I’m sorry you lost your friend.”
She sniffles. “Me, too.”
I stand from the sofa and move over to the locker to put my stuff away, then walk back over and hold out my hand to Mia. “Let’s go grab breakfast. I’m starving.”
She takes my hand, and I pull her to her feet. Tossing her empty cup in the trash, she says, “I’ll bet you are,” with a wink.
Not touching that.
On the way to the cafeteria, Mia tells me about a guy—no, a man—she met at Shaken Not Stirred over the weekend.
“His name is Ryan. He’s thirty-nine, and I’m not kidding when I say he’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever met.”
“Age is just a number. Jake was ten years older than me,” I say, glancing over at her.
She runs her teeth over her bottom lip. “Is it too soon to be in love with him?”
Jerking to a stop, I turn to face her. “Really?”
She presses her hand to her chest. “I’ve never felt like this before, Vanessa.”
“Did you sleep with him?”
“No, because I actually want this guy to call.”
That cracks me up.
“I’m serious,” she exclaims. “I’m not that girl who believes in fairy-tale endings, or love at first sight, or fate.” She flicks her wrist.
I gasp and smack her playfully on the arm. “Watch your mouth. Fate is very real.”
“God, what is wrong with me?” She presses a palm to her forehead. “Do you think he’ll call?”
I pull her hand away. “There’s nothing wrong with you. If he doesn’t call, then there’s something wrong with him. Don’t listen to those little voices of doubt in your head. Just go with it. Be yourself, because you’re amazing just the way you are. If he doesn’t realize it, then he’s not a very smart man. I don’t care how hot he is.”
Mia snorts, and then her eyes fix on a point over my shoulder. “You have a visitor.”
Turning my head, I see Noah leaning on the counter at the nurses’ station talking to Karen. Sensing my stare, he looks over and sees me. He grins and holds up his hand, giving me a small wave. He says something to Karen and then heads toward me.
“This should be interesting,” Mia murmurs, bumping her arm against mine. “We’ll talk later.”
She walks off just as Noah stops in front of me.
“Hey,” I say. “What are you doing here? Your appointment is next week.”
He nods, his expression sober. “I came to see you. Do you have a minute?”
“I have about twenty.” I jerk my head to the side. “I was just about to grab some food. We can talk on the way.”
“Sure.” Noah falls in step beside me as we make our way to the small cafeteria. “I came to apologize for Friday. I didn’t want you to think I was an asshole for leaving you.”
“Noah.” I sigh as I grab a tray and move to stand in line. “You don’t owe me an apology. If anything, I should be the one apologizing. Liam—” I shake my head. “He’s…. We have history.”
“He said that. Is that why you agreed to go out with me? To make him jealous?”
My mouth falls open in shock. “Oh my God, Noah. No. When you asked me out that day, I had no idea he was even in town. I don’t know if you noticed, but just the sight of us standing in the hall together that day was enough to make him jealous.” I shrug. “Our date just brought out his inner caveman.”
Noah laughs at that.
I grab a coffee and a handful of creams and sugars. “You want a coffee?” I ask. “My treat.”
He shakes his head. “I’m good. I’m on my way over to the field to train.”
I grab a breakfast burrito, then pay for my stuff. Noah follows me to a nearby table and sits across from me.
“Honestly—and please don’t take this the wrong way—I never should’ve gone through with our date in the first place.”
“Ouch.” He presses a hand over his heart.
I cut my eyes at him. “That’s not how I meant it and you know it. You’re a really nice guy, and you were so happy that I agreed to go out with you. I didn’t have the heart to cancel. You said one dinner, so I didn’t see any harm in going. Liam and I had lunch a couple of times last week. He asked me if he cou
ld take me out on Friday, and I told him I couldn’t go because I had a date with you. If I’d known he was going to crash our date, I would’ve canceled.” I sigh, exhausted from everything. “I’m sorry you got dragged into the middle of our drama.”
“You know—” He laughs softly, rubbing a hand over the light stubble on his jaw. “—when he followed me into the men’s room, I knew he was going to confront me about being with you. I might’ve even taunted him a little bit. He told me I was wasting my time. He was so sure I didn’t have a chance with you. But I saw through the threat. He was desperate. Trust me, I know what it’s like to feel the person you love slipping through your fingers. I mean, I’ve never followed anyone into the fucking restroom.” He laughs again. “But I get it.”
I tilt my head. “Who was she?”
His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. “Her name is Alyson. We dated all through college, and she was there when I got drafted by the Storm. I was going to marry her. I had a ring all picked out and everything. But I screwed up. My ego got too big, and she left me.”
“Oh. I’m sorry, Noah.”
He lifts a shoulder. “It is what it is.”
“Where is she now?”
“Last I heard, she moved down to Boca to be closer to her parents.”
I offer him a sympathetic smile. “Relationships are tough as it is. Being in a relationship with a baller requires a special kind of person. Someone with a lot of faith and a hell of a lot of trust.” Something I’m still working on.
Noah and I make small talk on our way out of the cafeteria, then say our goodbyes and part ways as we approach the nurses’ station. I move over to my desk to check my schedule. I see I’m with Dr. Parker again this week and do a little happy clap. He’s seriously the best.
“Are you dating Noah or Liam?” This snarky question comes from Karen—yes, that’s her name.
I spin around in my chair, wanting to take offense at her question, but truthfully from an outsider’s point of view, I’m not painting myself in a good light. Of course, it’s really none of her business, but I’ll entertain it.
“Both.” I wink as I stand from my seat and head off to Dr. Parker’s office.
Chew on that, you nosy bitch.
The rest of the morning moves quickly. Dr. Parker and Dr. Mackenzie invite me to lunch, and since I haven’t heard from Liam, I accept. The weather’s nice, so we decide to walk over to Mac’s. I hadn’t been there since before Liam and I got married.
Liam, Ella, Emerson, Cam, and his mother, Katherine, are seated at a long table set up in the bar area.
Liam jumps from his seat and charges toward me. He pulls me into a hug and whispers, “It was my mother’s idea. Just give her this lunch so she’ll get off my ass.”
“Okay,” I agree with a soft chuckle.
We make our way to the table, and everyone says their hellos.
Emerson smiles at me. “Vanessa, I would stand up and hug you, but it would probably take me as long as your lunch break to get out of this chair.”
I laugh and move over to her side, bending at the waist to give her a hug. Turning to Cam, who’s standing, I hug him, too. Then I move around to the other side to greet Ella. She pulls me into a tight hug and whispers, “You don’t know how happy it makes me to see you two together again. My baby boy loves you so much.”
I pull back to see her eyes shimmering with emotion.
“I love him, too,” I tell her.
After lunch, Liam kisses me goodbye, and we agree to meet at the loft when I get off work. Dr. Parker, Dr. Mackenzie, and I walk back to the medical center.
“So are you two planning to do the long-distance thing again?” Dr. Mackenzie asks.
“What?”
“When he goes back to California,” he hedges.
“Oh.” I hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I’m not sure. We’re just getting to the point where we don’t want to kill each other.”
Both men laugh at that.
“He’s gonna steal my best girl from me.” Dr. Parker pouts.
“Well, just know that when the time comes, whatever you decide, you have my support.” Dr. Mackenzie smiles at me.
“Mine, too,” Dr. Parker adds.
I beam at them. “Thanks, guys.”
VANESSA
“How was your day?” Liam purrs through the phone.
The deep timbre of his voice is like an electric current that shoots straight to my nipples.
“Busy. Yours?”
“Productive. Cam and I put together baby furniture.”
I laugh. “Please tell me Emerson got that on video.”
“Probably.” He chuckles. “What are you doing right now? Wanna grab some dinner?”
“I can’t,” I tell him. “I’m on my way to meet Gabbi at Happy Hour for drinks.”
“Can I come?” he teases.
Liam would never be caught dead drinking in a little local bar. He prefers clubs with VIP and private rooms. I can’t say I blame him, though. Who wants to constantly be mauled by fans while trying to have a drink or a meal?
“Liam.” I let out an exasperated laugh. “I’ve been with you every night this week. Gabbi needs some face time with me, too. I’ll call you when I’m heading home, okay?”
“Promise?”
I mouth, “Thank you,” to the Uber driver before climbing out of the back seat. “Who are you, and what have you done with the stubborn asshole I was married to five years ago?”
He scoffs. “That stubborn asshole is long gone. He didn’t know a good thing when he had it, and he doesn’t deserve you.”
“And you do?”
“Yes,” he says without hesitation. “No one will ever love you like I do. Let me back in all the way, Vanessa. Let’s be us again.”
My heart twists in my chest. “I do love you, Liam. You know that, but it’s only been a couple of weeks. Give my heart a chance to forgive you.”
“I know.” He sighs, sounding defeated. “Have a good time with Gabbi. I’ll miss you.”
“Hey,” I say before he hangs up.
“Yeah?”
I take a deep breath. “Pick me up at nine.”
There’s a brief pause. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I need some girl time with my bestie, but I want to fall asleep next to you.”
“I’ll be there. And Vanessa?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t let anyone touch what’s mine.”
“Seriously?”
“Very,” he growls. “The stubborn asshole might be gone, but the jealous, possessive asshole is still very much alive. I have no shame in protecting what’s mine.”
And with that, he hangs up.
Shaking my head, I can’t help but grin as I slip my phone into my purse. Grabbing the handle, I open the door and step inside Happy Hour, a slightly small but upscale bar tucked between Painting with a Twist and The Lovely Grape Wine Bar. This is Gabbi’s preferred drinking spot, and I’m sure it’s because her condo is right above it, less than a hundred feet away.
Craning my neck, I scan the crowded bar for my friend and spot a hand flailing in the air. Gabbi. Weaving through the crowd, I arrive at the table to find a drink waiting for me.
“You’re so good to me.” I bat my lashes as I hop onto the barstool. “It’s packed tonight.”
She rolls her eyes. “There’s a wine tasting event tonight. Hopefully they’ll all leave so I can drink with my girl in peace.” She winks. “Thank you for removing Liam’s dick from your vagina for an evening to spend time with your bestie.”
I snort a laugh. “What can I say? It’s good dick.”
Gabbi barks out a laugh. “That’s my girl.”
“You know what I’ve been doing. What have you been up to? I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”
“I started dating again.”
“Really? That’s great.” I beam. “Any keepers?”
She waves me off. “Don’t start planning my wedding. It’s only for re
search for my book.”
“Liar.” Bringing my drink to my lips, I scan the packed bar over the rim of my glass until my gaze lands on a familiar head of dark hair. “Hey, isn’t that Bentley DiMarco?”
“Where?” Gabbi jerks her head to the side to look over her shoulder. “Well, shit, that is him. Fucking dick.”
I choke on my drink and set my glass down on the table. If the place wasn’t so loud, he would’ve heard her.
“He looks good though,” I say with a knowing grin.
She jerks a shoulder and turns her attention toward the door. “Uh, Vanessa, you’re not gonna believe who just walked in.”
“Who?” Now it’s my turn to look over my shoulder, but I don’t see any familiar faces.
“Roberta Swallows.”
I snort. “It’s Sallows,” I correct her, knowing she doesn’t care. “How’d she look?”
She quirks a brow. “Who the hell cares?”
And as if things couldn’t get more interesting, an hour into our girl time, Brian appears at our table. “Vanessa?” He throws an arm around my shoulder and tugs me to his side. “I thought it was you.”
“Jesus Christ. It’s like a fucking high school reunion in here tonight.” Gabbi looks down at her watch. “What year is it?” My shoulders shake with laughter. She’s on fire tonight. “What’s up, Bizzle? Did you come with Bertie?”
Brian’s brows pinch in confusion. “Who?”
I flick my wrist. “Ignore her. She needs another drink.”
Brian points to Gabbi’s glass. “What are you having? I’ll buy you a drink.”
She perks up. “A dirty martini. Get Vanessa one, too, please.”
He nods. “You got it.” He points to his beer. “Mind watching my drink?”
“Sure.”
Brian heads to the bar, and Gabbi grins at me. “He looks good.”
“He does,” I agree.
“Holy shit, if it isn’t Gabriella Martinez,” a familiar voice says at my back before stepping into my view. I flinch. What the hell happened to Bertie? “And Vanessa Abbott. I see you two are still joined at the hip.” She exhales a raspy laugh. “Some things never change.”