“Absolutely.”
The certainty in Cooper’s voice helped her make her decision. “Okay,” she mumbled.
“You’ll marry me?”
“Yes.” Even as she spoke the word, a feeling of elation broke over her. She was getting married!
The audience broke into applause as Cooper stood and threw his arms around Maurie, planting a steamy kiss on her lips. Then he pulled back and gazed into her eyes. “You’ve made me the happiest man on earth.”
Maurie used her key to let herself into Liam’s condo. She assumed he and Dani would be halfway to Europe by now. He’d left her a couple of voicemails, probably wondering why she didn’t attend the wedding, but she’d not listened to them. It was crazy to think that Liam was married and she was engaged. Life was changing so quickly that it was hard to keep up. Rebel came trotting up to her. She bent down and rubbed her head. “Hey, girl. How ya holding up? I’ll bet you’re lonely, aren’t you? Maybe I’ll take you to my house.” She’d promised Liam that she would take care of Rebel while he was gone. “Let’s gather your things.”
She stood and then noticed the covered canvas on the easel. She wondered what new project Liam had started on the eve of his wedding. She was about to lift up a corner of the sheet when she heard a noise. Startled, she whipped around. There stood Liam in the doorway. A shaky laugh escaped her throat as she put a hand to her chest. “You scared me.” Then she got a good look at him. All he had on was a towel, draped around his waist. His hair was wet and tousled from the shower. The first thought that came to her mind was how muscular Liam was. He was an avid windsurfer, so she supposed that helped keep him toned. He looked great. Oops! She wasn’t supposed to think that. Liam was married, and she was engaged. “What’re you doing here?” She looked past him. “Where’s Dani? I thought you’d be on a plane right now.”
He raked a hand through his hair. “Yeah, an interesting thing happened. Dani and I didn’t get married.”
The wind left her lungs. “What?”
A crooked smile lifted one corner of his lips. “Yeah, she broke it off.”
Her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, Liam. I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m doing great.”
“Really?” She studied him carefully. He seemed to be holding up well. Of course it was hard to concentrate on his face when his chest was there. Heat crawled up her neck as her eyes trailed over his well-defined pecs and rock hard abs. “Maybe you should get dressed.”
He looked down and chuckled. “Oh, yeah. Sorry. Hang on, love. Be back in a jiffy.” He returned a few minutes later, wearing a polo shirt and khaki shorts.
Maurie pulled out a stool and sat down at the island. “So, tell me what happened.”
“I was at the wedding, in my tux, watching guests arrive.” He gave her a look of censure. “Wondering why you weren’t there.”
She picked up a container of macadamia nuts and began turning it in her hands. “Yeah … sorry.”
He leaned back against the counter and folded his arms, studying her. “So, where were you?”
“I had something I needed to take care of.”
He tilted his head. “Really?”
The tone of his voice irked her. “Yes, really.”
“What could be so important that it made you miss your best friend’s wedding?”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.”
His eyes held hers, and she felt that same connection with him that she’d felt the evening they walked on the beach. Blood pumped furiously through her veins and pounded in her temples. It was hard to wrap her mind around the fact that Liam had not gotten married. He was single, and she was engaged. She was sure that fate was having a heyday with this one.
They eyed one another, until, Liam blew out a breath. “Fine, don’t tell me.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Okay, I won’t. Tell me what happened with Dani.”
“She fell in love with her surf instructor.”
“W-what?” she sputtered, wishing she could grab Dani’s skinny neck and shake some sense into her. “That fickle brat! How could she do that to you? I knew she was trouble from day one.”
Amusement lit Liam’s eyes. “I didn’t realize you cared so much.”
She shifted in her seat. “Well, of course I care.”
“Do you care, Maurie?” His voice was a caress that sent ripples down her spine.
“I’m really sorry it happened.”
“I’m not.”
At first she wasn’t sure she heard him correctly. “What? You’re not?”
“No, Dani kept me from making the biggest mistake of my life.”
She gave him a sharp look. “And what would’ve happened if Dani hadn’t fallen in love with someone else. Would you have gone ahead and married her?”
His face fell. “Yeah … probably. But that’s irrelevant. She broke it off, and I realized. So, you see—she did me the greatest favor.”
“How magnanimous of her,” she muttered.
“Yes … actually … it was. As much as it hurt to know she betrayed me, I admire Dani for having the courage to tell the truth.”
Maurie fought the urge to roll her eyes. Liam could be so obtuse sometimes. He was still defending Dani—even after she’d kicked him to the curb. Before the day was out, he’d be elevating Dani to martyr status.
He rubbed his hands together. “If it had not been for the wedding, I never would’ve realized something very important.” He looked at her, as if he were about to share something significant.
Maurie frowned. Where was this going?
“Last night on the beach, something changed. I know we decided long ago that there could never be anything between us, but Maurie …” His eyes grew soft. “You have to know how I feel about you.”
The words bulldozed over her, evoking a mixture of longing and anger. How could Liam be telling her this now? She’d spent so much time—waiting for him to throw her a single crumb of affection. And she’d had to watch him make mistake after mistake. Furthermore, it had taken his flighty fiancée dumping him at the altar for him to finally come to his senses. In other words, Maurie was his fallback.
“Please, say something,” he urged.
How easy it would be to throw aside her good sense and rush into his arms. While he didn’t have Cooper’s movie-star looks, he was almost more appealing with his rugged features and tousled hair. But she couldn’t stand the idea of being second choice. She straightened her shoulders, her expression tightening. “I’m engaged.”
The air got sucked out of the room as Liam’s eyes bugged. “W-what?”
She nodded. “I was with Cooper yesterday during your wedding. He asked me to marry him. And I said yes.”
Chapter 4
It had been two long weeks since Maurie let the air out of Liam’s sails by announcing her engagement. Admittedly, a part of him was still a little sad about Dani, but he was mostly irritated that some smooth-talking art broker had swept in and stolen Maurie right out from under his nose. Not only was Cooper an art broker, he also owned an exclusive gallery in Honolulu. Liam had visited the gallery once, but Cooper was out of the country at the time. He went to the gallery website, but there was no information on Cooper, only a vague description about the gallery and detailed information on the featured artists. He even googled Cooper, but nothing came up. To hear Maurie talk, Cooper had a solid reputation in the art world. It seemed rather strange that nothing showed up. Still, he couldn’t complain about how successful Cooper had been in opening avenues for his art in Asia. He was obviously well connected. Everything Liam knew about Cooper came from Maurie. To hear her talk, he sounded perfect. He scowled. Tonight was going to be long and painful. Maurie arranged a dinner meeting with the three of them. He had to be civil for Maurie’s sake, but it wasn’t going to be easy. He picked Lei Lei’s, his favorite restaurant on the North Shore, and dressed casually, probably a little too casual for the occasion. But Cooper wo
uld have to get over it. After years of being forced to wear stuffy uniforms at boarding school, he loved being in Hawaii where the standard dress was a t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops.
He looked up as Maurie and Cooper walked in. He did a double take. Like him, Maurie normally went casual, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Tonight, however, she looked stunning in a green silk shirt that accentuated her jade eyes. She certainly knew how to wear a pair of jeans with her tiny waist and long legs. The light in the room seemed to settle around her face, drawing him to her. Her hair was down. Thick red curls bounced softly on her shoulders with every step. A pang went through his heart. The sun had been shining on him all along, and he’d not had enough sense to recognize it. Dani didn’t hold a candle to Maurie, in looks or intellect. Liam suspected there were few women who could.
When he saw Cooper, his worst fears were confirmed. He was a force to be reckoned with. Cooper was taller and better looking than he imagined, with an air of sophistication that would’ve turned the head of just about any red-blooded female. With his sun-streaked hair, aquiline nose, and prominent cheekbones, he reminded Liam of a young Robert Redford. Not a hair out place, he was immaculately dressed in a tailored shirt and linen pants—the kind of guy who prided himself on wearing a shirt and tie when everyone else was wearing jeans and t-shirts. As they walked toward the table, Cooper draped his arm around Maurie’s shoulders and pulled her close, whispering something in her ear. They both laughed.
Liam stiffened in his seat as a fireball of jealousy spiraled through him. His face flushed as he silently cursed himself for being envious—something he had no right to be. Maurie deserved to be happy.
A smile broke over Maurie’s lips when she saw him. She pulled away from Cooper and leaned over to give him a hug. He could tell Cooper disapproved. In some perverse way, that pleased him.
“Cooper, this is Liam. Liam, this is Cooper.”
Cooper grasped Liam’s hand and shook it with enough force to crack a coconut. Then he patted Liam on the shoulder, the way one would a dog, as he looked him up and down, assessing the competition. “Maurie has told me so much about you. It’s nice to finally meet the man that keeps stealing my girl away.”
Liam didn’t bat an eye. “So my intentions have been discovered.” He winked at Maurie. “I wondered how long it would take.”
Maurie’s eyes went round, and she turned as red as her hair. “Liam, stop,” she said, shoving his arm.
The lines around Cooper’s mouth deepened, to which Liam only smiled. Let the guy stew a bit over that one.
They took their seats. “I’m starving,” Maurie said.
Liam settled back in his seat. “Cooper, you’ll love the food here. It’s one of mine and Maurie’s favorites.”
“I’m sure I’ll love it,” Cooper said smoothly, even though Liam could tell from the twitch in his jaw that the comment had gotten under his skin.
The waiter approached the table and handed out menus. Then he took their drink orders.
Liam looked at Maurie. “Love, should we get our usual appetizer?”
“And what is that?” There was a note of tension in Cooper’s voice.
Maurie put a hand on Cooper’s arm. “Liam and I normally get the crunchy coconut shrimp, but we can also get something that you like.”
“No, let’s not break tradition. Besides, I love shrimp,” Cooper said.
Maurie gave Liam the look, letting him know that she didn’t appreciate his attempt to ostracize Cooper. As much as he hated it, he needed to at least try to play nice. He crossed his legs and adopted a conversational tone. “Cooper, I’m glad we’re getting the chance to meet, because I’ve wanted to tell you how much I appreciate all you’ve done to facilitate the distribution of my art in Asia.”
“It was my pleasure.” He turned to Maurie and flashed a dazzling smile. “Besides, how could I say no to Maurie. She’s very convincing.”
“Thank you,” Maurie murmured, blushing.
The gooey nonsense made Liam want to puke. He was just about to start firing questions at Cooper when the waiter returned with their drinks and took their orders for dinner. “So, Maurie tells me you’re from Cincinnati,” Liam said when the waiter walked away.
“Yes, are you familiar with the area?”
“No, but I have a windsurfing buddy who’s from there.”
Cooper looked impressed. “You windsurf?”
He shrugged. “A little.”
“Oh, don’t be so modest,” Maurie said. “Liam’s a great windsurfer. In fact, when we first met, he was considering going pro, but I convinced him that art was the way to go.”
“Yep, and the rest is art history,” Liam added and then cringed inwardly. The joke was as flat as a soda that had lost its fizz. Maurie gave him a courtesy laugh, and Cooper just looked at him.
Liam wasn’t getting a good vibe about Cooper. And it wasn’t just because he didn’t laugh at his jokes. There was something predatory in the way Cooper watched him. His gut told him Cooper was the kind of guy that shouldn’t be crossed. And yet, walking away wasn’t an option. He had Maurie in his clutches, and Liam wasn’t going to rest until he knew she would be okay. Liam was no expert on accents, but Cooper didn’t sound Midwestern. His voice was slightly gravely with a touch of a New York accent. It was time to look under the hood and find out what kind of guy Cooper really was. “How did you come to be an art broker and gallery owner?”
“It was my mother who started me on the path. When I was a boy, our favorite pastime was visiting art museums. My mother was a big fan of the renaissance art movement.” He grinned. “Most kids grow up having Spider Man and Captain America as their heroes. For me, it was Leonardo Di Vinci and Michaelangelo.”
Cooper was smooth. Liam had to give him that. “In Cincinnati?”
“Yes.”
“How many art museums are there in Cincinnati?” There it was—that slight twitch of the jaw.
“The one we frequented the most was The Cincinnati Art Museum.” He rubbed his chin. “There are a couple of other ones there too, but I can’t remember the names.” He flashed an apologetic smile at Maurie. “It’s been too long.”
Liam gave him a direct look. “Hmm, interesting.”
“What do you mean?” Cooper said.
A furrow appeared between Maurie’s brows as she waited for Liam to explain.
“I just find it odd that an art expert doesn’t know all the art museums in his hometown.”
“Liam, what’re you doing?” Maurie muttered through gritted teeth. “Stop it!”
Cooper shook his head. “No, it’s okay. Liam’s right.” He smiled, but his eyes remained cold. “Like I said, it’s been a long time. My father left when I was a baby, and my mom raised me all by herself. She worked as a department store clerk, so we never had much. I said earlier that we went to museums, but the truth is—the only museum we ever visited was the Cincinnati Art Museum. We moved to Brooklyn, New York when I was eleven.”
That explained the New York accent. Liam felt like a heel, and it didn’t help that Maurie was giving him the death glare. “I’m sorry.” The apology sounded lame in his own ears. He could only imagine how it sounded to Maurie.
“No worries,” Cooper said, giving Liam a steely look. “One of the things I love most about art is how two people can look at the same piece and come away with totally different outlooks. Life is a lot like that. We each see the world through our limited perspective. Take you for example.”
Liam sensed a trap. “What about me?” He watched as a benign smile oozed over Cooper’s lips.
“Well, I’m sure you had a totally different perspective than mine, considering your father owns one of the largest biotech firms in Europe.”
The hair on Liam’s neck lifted as he looked at Maurie. “Did you tell him about my parents?”
Her face drained. “No, I didn’t.” She turned to Cooper. “How did you know about the pharmaceutical company?”
“I’m sor
ry, I didn’t mean to touch a nerve. I was merely making a point.”
Maurie shook her head. “Yes, I understand that you meant no harm, but how did you know?”
Ever so slowly, Cooper lifted his glass and took a long drink, as if he had all the time in the world to answer. By the time he lowered the glass and wiped his mouth with the napkin, Liam was ready to jump across the table and drag the words out of him.
“It was your last name, Barclay,” Cooper finally said, a smug look on his face. “That and the fact that you’re from Birmingham, England.”
“You certainly seem to know a lot about my background.” It was Liam’s practice to keep his background out of the limelight, first and foremost because he wanted to be recognized for his accomplishments, not his father’s. Also, if word got out that he was the son of one of the wealthiest families in Britain, he could be at risk.
“I make it a point to learn as much as I can about the artists I represent,” Cooper said. “When Maurie and I first started doing business together, I looked into your background.”
Maurie pressed her lips together. “I can understand the wisdom in that. You put your name on the line when you vouched for us to go into Asia. And you carry many of Liam’s pieces in your gallery.”
Cooper nodded. “I find it’s better to learn all I can about the people I’m doing business with, up front. That way, there are no surprises on the backend.”
Liam crossed his arms over his chest, his tone musing. “You make a very good point. And yet, I know very little about you. I tried to look you up on your gallery’s website, but there’s nothing there.”
“Yeah, the website for the gallery is archaic. I’m working with a team of developers now to revamp it. I’ll be sure and tell them they need to add in something about me.”
He wasn’t getting off that easy. Liam directed the conversation right back to the heart of the matter. “That’s a good idea. In the meantime, I’d like to know more about how you came to do what you do. It’s not everyday that a lower-class boy from Brooklyn grows up to become a prominent art broker and gallery owner.”
Love on the Rocks (Hawaii Billionaire Romance) Page 3