by Sara Desai
“Just doing a site survey for the demo next week.” The taller of the two, a heavyset dude with thick arms and broad shoulders, held up a hand, palm forward. “We were hired by Brendan Murphy. I’ve got a work order in my truck. Do you want to see it?”
“Brendan doesn’t have the authority to sign anything,” Liam spat out. “The distillery is being held in a trust, administered by the law firm Abel & Ashford. Only they can sign off on a survey.”
“That’s who signed off,” the contractor said. “Brendan Murphy hired us but the name on the work order is Ed McBain from Abel & Ashford.”
“Christ.” No doubt Brendan had taken advantage of Ed’s inexperience. The junior lawyer had messed up big time.
Liam shoved his hand in his pocket and curled his fingers around his penknife. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave. I’ll get in touch with the lawyers and sort this out.”
The contractor scratched his head. “We’ve been paid to do a job, and it sounds like the right people signed the work order, so we need to get the work done. It’s just a survey. Nothing’s coming down today.”
“You walk anywhere other than to your truck and—”
“Liam!” Joe appeared in the doorway. “Let them do what they have to do. We’ll sort this out the right way. Don’t let Brendan send you down a path that will compromise everything you’ve built. Knowing him, he might have set this up to do exactly that. Think of Daisy. She’s got a stake in this, too.”
Liam gritted his teeth, taking deep breaths to try and slow the ragged throb of his pulse. Think of Daisy. No doubt she would be fiercely angry on his behalf, just as she had been when they’d met his investment banker friends at the hockey game. He could imagine her tossing out cutting French insults that no one could understand, or making everyone’s head spin with esoteric facts and the rules of law. She’d been sympathetic and understanding when he’d told her about his previous arrest; however, she might not be happy if he wound up in jail again. He couldn’t take that risk. Daisy was fast becoming the most important thing in his life. He didn’t want to lose her again.
“Get the hell out.” His voice was as sharp as the knife in his pocket, and the contractors scurried away.
After they’d gone, and Jaxon had been settled in the back office with a soda and a snack, Liam sat on the worn bench by the door, his head in his hands.
“What was Brendan thinking?” he said to Joe, who had come out to join him. “It’s three weeks to my birthday. If I’m not married by then, the distillery is his, free and clear. I introduced him to Daisy and he didn’t even believe our relationship was real, so what’s the big rush?”
Joe leaned back on the bench beside him, his arms folded under his head. “He was here the other day with Lauren. She told me his company is in big trouble, and the news is going to hit the papers in the next few days. Apparently, the IRS found some anomalies during an audit and reported them to the regulators, who started an investigation. Turns out your dad and four of the directors—friends he’d appointed to the board—were involved in some kind of fraud that affected the shareholders. I don’t understand the legal stuff, but it’s big, Liam. We’re talking tens of millions of dollars. Lauren says Brendan didn’t know anything about it. That he’s barely been keeping his head above water just trying to fix the mess your dad left when he died. The regulators have frozen the company’s assets. He can’t pay his employees . . . It’s a mess.”
“So he thought the solution was to sell the distillery out from under me?” A knot of bitterness tightened inside him. “He’s no better than my dad.”
Joe shrugged. “Desperate people do desperate things. You’re planning to marry a girl you don’t love. Are you any different?”
“Yes.” He stared out over the sea of wildflowers dancing in the green fields around them. “I do love her. I always have.”
• 24 •
Wednesday, 8:00 A.M.
DAISY: Confirming Date #5. Thursday 6 p.m. The Rose & Thorn Pub, The Mission District. Objective: mix with colleagues, meet your cousin, Ethan, and your bar friends.
LIAM: What do you mean “mix with colleagues”? I thought it was a date.
DAISY: It’s a date with friends.
* * *
• • •
“LEFT hand like it’s moving to the side and right hand like you’re combing your hair. Bend your leg to the side and then turn.” Daisy demonstrated the Bollywood dance routine for twenty eager young dancers in front of the mirror. Twice a week after work, she taught Bollywood dancing at the neighborhood recreation center with Mehar Auntie. It was always the highlight of her week.
“My turn,” Mehar Auntie said. “Cue the music.”
Daisy walked to the side of the room to adjust the sound system and spotted Layla in the doorway.
“I’m beginning to regret asking Mehar Auntie to teach Sam and me a few routines for our sangeet after your class,” Layla murmured. “She always steals the show.”
Daisy laughed. “I’m always surprised she lets the girls dance at all.”
“You haven’t answered my messages for the last few days.”
Daisy practiced the next few steps of “Dola Re Dola,” the dance she was teaching next, turning away so Layla couldn’t see her face. “I’ve been busy at work. I stayed late a few nights helping Zoe and Mia put together their pitch for a rebrand. Josh still isn’t sure about the project manager promotion, so I’ve been going over Andrew’s planning sheets with him. And Tyler wanted someone to go with him to meet investors in case this thing with Liam falls through, and then—”
“I know what you’re doing,” Layla said. “Your feeble attempts to distract me won’t work. Do you think I’m not going to mention the fact that you had sex with Liam? Your FAKE fiancé?”
“Oh.” Daisy sighed. “That.”
Layla folded her arms across her chest. “Yes, that.”
Daisy twirled around, as much to practice her dance steps as to avoid Layla’s stern glare. “You could be a little more supportive. I had a dry spell after Orson, and the sex with Liam was amazing. AMAZING. I’ve never had sex like that before. In fact, I don’t even think what I was doing before was actual sex because no furniture got broken, I never came multiple times, and the things he can do with his tongue . . .”
Layla held up a warning hand. “I’m sure you could have found someone equally skilled. You didn’t have to sleep with the man who broke your heart.”
“First, my heart was bruised, not broken,” Daisy said. “Second, there is no way I could have found someone with that level of talent. And, third, sadly, it was just the one time. I told him the rules and he agreed to them.”
Layla slapped a hand to her head. “When has Liam ever followed the rules?”
“He’s doing pretty well with the dating plan,” Daisy offered. “Well, except for when he showed up at the clothing store before our date and bought a sherwani and a sword. And also when he showed up at my office, but that was part of helping out the company. Oh, and then he went off-plan when he came to the vet clinic after Max ate the chocolate, and then again when he played Guitar Hero with me until the early hours of the morning so I wouldn’t be alone.” She brightened. “But other than that, he’s followed the dating plan for our last three dates.”
Layla didn’t look convinced. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I know you don’t. I don’t want to get hurt, either.” She twisted her hands, making the shapes of wolves and flowers as she went through the arm motions of the dance. “That’s why I invited everyone from my office to our Irish pub date tonight. We had a rule against sex and we broke it, but we agreed on a new rule that it would be just once. There will be no chance I’ll get drunk and want to sleep with him again when my work colleagues are around.”
“Seriously?” Layla’s tone dripped sarcasm. “You need an entire offi
ce staff to help you restrain yourself when he’s around?”
“It was very intense and I don’t want to take any chances.” Daisy danced a few steps. Sometimes her cousin could be way overprotective, although thinking back, she’d acted the same way when Layla had gotten together with Sam. “Maybe it was just old feelings resurfacing and I was still back in high school crush mode thinking ‘Oh my God, Liam Murphy is taking me on a date,’ ‘he’s kissing me,’ ‘we won a free pizza,’ ‘he’s sitting in my car looking like a lost puppy,’ ‘he likes me and Max likes him,’ and then my brain exploded and no more thinking went on.”
Layla shook her head. “Get out now. Forget about the aunties. It’s not worth it. Roshan is a catch. I met him and you know I wouldn’t steer you wrong.”
“I can’t get hurt if it isn’t real,” Daisy said lightly. “Even his friends didn’t think it was real—which is highly problematic for the success of our charade, and I have yet to properly think it through.”
“It sounds real.” Layla followed her across the floor to keep up the conversation.
Daisy dropped to a crouch and sprang up again. “It’s not just about me anymore. It’s about saving jobs and helping my friends at Organicare. I can’t let them down.”
“And I can’t watch you go through that again,” Layla said. “Liam was bad news before and he’s bad news now. I just can’t see a happy ending to this fake relationship.”
Daisy fought back her anger and disappointment at not getting the support she had expected from the woman who was as close to her as a sister. Her new friends at work were much more enthusiastic.
“I can handle this without getting hurt. I know what happens when I care too much. And I know the things that make me special are not the kinds of things that would make me . . . desirable—my mom made that pretty clear. And that’s okay. I’m good with it.”
“I used to hate Liam with all my heart,” Layla said, her jaw clenching. “But now I realize the hurt he caused you was nothing compared to what your mother did. I wish I could wash her words out of your head, or at least make you see them for the bullshit they really are.”
The music stopped and Daisy looked back to see Mehar Auntie waving her over. “I have to go. Don’t worry about me. I’ve got my rules and I’m sticking to them. Trust me.”
“I do trust you,” Layla said. “But I don’t trust him.”
* * *
• • •
“WHAT are you doing over here when your girl is over there?” Rainey took a bottle of whiskey down from the shelf.
“I was sent for refills. Three pitchers of draft, four vodka coolers, and two pink lemonade martinis.” Liam gestured to the Organicare crowd who had taken over all the tables in the back corner of the bar. “Not exactly what I had in mind when I suggested Daisy and I come here for our date.”
Rainey laughed. “Errand boy. I like it. I’ll give you a free shot because it means I don’t have to go over and serve. I’m trying to conserve energy for my weekend race.”
Liam took a seat at the bar. “Death Race?”
“Nah. Just a marathon. But I’ll be wearing a ten-pound bag of flour on my back, so that should make it more interesting.” She grabbed two empty glasses from the rack.
“Did Ethan get the box of Murphy whiskey I sent over?” Liam asked. “I found a few extra cases in the visitor center and since we’re not getting many visitors, I thought he could use it.”
“Ethan!” Rainey yelled down to the end of the bar. “Did you get Liam’s cases of Murphy whiskey?”
Liam winced. “You could have just told me he was there.”
“Then I couldn’t have annoyed him. He hates it when I shout.”
Ethan joined them a few moments later with a scowl for Rainey and a handshake for Liam. “Thanks for the bottles. That must have been a good year.” He looked over at the Organicare table. “So, which one is the fake fiancée?”
Liam pointed out Daisy, who was wearing a layered green dress, the skirt just skimming the bottom of her ass, neckline diving down so low he could see the soft swells of her breasts. She’d taken off her quirky green hat when she arrived at the bar, and the yellow feather that had adorned it was now tucked behind her ear.
“She’s not really your type,” Ethan said, leaning against the bar.
Liam bristled. “You don’t know what my type is. Maybe I’ve just been killing time, waiting for a woman like Daisy who is beautiful, fiercely smart, funny, kindhearted, loving, and totally dedicated to her family. She’s organized and efficient, and she created an entire spreadsheet with a plan to make this marriage authentic. She’s got it all under control. And she’s going to kill it at quiz night tonight because she has an incredible memory for trivia. She knows how many tamales people ate in San Francisco in 1890.”
Rainey and Ethan shared a look.
“He slept with her.” Rainey poured a shot of Murphy’s into Liam’s glass.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You’re not saying a lot of things.” She smirked. “Usually you’re the most talkative customer at the bar.”
Daisy looked up just then and smiled, making him feel like he was the only person in the room. She started toward him and he tried to rearrange his face so he looked cool and casual when inside he felt anything but.
“You hungry?” Rainey offered Liam a napkin. “You’ve got a bit of drool on your chin. Or is that for the girl who’s walking this way?”
He snatched the napkin from her hand. “Don’t you have other customers to serve?”
“Are you kidding?” She grabbed a towel and wiped down the counter. “I am dying to meet this woman who has you all tied up in knots. Have you told her how you feel?”
“There’s nothing to tell.” He toyed with the knife in his pocket, running his thumb over the smooth wood surface.
“I think there is,” Rainey said. “And you’d better do it before it’s too late.”
“Do you need any help with the drinks?” Daisy joined him at the bar, leaning forward so he could see a soft portion of the curve of her breasts over the low-cut top of her dress. “We’re going to need two more martinis and another pitcher.” Her smile widened. “Hunter is here!”
Liam’s skin prickled in warning. He looked over to the Organicare crowd, where he saw a golden-haired, broad-shouldered Thor lookalike pulling up a seat at Daisy’s table. “Who’s Hunter?”
“He’s the CFO. I fixed his computer for him a few weeks ago.” Her lashes swept over her cheeks, and her voice softened. “Zoe heard he was asking around about me.”
Liam hoped Hunter had asked about her because his computer had broken down again, and not because he was looking for a different kind of fix.
Rainey hummed the theme song to Jaws while Ethan snickered beside him.
Liam made the introductions, letting Daisy know that Rainey and his cousin knew the true nature of their relationship.
“I love the bar,” Daisy said to Ethan. “It’s got a great atmosphere. So cozy and lively. It’s exactly how I imagined a pub in Ireland would be. I love that you’ve shown off your Irish heritage with cultural memorabilia, especially that Celtic cross on the wall.” Her gaze fell on Rainey and she studied the bartender’s ink. “That’s an interesting tattoo on your forearm. Timshel. It’s a quote from John Steinbeck’s novel East of Eden.”
Rainey looked momentarily taken aback. “You know it?”
“It means ‘thou mayest’—a reminder that people always have a choice.”
A curious sensation filled Liam’s chest. It took a moment for him to identify it as pride. “I told you she was smart.”
“Good thing you brought her on quiz night,” Ethan said. “Maybe you’ll win the grand prize.”
“Quiz night?” Daisy’s eyes widened. “You brought me here on a quiz night?”
Secretly pleased by
her delight, Liam shrugged. “I thought you’d enjoy it.”
“Yes!” She threw her arms around him, pulling him off his stool. “I’ve never been to a pub quiz. What a great idea!” And then she was hugging him, and his arms were around her, and she smelled of wildflowers and sunshine, and she was soft against his chest, but he hoped she would stop jumping because “highly aroused” wasn’t a good look for him in a public place.
His lips found hers and he kissed her softly and thoroughly. When she trembled in his arms, returning his kiss with passion and abandon, a rush of something sweet and innocent flooded his senses. He’d kissed dozens of women and none had ever affected him this way. None had ever tasted of sunshine. None had made him question what was real.
Drawing in a ragged breath, Daisy pulled away. “That was . . .”
“A good show,” he said quickly. “People were watching.”
Her face smoothed to an expressionless mask and she patted down her dress. “Right. Yes. Good idea.”
After they had collected the drinks and returned to the tables, Daisy organized everyone into teams for the quiz. Their team included her friends Mia and Josh, as well as Hunter, a declared trivia buff who plucked the yellow feather from Daisy’s hair and tucked it into his own “for luck.”
Daisy and Hunter dominated the game from the start. After the first round, Mia and Josh gave up trying to answer and got busy drinking and flirting. Liam quickly realized that if he didn’t distract Daisy with a congratulations kiss after each right answer, she would lean across the table to high-five Hunter, whose attention was never focused on her face.
“How did you know that was a Wim Wenders film?” Hunter asked after Daisy answered yet another obscure question, and he’d beat Liam to the win with a high-five salute.
“I went to his retrospective at the Roxy last year.”
“I heard about that.” Hunter stretched in his chair, his T-shirt riding up to reveal what appeared to be a twelve-pack of toned abs. “He’s definitely earned his place among the pantheon of postwar European auteurs and reinvigorated German film in the seventies.”