The lie tastes like cheap champagne and regret.
“Didn’t feel like just heat,” he says quietly.
“Doesn’t change anything,” I whisper.
But I can tell by the way he’s looking at me that it already has. Before I can respond, my phone buzzes across the counter. Caroline’s name lights up the screen.
“Great timing,” I mutter.
“You gonna answer it?”
“She’ll keep calling if I don’t.” I swipe the screen. “Hey, Caroline.”
“Liv! Thank God. You and your husband left too early. Mom’s still going on about that cowboy of yours. She does have some ‘concerns’, however.”
I glance at James, who raises an eyebrow. “Morning to you, too., Caroline.”
“You were the highlight of the evening, apparently. Dad even said you looked ‘surprisingly comfortable’ with him.”
“Did he?”
“Anyway,” Caroline continues, “Mom wants to know if you’re both coming to Christmas Eve dinner. She’s already planning place settings.”
“We’ll see,” I say, dodging the question.
“Oh, you’re so predictable,” she teases. “Try not to overthink it, Olivia. It’s the holidays and you need to make a show of it with family.”
When the call ends, I stare at the phone like it just said something blasphemous.
“Everything okay?” James asks.
“That depends. Do you count family meddling as normal?”
“Comes with the season.” He grins. “And the territory.”
“You don’t even know my family.”
“Don’t have to,” he says, sipping his coffee. “All families are the same at Christmas. Half love, half craziness.”
I huff a laugh, tension easing from my shoulders. “Yours ever drive you this crazy?”
“Olivia, when I met your family … I wasn’t surprised about how rich they are. I was surprised that you’re part of them?”
His words sort of shock me. “What do you mean, James?”
“Your personality … everything about you is so different from them. You’re better than them, Olivia.”
The words sink in deeper than I want to admit. No one’s ever said something like that without a trace of irony or pity. My throat goes tight, and I busy myself with my cup, pretending it’s just the steam making my eyes sting. I know this is a complement, but it absolutely throws me off balance. I need more coffee to process what he just said. I look away, not trusting myself to answer.
He sets his empty cup down and reaches for his hat. “I’ll get out of your hair for a bit. You probably need time to deal with whatever that was.”
“You don’t have to go,” I say quickly.
“I know,” he replies, his smile quiet and sure. “But I figure you’ll miss me more if I do.”
When the door closes behind him, the tiny apartment feels big suddenly. I sink onto the couch, my robe twisted in my hands, and sip the coffee. I don’t know what I want … except maybe for him to come back.
Chapter 10
