“Not long,” Callie said, glancing at Noah. “And we were going to tell you. But then we got here, and you were so upset about the rooms—”
“When I called you yesterday and asked you to drive Callie here you were already dating her?” Liv asked him, ignoring Callie’s explanation. He grunted an affirmation. “Then why did you try to get out of it?”
“I don’t know, Livi,” Noah sighed. This conversation was exhausting. This lie was already exhausting. “I panicked. I didn’t want you to figure it out before we got a chance to tell you in person.”
“So much for that plan,” Liv grumbled.
“Are you mad?” Callie asked, her voice small.
“Of course, I’m mad! My brother and my best friend have been lying to me for who knows how long.”
Noah dropped to his knees on the rug in front of Liv, taking her hands in his. “I’m sorry. Liv, if I’d thought you would be upset about us dating—”
“Get up.” Liv rolled her eyes. “I’m angry that you lied to me, you doof, but you don’t need to apologize for finally figuring out that Callie’s the best,” she said, shoving his shoulder.
He glanced at Callie as he got to his feet. Something flickered in her eyes—something that he couldn’t quite read but he was certain had nothing to do with her stiff joints and sore muscles. She tore her gaze away from his.
“So, you’re okay with this?” Callie asked.
“If you guys are happy, I’m happy. It’s a little weird, but I’m never going to tell someone who they should care about.” Liv reached across the bed and squeezed Callie’s hand. “I just wish you hadn’t felt the need to keep it from me.” Liv glanced between the two of them. “I think Callie and I need a minute alone.”
He wanted to stay until he had figured out what that look in Callie’s eyes had meant, but he was not about to argue with the bride. “I’ll see you both at dinner.” He got to his feet and left the two women alone.
Now that Liv had accepted their story—and, thankfully, didn’t seem too angry—Noah needed to clue Liam in.
Min opened the door to her and Liam’s hotel room after the second knock. “Noah!” She pulled him into a hug.
He was still getting used to being on a first-name-and-hugging basis with his former student, but he knew he had to stop thinking about her that way. The diamond sparkling on her left hand couldn’t make that any clearer.
“We were wondering when you’d arrive.”
“Traffic was awful,” Noah said as he entered the room.
Liam looked up from the book he was reading. He sat on the king-sized bed, shirtless among the rumpled sheets and leaning against the headboard. “About time you got here.”
Noah grabbed his friend’s discarded Henley from where it lay on the floor and tossed it at him. The shirt hit Liam in the face. He narrowed his eyes at Noah before pulling the shirt over his head. “Scotch?”
“Please.”
Liam grabbed a bottle from the top of the dresser, along with the paper cups from the in-room coffee station. He poured them each a glass and gestured for Noah to take a seat on the bed. Noah shot Liam a pointed look—like hell was he going to sit on their post-fuck bed sheets—and sat in the nearby armchair instead. Liam chuckled and sat on the bed, Min coming to perch on the edge of the mattress between his spread legs. Liam’s free hand wound around his fiancée’s waist, pulling her tight against his body in a move of unabashed possessiveness.
Noah took a slow sip of his drink as he watched his best friend and his former student—the way they moved around the room as though they were one unit, how Min took her place within easy reach of Liam, as though they couldn’t bear to go even a few minutes without touching. For a fraction of a second he let himself imagine what it would be like to be in a relationship like that—one where they knew each other so well, relied on each other so completely, wanted each other so fervently.Recipe for disaster.
“What’s on your mind?” Liam asked.
“You remember Callie?”
“Of course.” Liam inclined his head towards Min. “I’m looking forward to Min getting to know her better on this trip. I think they’re really going to hit it off.”
“I may have just told everyone that she and I are dating,” Noah said, focusing his attention on the alcohol in his glass. He downed the rest of his drink in one gulp.
“But you’re not. Unless I missed something,” Liam said slowly.
Noah shook his head. “We’re not.”
“Then why do you want people to think you are?” Min asked.
“It’s complicated. But basically, we’d both benefit from the appearance of a stable, committed relationship for a little while.”
