Page 66 of Dream On, Liar

“Why? It’s not like you know her.”

Raina rolled her eyes. “Except that I do. I did a media profile on her, remember?”

I blinked.

Right.

Still, I spoke before she could close the gap. “Does that constitute for you inviting her here?”

“I thought you guys had a truce?” She muttered, a flicker of annoyance flashing in her expression.

“Yeah,” I replied. “But that truce starts and ends at the stadium. Just because I agreed to work with her, doesn’t means I’m a fan of her.”

She sighed, pushing to sit up properly. “I don’t care. I want to talk to her.”

Before I could respond, Maeve was close enough for my sister to call out again. “Come join us!”

Maeve hesitated for a moment, her expressions flickering between me and my sister. Raina’s warm expression must’ve been enough for her to ignore my hardened ones as she made her way over.

“Hi,” Maeve said softly, giving my sister and Oliver a small smile.

“Hey!” Raina’s extra cheerful voice was enough to raise my guard, making me narrow my eyes. “Have a seat.”

Oliver’s pointed gaze met mine, a silent Behave written plainly in his eyes. Only when I sighed and shifted over, making space for Maeve, did the sternness leave his expression.

Maeve lowered herself onto the blanket, leaving enough space between us that I noticed it anyway.

“When did you arrive?” Raina asked.

“A few hours ago. I came out for a walk—always helps me settle into the time zone quicker that way. I hate jet lag.”

“Huh,” Raina’s gaze turned to mine, a spark of amusement plastered across it. “Rihaan does too. He likes to go running—something about it countering the jet lag?”

I only nodded. I didn’t have to add to that, because ever the journalist, my sister turned back to Maeve.

“Speaking of that, I’ve been trying to get him to tell me—How exactly do you know each other?”

Maeve stiffened, barely, but it had been enough for me to notice. “How do you mean?”

Raina tilted her head, like she’d picked up on that small reaction too. Luckily for Maeve, my sister was the nicer one between us and changed her questioning. “It’s just that ever since your paper was published, I’ve been wondering what made you write it on him? It’s not like he was in the same position when you’d picked him up for an example? I mean two years ago, he had one of the lower injury incidence rates, so it wouldn’t have been enough for your research.” When Maeve further hesitated, she quickly added. “Promise this conversation is off-the-record. I’m just curious as his sister and nothing more.”

Maeve opened her mouth, but I spoke before she could.

“We met in a bar couple years ago.”

My sister’s focus was completely on me then. “You did?”

I gave her a small nod, turning to Oliver. “It was after our match in Manchester.”

Oliver frowned. “Is that why you spent weeks in Manchester once Raina moved in?”

Raina’s eyes widened. “You two were together? Oh my god. What did you do to her!?”

“No,” Maeve replied quickly. “We’ve never been together.”

“No. This was weeks before you moved in.” I spoke after a beat, following Maeve’s lead. Meeting my sister’s gaze, I continued. “I was in Manchester because Matt asked me if I could house sit his place—and look after his dog. He’d broken up with his girlfriend, and he had away games.”

Raina narrowed her eyes, almost offended. “You’d look after a friend’s dog, but not your sister’s cats!?”