Page 67 of Keeping Score

BRODY: Care to take part in operation reunite the Brynn siblings?? 👀

CASSIE: I’m in!!! Just tell me what to do.

BRODY: You work on Broody Brynn. Try to get him to calm down and see reason. I’ll take Beauty Brynn.

CASSIE: I’ve been trying, but I think he’s really hurt.

BRODY: Come on, Cass. Don’t be a quitter.

CASSIE: I’ll keep trying. 🤞

CASSIE: BTW, Liam is not broody.

BRODY: Keep telling yourself that.

CASSIE: 🙄

I pocketed my phone, feeling the slightest relief that I was at least making an attempt. I wasn’t sitting back doing nothing, letting my people be miserable.

Plus, I still had a plan to execute after all.

The plan would fix everything.

Cassie

Brody

Five Years Ago

It was hard to get her alone, considering the way Liam circled her like she was the President and he was the sole member of Secret Service, but at last I got her.

I was surprised that he’d left her side for even a second, but at this gala he had responsibilities. There were teammates who wanted to talk to him, probably knowing it might be another ten years before anyone could get him to show up at a social function again.

Everyone always wanted to talk to Liam, and the fact that he didn’t want to talk to anyone didn’t seem to deter them.

Well, I didn’t want to talk to anyone except the little blonde I was about to ambush.

I slid over into the seat beside her, noticing the way she flinched in surprise when I cleared my throat.

She’d been so totally lost staring off at Liam, who was talking to some of the guys a few feet away, that she hadn’t heard me approach.

Liam, razor-sharp instincts and all, clocked me the second I appeared next to his girl and shot me a warning look.

“Hey, blondie,” I said, “we haven’t gotten the chance to officially have a conversation yet, so I figured it was time to rectify that considering we’re going to be in-laws and all.”

“W-what?” she sputtered, face reddening in seconds. “What does that mean?”

“Oh, because I’m marrying Maggie,” I told her. “And since you clearly stole my friend’s heart, it looks like you two won’t be that far behind us.”

I didn’t think it was possible for her face to turn even pinker, yet somehow she exceeded my expectations for the shade a human complexion could turn when faced with embarrassment.

I laughed. She was pretty adorable. I could see what Liam saw in her. And honestly, she was the perfect girl for him—someone sunny to balance out his broodiness.

“I thought you knew that we were just pretending,” she whispered, but I heard the bullshit in the pitch of her voice.

“Pretending, huh?” I grinned. “If you say so. But just so you know, Liam already promised me a spot in the wedding party.”

Cassie’s head snapped over to where he stood so fast I thought she was going to break her neck. And I’d be responsible. And Liam would kill me. And then I’d never get to marry Maggie.