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“I don’t have any complaints.”
“What happened to Grace’s friend? I thought you dated her for a little while.”
Liam grimaced. “That was over a year ago and it was a mistake. She said she just wanted a hookup and then she didn’t. She wanted a relationship while pretending she didn’t want a relationship and it got all complicated. And honestly, we’re very different people. It wasn’t a good fit.”
Lilly had noticed since then Liam seemed to date women more his own age. Grace’s friend had been in her twenties. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t be sorry. That’s the beauty of being my age. I refuse to be miserable or not be totally honest with someone.”
Unlike her. “Would we tell anyone the truth about our arrangement? I mean, ever?”
“If you and Sullivan end up together, we’ll tell him we were yanking his chain. He can’t spend the rest of his life thinking his old man wants his woman.”
His woman.
How many times had she pictured that, visualized it? If daydreaming about something could make it happen she would be married to Sullivan by now.
But Liam was right. Nothing was going to change without action.
If she told Sullivan she had feelings for him, he would just laugh and tell her she was crazy, that they had a good thing going as friends. She knew that. Because he didn’t want to lose her. That was why she stuck around. Because Sullivan had been damaged by Kendra’s death, in ways that were deep and lasting. Even if he was attracted to her, which was questionable, he would never date her because he was afraid to lose her.
He couldn’t lose anyone else.
Which made her feel guilty about the idea of tricking him.
“I feel bad lying to him.”
Sullivan came back over to them. “I’m taking off early,” he told his dad. “Torin is closing.”
“Going home?” Liam asked.
They both knew that was not Sullivan’s plan, but Lilly sensed Liam testing him.
“Hell, no. I’m taking that blonde at the end of the bar out to the lake. She’s here on a girls’ camping trip from Minneapolis.”
Liam nodded. “Finn’s with your sister?”
“Yep. You know he loves the yard and his cousins.”
Finn was four years old and he did love the yard at Sloane and Rick’s house, and his cousins River and Penelope. But he also loved his father.
Lilly bit her tongue, knowing Sullivan wouldn’t appreciate any criticisms.
Liam had no such reservations.
“Pick him up in the morning and spend the day with your son or I’m kicking your ass,” Liam said. “I fucking mean it, Sullivan.”
Sullivan smiled at his father. “I was already planning to. Don’t get all worked up, Dad. We can’t have you having a stroke.” He reached over the bar and clapped him on the shoulder. “I love you. See you tomorrow.”
“Love you too. Be safe.”
“Always.”
That was debatable.
Sullivan turned to me. “Bye, Scout.”
Somewhere over the years Sullivan had started referring to me as Girl Scout, because I was always prepared and a do-gooder, according to him. Eventually, it had shortened to Scout, but he only used it when he thought I was being generous, or a pushover.
