Page 22 of The Girlfriend Clause
He laughed, then leaned forward on his elbow. “Not sure I’m mentally tough enough for your handbag.”
His face was suddenly very close, his brown eyes warm and sharp.
“I … um … yes.”
The waiter arrived with the sherries, and Liam picked his up and looked at it.
“Well, good for us,” he said. “Here’s to day-drinking sherry and ignoring unsolicited advice from bossy electronics.”
I laughed. “And to politely ignoring dick graffiti when you’re trapped in a lift with a stranger?”
“There was dick graffiti?” he said. “Didn’t notice—too busy deciphering ‘wait for ass.’”
“Oh God.” I clapped a hand over my mouth. “I’d forgotten about that.”
We clinked, tapping our little crystal glasses together like a pair of old ladies.
“And to disaster number two,” he said, lowering his glass slightly. “Whatever that ends up being.”
The warmth in my chest deepened into something distinctly less wholesome.
Before I could decide what to do with it, Liam’s phone buzzed. He turned it over, and a name flashed:Bonnie.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I do actually have to take this one.”
“Of course.” I waved him away, and he stepped outside.
Bonnie.
Who was she—a client? Agirlfriend?
Not that it mattered, as I wasn’t in the market anyway.
I picked up my phone. Three messages from Eliza—two texts and a photo of Mr. Darcy starfished in the laundry basket. She was on her way out, back tomorrow.
So much for medical supervision. Oh well. Netflix and hot chocolate with James would have to do.
I was halfway through typing a reply when my phone buzzed again.
Rudy:Andy. Please. Answer me. Yesterday was amess.
Oh great. The waitress shagger. I braced myself for the tsunami of apologies.
Rudy:I miss you, Andybear, I just need ten minutes. That’s all. Please? It’s not what youthink.
There it was—the stupid, automatic urge to believe him.
The pub door creaked, and Liam leaned in. “Won’t be long,” he mouthed, pointing at his phone.
I lifted a hand in a vagueall goodgesture.
How could I feel so hollow when my pulse was hammering?
My phone buzzed again.
Rudy:Where are you, babe? I’ll come to you. We can sort thisout.
Maybe I was being unfair. I wanted to see him. Or… I wanted to see the version of him I used to believe in. Maybe that was still possible.
