Page 34 of The Marriage Playbook

“Mostly the article,” she said. “But also…just how well things are going. I didn’t want to tell you this before, Liam, but there was no way I could have turned your image around if you hadn’t put in the work. Just the fact that you’ve gotten on board with making public appearances and talking more openly to fans has made a world of difference. I think this is going to be successful. We’re going to find you a place on a team that will be excited to have you, and you’re going to move on from this little hiccup.”

He smirked. “Is that what we’re calling it now? Being kicked off my team, losing everything that mattered to me?”

She raised her glass. “I’m not trying to minimize it,” she told him. “But what I’m saying is, that’s absolutely what it’s going to feel like in a few weeks. Like this was just a minor thing you had to suffer through. You got through it, and now it’s behind you. Easy.”

Easy. The amazing thing was that he actually believed her. It did feel easy. It felt like a real possibility that he might get his life back on track. It felt like he could finally put all this behind him.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” he said, picking up his own glass of champagne. “I definitely had the right publicist.”

“Yeah? You don’t think you would have been better off if you’d stuck with Alastair?”

“Alastair wasn’t willing to represent me,” he reminded her, a teasing lilt in his voice.

She scowled.

“Hey, I’m kidding,” he said. “I had my doubts, but no, you were exactly right for what I needed. I can’t imagine that I would have learned to trust Alastair the way I have you. You…well, you put me at ease, Cara. Somewhere along the way, you made me believe that you actually do care what happens to me in all this.”

“I do,” she murmured.

He cocked his head toward the living room, and she nodded agreement. The two of them made their way in that direction and sat down on the couch.

Cara tucked her legs up beneath her and leaned against the back of the couch, her drink dangling loosely from one hand. It occurred to Liam that this was the most relaxed he had ever seen her. Even last night, when she had come into the library in her nightclothes, she had been tense and a little reserved. But now she smiled easily, her head resting lightly against her shoulder. “It’s been quite a ride, hasn't it?”

“I never would have expected it,” he agreed.

Her arm was braced on the back of the couch, angled toward him, and he had the strangest desire to reach out and take her hand.

“You know,” she said, “I wouldn’t have pushed you to open up to me, Liam. Not in the way you have.”

“You were the one who said we needed to learn more about each other to pull this thing off,” he reminded her.

“Yes, but I meant things like agreeing on the story we were going to tell about our romance and learning each other’s birthdays,” she said. “I never expected you to open up to me the way you have.” She hesitated. “To me, that’s the biggest indicator that something about you has changed. I don’t think you would have done that when we first met.”

“I wouldn’t have,” he agreed. He bit his lip, wondering how much to say. “I didn’t realize it at the time, but…everything changed when I saw you walking down the aisle.”

“What do you mean?”

“That was when I understood that you were on my side.” He sipped his drink to give himself something to do. “I know I acted like I still couldn’t trust you, like I still wasn’t sure. I thought I wasn’t sure. But part of me got it the moment I saw you in that dress. You wouldn’t have done that if you didn’t believe in this plan. And you wouldn’t have believed in this plan if you didn’t believe in me.”

She smiled slightly. “You were right to say there was something in it for me too,” she pointed out. “It looks like my career is really on the upswing now. This went so well that I’m sure Alastair will put me in charge of more clients, and then my name will really be out there.”

“I’m glad it benefitted both of us,” he said. “But…all things considered, I think I got the better end of the deal.”

“And what makes you say that?”

“You had to be married to a grumpy jerk for us to make this work,” he said. “Whereas I got to be married to a cool, hot woman who everyone admires.”

She flushed. “That’s not… I mean…”

“You know it’s true.”

“I don’t think everyone admires me.”

“I do, though,” he said seriously, holding her gaze. “The way you just jumped right in when Stephanie pulled out of our arrangement. You didn’t even hesitate, Cara. It’s a huge thing to ask of a person, doing what you did, but you didn’t think twice.”

“I did,” she said softly. “I was having second thoughts even as I was walking down the aisle. But I couldn’t hang you out to dry like that.”

“Why?”