Page 55 of My Killer Blind Date

I stand there for a second, looking at the window display – some bright, geometric still lifes. A nude. A landscape with a barn.

‘Hey,’ a male voice calls out.

I peer down the dark sidewalk … oh my God. Liam? My heart zaps into a rapid beat as he approaches, hands in his pockets, the wind ruffling his hair.

My thoughts collide like cars in a freeway pileup. What the hell is happening? How did he know I’d be here? Is this a set-up? Is he in cahoots with the gallery owner?

He comes to a stop in front of me. He’s in slim charcoal-gray pants and a matching blazer. A white shirt, open a little at the collar. No tie. How dare he look this good – again??

‘What are you doing here?’ I say, my tone one hundred per cent accusatory.

He looks apologetic. ‘I was invited.’

‘I reached out to Simon earlier today. This is my appointment!’

‘And Simon reached out to me.’ He pauses. ‘You left last night without saying anything. I was worried.’

‘You were asleep.’

‘I called you multiple times today. And texted.’

‘I was working.’

He tilts his head. ‘My closet door was ajar. I never leave it ajar.’

I keep my expression dead serious. ‘Funny story, I thought it was the bathroom. Instead, I found myself stumbling into a piece of art painted by my roommate.’

Did I go there? Fuck yes, I went there. The adrenaline catches up with me just as Liam’s face goes still.

I make my tone steely. ‘I told you her name when we were kayaking. Why would you fail to mention you had her painting stashed in your closet?’

He licks his lips. ‘It didn’t seem like the right time to bring it up.’

‘Bullshit.’

‘I always wanted to tell you. I just didn’t want to freak you out.’

‘Well, congratulations, you freaked me out. Level with me, Liam Porter. Did you date her?’

‘No.’ He seems confused, like he doesn’t get why I’d ask that, but I’m not buying it.

I narrow my eyes. ‘You never went on a date with my roommate?’

He runs a hand through his hair, looking adorably befuddled, but I don’t trust anything about this innocent act. ‘I’ve never met her at all.’

I seethe in silence. So this is how it’s going to be. He’s just going to deny and deny, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

He takes a deep breath. ‘I know it seems like I was hiding something, Margot. I get it. But it was an innocent purchase. I told you I’m just getting my start in collecting. It’s an impactful piece.’

‘It doesn’t seem like you were hiding something, Liam, you were hiding something! How am I supposed to trust anything you say?’

‘Ask Zoe. She’ll tell you we’ve never met.’

Oh my God. Does he seriously not know she’s disappeared? Or is he pretending again?

‘What I said still stands,’ he continues, his voice softening. ‘I’d love to meet her soon. All your friends, in fact. I want to see into your world. Margot—’ He takes one step closer, and if I went up on tiptoes, our lips could be touching, even though kissing him, for once, is the last thing I want to do right now. ‘I’m starting to … care about you.’

We stare at each other. His eyes bore into me, as if trying to drill into my heart to find my answer. I narrow my eyes and bore right back into him, trying to see through the act, to what’s underneath.