Page 40 of The Red-Hot Stakes

I stared defiantly back. “Yeah? And just what are you going to do about it?”

He leaped out of the booth, sliding into mine to pin me to his side with one arm. Cedar and pine enveloped me as I squirmed to get away, but he just said, “I think I’ll hold you hostage until you decide to behave.”

“Not fair!” I wriggled, laughing as he held me tighter.

“Promise you’ll keep your fries to yourself, and I’ll let you go.” His eyes danced with laughter.

“Fine, I promise.” I shoved at him, after he released me. “Go back to your side.” Even as the words left my mouth, I hoped he wouldn’t.

“Nope. I’m going to stay right here, and keep you out of trouble.” He grabbed his plate and his shake, pulling them in front of him. Then he shifted, so his hip and thigh pressed firmly against mine.

I elbowed him on purpose before I went back to eating, congratulating myself on a plan well-executed. I looked up to find Sally watching us from across the diner. She nodded at me, a hand on her heart, and I knew she’d seen what happened because her smile was full of gratitude.

Liam and I finished our meal like that, side by side. Sally brought me a box for the other half of my monster burger. I was amazed when Liam cleared his plate, reaching over to steal a few of my fries as well.

“Do you have a hollow leg or something?”

He shrugged, popping another fry into his mouth. “We walked all day, and all I had was a donut, a granola bar and an apple.”

Sally came over to clear our plates. “Don’t let him fool ya. He eats it all, every time.”

I laughed, even as Liam frowned.

“Sally, you’re giving away all my secrets.” He stood up, making sure I was ready to go, then he reached for his wallet.

The waitress scowled. “Sugar, you know your money’s no good here.”

He started to protest, but her expression brooked no room for argument. Evidently they’d had this particular conversation before, and I hid my grin as I watched. Sally took our dirty plates away. As soon as her back was turned, Liam pulled out his wallet and tucked some money under one of the shakes.

“Run!” He grabbed my hand, pulling me after him

Breathless and laughing, I flopped into the front seat of his car. He buckled, threw the car into reverse and peeled out. I laughed even harder at Sally shaking her finger at him from the front window.

I gave her a big wave as we drove by. “So, you’re not allowed to pay?”

He pointed us in the direction of the apartment and shook his head. “She says that every time, but I try to anyway. After my football career was over, I stumbled upon that place, and it was exactly what I needed. Sally treated me no different than anyone else. No one fawned over me because I was rich or used to play football. I’d hobble in there on my crutches, and she’d light up, just because it was me.”

I was even more thankful for the sweet waitress, helping Liam through his tough time. “That’s awesome, but it doesn’t explain the money.”

“Impatient, much?” He raised his eyebrows, and I pretended to pout. “The diner was my first investment, but I didn’t do it to make money. It was for Sally and the others. The place was going belly up, and the previous owner couldn’t afford to keep it going. The employees wanted it but were short, so I chipped in the rest. They made some changes and were quickly able to pay me back.”

He glanced at me. “I know it didn’t seem like it just now, but they’re actually really popular, especially for lunch.”

His story confirmed what I’d been learning about him all day—that he had a heart of gold. A lot of rich people I’d encountered were snobs, Derek and Rhonda’s parents, for example. Not only had they sold Derek’s talent short for most of his life, only recently recognizing his accomplishments, but they completely rejected Greg when Rhonda had announced she was dating him.

But Liam hadn’t let his money stand in his way. He used it to benefit everyone, all while being a down to earth, amazing guy. Why did it take me so long to see it?

“The best part was it showed me how much fun investing could be, giving me something to be excited for again. So Sally and I like to argue over who helped who the most.”

I laid a hand on his forearm. “That’s really great, Liam. I’m so glad you took me there.”

A hint of vulnerability tinged his smile. “I don’t take most girls there because they won’t get it. They’ll just wrinkle their noses and judge, thinking it’s some gross diner.”

I heard what he didn’t say, that he took a chance on me and was grateful I’d seen the diner for the treasure it was. That I understood what it meant to him. He turned his hand over, palm up, in a silent request. I answered by sliding my hand into his, lacing our fingers together. We rode in comfortable silence the rest of the way home.

In the elevator, Liam leaned against the wall, facing me. He was back to being unsure, shifting his weight and clearing his throat. “I had a nice time today.”

“Me too.” He didn’t seem to believe me, so I added, “Really. I can’t remember a more wonderful day, to be honest.”

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