Page 35 of Burned By the Broken Doctor

“Lies.” June laughs, shaking her head. “I saw you gawking at Liam. And for the record, I completely get it. The man's built like a Greek god. It’s only natural you’re not paying attention because of him.”

I feel my cheeks heat up even more. “It’s not like that.”

“Oh, please. I know that look,” June teases. “So, have you two settled things now?”

I nod, my mind whirling. The agreement Liam and I made to continue this fake relationship is still fresh in my mind. “Yeah, we’ve settled things.”

June looks at me, curiosity evident in her eyes. “How did you two meet, anyway? And how did you decide to start dating?”

I take a deep breath, trying to keep my story straight. “We met at a wedding eighteen months ago. It just kind of happened from there.”

“You didn’t know he was Damon’s friend?”

“No,” I shake my head. “And also, we didn’t know we’d both be traveling here.”

June raises an eyebrow. “Really? That’s quite the coincidence.”

“Yeah, it is,” I mumble, trying to sound casual. Lying to my best friend is hard, but this is the agreement I’ve made with Liam. We cannot let anyone find out that our relationship is actually fake. Before June can ask another question, I clear my throat. “Let’s get back to the wedding. What were you saying about the seating arrangement?”

June gives me a look that says she knows I’m changing the subject, but she goes along with it. “Right, the guest list first. I want to keep it under 150 people, just close friends and family.”

“Under 150,” I repeat, grateful for the shift back to wedding talk. “That’s manageable.”

June continues outlining her vision for the wedding, and I diligently take notes, trying to keep my focus. But my eyes keep drifting back to Liam. He is now wiping his hands with a rag, his muscles rippling with each movement. My stomach clenches, a traitorous part of me wishing I was that rag and he was running his hands over me.

“So, for the music, I’m thinking a live band for the reception,” June announces, her voice bringing me back once more.

“A live band, got it.” I nod again, writing it down. “Any particular genre or style?”

“Something fun and upbeat to keep the party lively,” she replies. “Maybe a mix of classic hits and modern songs.”

“Sounds perfect,” I say, smiling at her. “You’ve really thought this through.”

June laughs. “Of course. I can only marry my soulmate once, after all.”

We continue discussing the finer details, from the color scheme to the menu, but my mind keeps wandering back to Liam. The way he moves, the way he acts—it’s all so intoxicating. I can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen next between us.

June notices my distraction again and smirks. “You really can’t stop thinking about him, can you?”

I shake my head, laughing softly. “I guess not. He’s just…hard to ignore.”

“Well, I’m glad you two are getting along.” She grins, her tone light. “It’s nice to see you happy.”

“Thanks, June,” I say, appreciating her support. “Now, let’s talk about the cake. Have you decided on flavors?”

June’s eyes light up. “Yes! I’m thinking a three-tier cake with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry layers.”

“Three tiers, vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry,” I jot down, feeling a bit more focused. “That sounds delicious.”

As we finalize more details, I glance over at Liam one last time. He catches my eye and gives me a small, knowing smile. My heart skips a beat, and I quickly look away, hoping June doesn’t notice.

But she does. “You’ve got it bad, Emma,” she says with a laugh.

“Maybe I do,” I admit, trying to keep the tremors of my racing heart out of my voice. I start to pack up the notes and my pen. “I think we should get inside the house.”

She throws back her head and lets out a peal of laughter. “Unfortunately, as much as I’d like to enjoy watching Emma Cole lust after a man, I think so, too. We need to get the specifics ready.”

Stepping inside, June and I collapse onto the plush sofa. We spend the next hour poring over Pinterest boards, looking through bouquets, fairy-lit backdrops, and wedding cakes and without the distraction of Liam across the lawn, I can finally focus on the wedding plans.

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