Page 64 of Burned By the Broken Doctor

“Ever heard of ‘Sweet Indulgence’?” he asks, a twinkle of pride in his eyes.

I gasp. “You’re kidding! That’s your mom’s shop? It's a legend!”

He nods, smiling. “Yep. Learned everything I know about baking from her.”

The revelation stuns me. This man, with his devil-may-care attitude, is actually an enigma. No one would have pictured hard-edged, alpha-male Liam Miller as a man who bakes and volunteers his time to make a cake for a kid’s birthday.

It feels like another layer of him peels back, revealing a surprising side to him. Every time I think I have him figured out, another facet emerges, another layered complexity hidden beneath his arrogant exterior. It makes him all the more intriguing. And a little bit more irresistible.

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows as we exit the bakery and its thick sweet scent air of sugar and vanilla. Outside, Damon leans against his truck, a mischievous glint in his eyes, June bouncing excitedly on the passenger side. The soon-to-be-wed couple climb into Damon’s truck. June's laughter rings in the air as she playfully nudges Damon, their excitement palpable. Damon looks back at me with a grin.

“Hey, Emma, you coming with us?” he calls out, his hand on the door.

I hesitate for a moment, my eyes drifting to Liam. “Give me a moment,” I reply, moving toward him. I wrap my arms around his waist, feeling the warmth of his body seep into mine. “There's a lot I’ve yet to learn about you,” I say, looking up into his eyes.

Liam's smile is soft, and he leans down to kiss me gently. “We’ll have time for that,” he murmurs against my lips. He pulls back slightly, his expression turning a bit more serious. “I need to get to the hospital. Even though my dad’s given me time to rest, I don’t feel comfortable leaving him alone to do all the work.”

I nod, understanding the weight of his responsibilities. “I get it. When will we see each other next?”

Before Liam can answer, Damon pokes his head out of the truck and shouts, “Liam! Keep your calendar open! I need help picking out my suit!”

I turn to my brother, irritation flickering in my eyes. “Damon, you can’t just take Liam on all these duties and hog his time. He’s got other things to do!”

Damon smirks, unfazed by my outburst. “Liam is my best man, Emma. It's his duty to help me.”

I plant my hands on my hips, determined not to back down. “Well, he's also my assistant wedding planner, so I get a say, too.”

Liam chuckles, stepping between us to defuse the situation. He gently takes my hand and leads me to the truck’s back seat. “Climb in,” he murmurs softly, giving me a reassuring kiss. “I’ll call you later, I promise.”

As he helps me into the truck, he leans up, brushing a soft kiss across my lips. The touch sent a jolt through me, a welcome distraction from the knot of emotions twisting in my stomach. June starts whistling at our public display of affection. “Get a room, you two!” she teases, her laughter infectious.

We all laugh, the tension melting away. I wave at Liam as Damon drives off, a fluttering feeling in my chest. It's almost surreal, like for a moment, I feel like his real girlfriend, not just someone caught up in a whirlwind of confusing emotions and unexpected connections.

21

LIAM

I glance around the fashion boutique, feeling slightly out of my element among the rows of neatly hung suits.

Fluorescent lights buzz overhead, casting a sterile glare on the rows of clothes hanging in the boutique. The air is thick with the scent of freshly pressed fabric and something vaguely chemical.

Damon is rifling through the racks with a determined look, and I follow suit, pulling out a sleek navy jacket to examine. The air is filled with the soft rustle of fabric and the low hum of the store’s music.

“Dude, how about this one?” Damon holds up a dark grey suit, grinning at me.

“Try it out.” I nod. We both head into the changing room as he slips out of his jacket and puts on the suit.

“Alright, Dr. Miller,” Damon booms, his voice echo in the cramped changing room, “what do you think?”

I watch him take a quick spin. The suit was sharp, that much is undeniable, but it feels…distant. “Not sure,” I admit, catching his frustrated reflection in the mirror. “Little stiff, don't you think?”

Damon glanced at me. “God, man, what do you mean ‘stiff’?”

“Makes you look like a CEO or something.”

He stares for a while. “Yeah, maybe a little too CEO.” Already halfway through stripping out of the suit, he groans. “June will kill me if I don’t find the perfect suit for this wedding today.”

“You will, alright,” I said. “Just calm down.”

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