Page 127 of He Loves Me Knot

Elle swiped tears from her cheeks and Quinn slipped his arm around her shoulder, hugging her against him. Shaking her head, Elle looked from him to Liddy. “So all that kissing and hand-holding—that was just for show? Tolieto us?”

“Not really. Callum mainly wanted to just get his mom to leave him alone.”

“I don’t remember Cal’s mom being on that catamaran when you guys were making out,” Elle remarked dryly. She held up a hand, abruptly. “You know what? Don’t answer. I really don’t care. It’s gross, but you all do whatever you want. How do I get my damn wedding dress?”

Pain flashed across Liddy’s features. “We have to go to the airport in Liberia to get it. The airline will only give it to me. But we can leave right now and get it in Callum’s rental car.”

“No, we’re going to go with you.” Elle glanced back at Quinn. “I need my dress, and honestly, I’ll feel a lot better if I can be there to make sure there isn’t another issue.” She checked her watch. “I’ll meet you by the parking lot in five minutes.”

Without waiting for a response, Elle walked toward the hotel steps.

Liddy looked stricken. “I don’t think she’s ever been so mad at me before.”

Quinn reached over and squeezed her shoulder. “It’ll be fine. Once the shock wears off, she’ll let it go.”

Liddy drew a sharp breath. “Yeah.” She didn’t look comforted, though. “You won’t tell anyone, will you, Quinn?”

Quinn offered a kind smile. “You know you can count on me for discretion, Liddy.”

Liddy nodded then glanced at Callum. “I’ll meet you by the car. I need to find Sergio real fast and talk to him.”

Sergio.What might he have told Sophia by now? Or his mum?

This is going to get even messier, fast.

Callum watched as Liddy started up the stairs, feeling Quinn’s intense stare.

“I fucked up, Quinn.”

“Yeah, I’d say so.” Quinn crossed his arms. He didn’t sound pleased, but wasn’t overtly angry, either.

I can work with that.Then again, they’d been through twenty-nine years of friendship at this point. He hoped they could survive this hiccup.

“You’re sleeping with her, aren’t you?”

Callum clenched his jaw. Quinn might forgive his lack of judgment when it came to this—and the lies—but he would not as easily forgive this. Callum gave one curt nod.

“Goddammit, Cal.” Quinn turned away for a second, his hands flexing. “Elle loves me. And she’s trying to be patient with you because of that. But I swear, if you hurt Liddy, you and I won’t be able to come back from that. She’s my sister now. And I know how you are with women. I’d like to think you’d know better than to risk our friendship over a holiday fling with someone I care about.”

Damn.

Yes, if I’d been a decent man—a decent friend—I would have stayed away.

And he’d tried. He’d done his best to stay away from Lydia Winnick.

He’d spent two years ignoring her. Maybe not for the sake of his friendship with Quinn but still. That respect had been there.

And now he’d fucked up beyond belief.

“But I swear, if you hurt Liddy, you and I won’t be able to come back from that.”

Years of friendship...and he’d royally fucked that up, too.

“May I be so bold as to ask if you have any intention of continuing a relationship with her after you both return to London?” Quinn gave him a hard stare.

Callum shook his head.

The honesty of his own answer made his heart squeeze painfully.

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