Page 20 of Love Me

“It’s on the house, but some discretion for more than five minutes, please?”

“Only cause I’m happy for you two. Keep her, Liam, it’s about time you got your girl,” Owen says as he turns and walks away. His statement makes me freeze in my spot. About time? When I turn around, Liam has moved to the open doorway that separates the bakery kitchen from the actual shop and is bracing himself on the door frame, hands above his head, stretching out his body slightly. His brown Carhartt jacket is unzipped and hanging open, and a formfitting white pocket tee lifts up, exposing the area right above his jeans, a barely noticeable happy trail disappearing below his belt.

Shit.

I may need to find a one-night stand because there is no way that I’m being turned on by the same man who has held my hair back while I puked into bushes after a drunken night, whose truck seats I stained when I bled through my tampon, who has seen me give birth and cleaned up all the lovely birthing juices from my kitchen floor. For fuck’s sake, with those thoughts, it’s a wonder he wants to marry me at all. At least I don’t have to worry about him wanting me in a sexual way, with all the bodily fluids he’s seen come out of me, I’m sure I’ve scarred him for life.

“Like what you see, beauty?”

“Oh, shut up, bear. What was that?” I chastise him.

“Me being your boyfriend. Don’t act like you weren’t into it.”

“I wasn’t. It’s acting, you dink hole. Remember? We’re playing pretend.”

I’m starting to wonder if this is a good idea at all. This is going to no doubt crash and burn with the rest of my dumpster fire life and then I’ll truly be alone.

“This is stupid, right? We were drunk last night?”

He lets go of the frame and walks right up to me, combing his fingers through my hair and holding my face to look up at him. My heart does that weird thing in my chest again like I’m about to have a heart attack, but more fluttery?

“Listen to me, I’m not about to stand by and do nothing while you lose everything that you have worked hard for. If you need me to stand behind you, I will be whatever you need me to be so that you can prove you’ve got this.” He pulls gently on my hair to make sure I’m listening before continuing, “So, get out of that pretty little head of yours. Let’s make this work so you can give a huge fuck you to Levi and your parents.”

“Okay,” I agree. How could I say no when he puts it like that?

CHAPTER 7

liam

The endof the week came hard and fast, and I was feeling worked up enough that I either needed a hard workout that included pummeling one of my dipshit brothers in the ring, or a stiff drink. Choosing the latter, I roll my truck up to the only bar in Aspen Ridge—The Night Owl—and order a beer to unwind for a beat.

The Night Owl has a rustic vibe while also being surprisingly edgy. The ceiling is supported by thick wooden beams and open pipework, giving the space that industrial yet modern vibe. It’s the bar itself that steals the show, though. Crafted from live-edge black walnut, a silky black epoxy river run detail flows through the center. Each of the tables around the open dance floor match. Leather barstools are scattered about, and the craftsman in me appreciates the aesthetic of the place. It fits in seamlessly with the town.

Taking a deep pull of my beer, which always gets me funny looks since I’m one of the lead master distillers at work, I do my best to chill out. I haven’t been able to shake thoughts of Hannah out of my head, the events of the week on a steadyreplay the entire day as I tried to focus on my tasks at the distillery. Being a master distiller takes focus and clarity, neither of which I have at the moment. I had to pass tasks to Graham on more than one occasion, and I’m grateful for my right-hand man. Technically we share the same title, and while he’d never say differently, I look up to him since he and my grandfather taught me everything I know.

Graham has been working for the distillery since I was in grade school, and even though he’s fifteen years older than me, we’ve got a great relationship. He’s a single dad and while I’m not one, I’ve leaned on him more than once as I was there to help support Hannah with a baby neither of us knew how to take care of. It helped that he’s known Hannah most of her life since he’s best friends with her dad.

Her words echo again and again, making my heart rate pick up, the beer doing nothing to settle my thoughts and nerves.“Yes, bear, I’ll marry you.”Fuck if I don’t want to hear those words from her lips with deep meaning behind them. The other morning, I thought for sure she was going to go back on it all, but what I didn’t expect was for her to be so compliant. Melting right in front of me. She’s not as unaffected by me as I thought she was. I just need to show her that I’m more than her best friend, that I can be everything she wants and needs. Because, let’s face it, come hell or high water, once I make Hannah mine, fake arrangement or not, I’m not giving her up.

I pull out my phone to text my brother, in need of some backup to get some time in with Hannah outside of Bean Haven and her apartment. I know only one brother who can handle it right now, and my sister would see right through the bullshit and call me out.

Me: Grandpa caught me drinking his whiskey again.

Carter: Fuck asshole. You couldn’t send it to the group chat? Where are you?

Me: The Night Owl

Carter: Okay. I get why you texted me. Our brothers aren’t any fun anymore

Well, shit. I’m about to piss on his good day.

Me: You gonna come or what?

Carter: Yeah, be there in 5, I’m close

Pocketing my phone, I order Carter a drink and sit at the bar to wait for him. I’m torn between telling him the truth or just going for it and keeping everyone in the dark. I know Dallas will put it together since he knows the pressure Hannah’s parents are putting on her, but I can’t take the chance of word getting out. Carter is a gamble. Dallas is a sure thing.

By the time he walks in, I’ve got my game face on. Really not hard to do when I’ve wanted Hannah for as long as I have and had to keep it to myself. There won’t be anything fake about this arrangement.

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