Page 50 of The Best Wrong Move

Juju had to have gotten it wrong.

How could she be remembering something that happened at Christmas, if I was busy humiliating myself by proposing to him on Valentine’s Day?

Chapter 30

By the time the second pitcher of mai tais is gone, along with the food, the game of truth or truth reemerges, and this time no one is holding back.

Juju has let us all in on her dream of circumnavigating the world on a solo sailboat, while Rex has confessed his secret affinity for chef shows, which comes as no surprise to me.

“What’s wrong with wanting to be namedIron Chef?” he asks, and we all break into laughter.

“Honey, I’ve never seen you cook a real meal,” Juju says, holding back a howl. She’s wiping tears from her eyes by the time we all settle down again. “What about you, Liv? What’s your secret dream?”

I shoot a look at Rex, knowing he already knows. Then at Dom, fully aware that I already confessed this to him the other night.

“I’m trying to make that happen right now,” I tell her. “Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always had this vision of writing stories in a beautiful place. Usually a garden. Growing old, while I lose myself in a hundred different stories. Probably wrinkly and eccentric in a delicious sort of way.”

“With a kaftan or two,” Rex interjects.

I stare at him, the veil broken as he forgets the invisible line between us. “Solid guess.” I look down, trying to mask my surprise that he’s forgotten the ruse.

Dom shifts uncomfortably next to me, squeezing my knee under the table with a little smile. He knows Rex just fucked up, too.

“Wow, good guess about the kaftan,” Juju says sleepily next to Rex. “I wouldn’t even think you’d know what one is.” She gives Rex a lazy smile, almost like she’s ready to fall asleep. It’s gotten late, and the sounds of the island at night are drawing in. Buzzing and chirping out-of-sight insects reverberate in our ears, urging us all to go inside before we start getting eaten alive.

Rex shoots me a slightly panicked look, knowing he just got lucky that she didn’t catch on.

“Well, you two” — Juju rises with a yawn — “if you can’t tell, I’m nearly asleep on my feet. Let’s clean all this up in the morning. Dom, I’m assuming we’ll see you over coffee?” She gives us both a knowing look, like she assumes he’ll be spending the night.

I smile back, unsure of what to say.

“I can just get this cleaned up right now,” I tell her, grabbing a handful of plates. “I’m not nearly as tired as you yet. You two go on to bed.”

“Okay, but I’ll see you both in the morning! Sleep tight, you two!”

Dom plays along, kissing me on the lips one more time before Juju and Rex head back into their side of the townhouse, shutting the door behind them. It strikes me again how odd it is to be sharing a wall.

I turn back to Dom, who already has most of the dishes piled up down his arms.

“You don’t have to do that,” I tell him quietly. “I’m sure you can slip out the front door without them hearing you go.”

“Nah.” He walks into my side of the townhouse. “We’ve already committed this far.”

He places all the dishes down on the counter. Then he shuts the window shades so they can’t see him creating a little makeshift bed on the couch.

I stand off to the side, watching as he pulls a blanket off the back of a chair and spreads it over the cushions.

“You’re actually planning to stay here?” My breath is picking up speed.

“It’s already late, and they’ll definitely be wondering why I took off at one in the morning instead of just staying here with you.”

He grabs one of the palm-sized throw pillows to add to the couch-bed — I grab it out of his hands.

“You did me a favor by coming tonight,” I tell him. “At the very least, you can have the bed.”

He narrows his eyes at me, holding back a silly grin.

“You actually think I’d take the bed from you? What kind of gentleman would I be?”

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