Page 59 of Little Did You Know

Nick pushed out of his chair, strolling around the table. “Have fun today, ladies.”

He disappeared into the kitchen.

Strolling down the clothing aisle, I let my fingertips slide across each one of the pretty dresses. "What are we shopping for this time?" I asked impatiently, standing behind Hannah, who was flipping hastily through the racks of clothes.

"Something to wear to Nick's Labor Day party tomorrow," she flipped through the clothes.

"Hannah, I still have stuff I haven't worn yet from the last time we went shopping," I stated.

"What," Hannah turned to me. "Save those for something else." I rolled my eyes. "There are going to be some of the most eligible bachelors at this party, and you need to look your best."

"Uh," I took a pink shirt from her, "I don't know if Nick would like this idea."

"No offense, but Nick needs to get over it. You're a single woman, and it's about time you meet a man." I inhaled sharply at her words. She didn't seem to notice. It was hard to consider myself single when I went to bed every night with Nick and woke up to him every morning. We did almost everything together, but she was right. I was technically single, and Nick had made that clear on more than one occasion. This entire situation was confusing; maybe I needed some space from Nick to think straight. I didn't want space from him, though. "You are still single, right?"

"Yes, of course."

"Just curious," Hannah replied. "Wasn't sure if there was more going on between you and Mr. Pearson."

"And I was just curious if something was going on between you and Liam." I gave her a deceitful smirk.

"No," she said too quickly. "Why would you think that?" I raised my eyebrows. "There's nothing to tell." And that was the end of the conversation.

Hannah and I spent the next couple of hours going through everything in the store before she finally settled on an outfit for both of us.

By the time we made it home, the sun was beginning to set, and the house was packed with people decorating, designing, cooking, and cleaning. Nick met me at the front door to let me know he'd be busy most of the evening, so I settled on a hot bath, ice cream in bed, and sleep.

Chapter Twenty-Six

The party started an hour ago. Friends and co-workers were scattered throughout the property, from the pool to the lake. Olivia's laughter carried across the boathouse, her head thrown back as she clutched Hannah's arm. The group of girls from work huddled around them, their voices a melodic chorus rising above the party's din.

The girls were all in bikini tops and cutoff shorts, except for Olivia. Her white sundress caught the light, drawing my eye again and again. Each time she moved, that delicately tied strap at her back made my fingers itch to pull it loose.

My chest tightened watching her—not just from wanting her, but from the maddening certainty that every other man at this party saw exactly what I saw. I kept checking my watch, willing time to speed up, needing everyone else to leave so I could have her to myself.

"Hello, old friend." Kathryn's hand touched my shoulder, her familiar perfume announcing her presence before her words did. I turned, forcing my attention away from Olivia.

"Glad you could make it." I pulled her into a hug. "Drink?"

"Of course." Her smile made me wonder how much she'd already observed. I gestured toward the boathouse, and she fell into step beside me, her heels clicking against the wooden dock.

Kathryn leaned against the bar, rings catching the light as she drummed her fingers on the polished surface. "Frozen Margarita."

"Another beer, sir?" The bartender reached for the tap before I could respond. I gave a distracted nod, my eyes already scanning the room for a glimpse of the white sundress.

Olivia was still in the same spot with the same girls, but they'd attracted several men now.

"Is that her?" Kathryn's margarita paused halfway to her lips, her gaze following mine across the room.

"Who?" The feigned innocence in my voice fooled neither of us. Kathryn's eyes narrowed, cutting through my pretense with the precision of a surgeon. "Olivia? Yes, that's her."

"She seems to be fitting in well." Kathryn swirled her drink.

"Not today, Kathryn." My fingers tightened around my beer bottle until my knuckles whitened.

"What?" She snatched the empty bottle out of my hand and pressed a fresh beer into it. "I was only going to say she's beautiful." The slight emphasis on 'only' hung between us, heavy with unspoken observations.

"Kat," Liam yelled from across the boathouse.

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