“Not anymore.”
“Which one?”
“Either. Both. Whatever. Nikki and I are done. Tonight was all for show. Even though there was a part of me that still thought she’d change her mind.”
“The boy bander?”
“True. All of it.”
“But you told Jules the press got it wrong.”
“I wanted to believe they had. But then she admitted it to me this morning and begged me to still come as her date.” He closes his eyes for a moment, as if remembering their conversation. “I don’t know why I agreed—guess I’m just a sucker.”
“Or a nice guy.” I rub his back, suddenly ashamed of the things I said. “You’re too good for her anyway, Liam.”
“That’s what Nikki said too.” He smiles sadly. “Right before she dumped my ass for a guy who has a swagger coach in his entourage.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, and mean it. I might have not liked Nikki, or the way she changed Liam, but I never wanted to see him hurt.
“No, it’s okay, really,” he says. “Honestly, I got caught up in it. I think I liked the lifestyle more than I liked her.”
“Still, it never feels good to be dumped.” Especially not for someone else, I think, remembering the rehearsal dinner as if it were yesterday.
Liam looks at me. “I know Max really hurt you.” He points to where Courtney and her date are still wrapped around each other. “That he’s still hurting you.”
I start to defend him, but Liam puts his hand up. “Don’t make excuses for him. Please. I know he’s not a bad guy, but it’s not him I care about.” He gives me a long look, his eyes fixated on me, the things he wants to say swirling in them.
I stay silent, staring at my engagement ring, remembering the night Max asked me. Had it been a proposal like something out of the movies? No. But it had been special and I had said yes without a second thought. But now it was like Liam was shining a spotlight on Max, forcing me to look at him in a way I hadn’t wanted to before. The night Max asked me to be his wife, I knew he was as excited about our future as I was, but it was possible the not-so-subtle hints about my age I had dropped pushed him down a road he hadn’t truly been ready for.
Liam leans his head down toward mine. “Remember, right after college, when I was up for the lead in that sitcom? I went through, like, thirty auditions. It was down to me and one other guy and they called my agent to tell me the part was mine? And then, when we were expecting the contract to be sent over, we got a phone call that they chose him?”
I nod, cringing inside at how devastated Liam had been, how humiliated he was when he had to call his friends and family and tell them they’d retracted their offer.
“Do you recall what you said to me after I told you I was going to quit acting? When I said it wasn’t fucking worth it anymore?”
I shake my head, my eyes filling with tears.
“You said the only way to get through something is to go straight through it. Not hide from it. Just feel it, learn from it, and then pick up the pieces and move on with your life.”
“I said that?” I smile weakly as Liam nods, touched that he’s held that advice with him all this time, but my chest feeling hollow at the thought of following it myself. “It’s solid advice, Liam. But I can’t.”
“Why not?” He frowns.
“Because I’m not like you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Liam’s shoulders tense.
“I can’t compartmentalize my feelings like you do.”
“Is that what you think I do?”
I sit up straighter so I can meet his eyes. “You give everyone these small scraps of yourself, always careful not to get too involved, too attached. You never let anyone hold your heart long enough to hurt you. But you think I should just dig in and feel the pain?” Liam’s eyes glisten but I can’t stop, thinking again how he’d judged me for not wanting to let Max go. That he inferred that I didn’t love him enough. “What do you even know about love anyway?”
“I know more than you think,” he says cryptically before whispering, “I know what it’s like to have the person you love be in love with someone else.”
“What?” I say, confused. “You mean Nikki?” I whisper back, our faces so close that the tip of his nose grazes mine.
Liam laughs. “God, you’re so dense sometimes,” he says before tentatively placing his lips on mine, almost like his kiss is a question he’s looking for an answer to. My eyes widen in shock and I instinctively try to pull away, but he holds me close.
“Liam,” I murmur.
“Shhh,” he says, holding my chin gently in his hand. “Stop thinking so much. Just follow your damn heart for once in your life.” He kisses me again, his lips so soft and welcoming that I have to force myself to pull back a second time.
“I can’t. Max—”