Page 44 of A Simple Reminder
I look at Liam, my thoughts spinning. This wonderful man—he’s sharing something profound, something from deep within. He must have lost the love of his life, and now, he sees something in us that I can’t bear to acknowledge. But it’s all a lie. If only he knew the truth, that we lost each other years ago.
A pang of sadness tugs at my heart. If our love had been rare, would we have let it slip through our fingers so easily? Wouldn’t we have fought harder? Wouldn’tIhave fought harder?
I force a smile, trying to push the thoughts away, but they cling to me, refusing to let go. Our love couldn’t have been that rare, that special, because if it was, we wouldn’t be standing here, pretending.
“I won’t.” Liam responds, his voice almost too steady, betraying nothing of the emotions I can sense simmering beneath the surface. But I know him well enough to catch the flicker of defenselessness in his eyes before he looks away.
“Areyou heading back to the office?” Liam asks as we head out of the store. I shake my head, feeling a little lighter after finalizing our purchases. We ordered four versions of that glass wave sculpture, to put in the lobby. They do not look exactly the same, rather like four sisters moving together. Even though we’re still refining the concept, I know those sculptures will fit perfectly.
“I’m actually thinking of working from home today, if that’s okay,” I say, glancing at him to gauge his reaction. “I need to finish up some paperwork. But I’ll meet up with Jared tomorrow morning to wrap up the terrace project.”
Liam chuckles softly, his laughter warm and easy. “Just don’t work too hard. You should enjoy your weekend.”
I hesitate, the previous events still fresh in my mind. “Speaking of which,” I say, crossing my arms, “was the whole fiancée act part of your plan, or did you just decide to wing it?” My tone is light, but my gaze sharpens, searching his face for answers.
He grins, his confidence as steady as ever. “Winging it worked, didn’t it?”
I blink, caught off guard by his nonchalant response. “I guess... But–”
“But what? I had to say something. You were a little late, and we were losing our spot,” he says, brushing it off with a casual shrug.
I narrow my eyes at him. “Firstly, I wasn’tthatlate. Secondly, when did you book this meeting?”
He hesitates, his usual confidence flickering for just a moment, the uncertainty passing over his face before he regains his composure. “I...had to move things around,” he says, his voice losing some of its usual smoothness, the words coming out more clipped. “It’s a very exclusive gallery, and they only give out small slots. It’s...competitive.”
I raise a brow, unconvinced but too tired to push further.
“You didn’t seem to mind playing along,” Liam says, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
I feel my cheeks heat and quickly shake my head. “Well, next time, maybe warn me before you pull a stunt like that.”
“Noted,” he says with an amused glint in his eyes before glancing at his watch. A slight frown crosses his features. “I need to run, but say hi to Addie from me.”
“Sure,” I say softly, watching him walk away. And just like that, the distance between us is back, just like it should be.
TWENTY
SOPHIE
We’re almost finished with Monday’s presentation, and I’m quite excited. We’ve managed to come up with the ten concepts Liam wanted, and they’re all beautiful. It’s been a while since I worked under such a tight deadline. I kind of like it. The stress is invigorating—it keeps me going.
Working with Jared again hasn’t been as bad as I thought. He seems to have worked on himself. He’s not the aloof, selfish young man who only looked out for his own interests anymore. At least, that's the vibe I’m getting. He’s grown up.
I’m in the middle of getting ready when Adeline burst into my bedroom.
“So, what are you wearing for this ‘not a date’?” she asks, using her fingers to make air quotes. I laugh, slipping into the pink silk dress I’d picked out. “It’s not a date, Addie. This is just his way of apologizing. He owes me that, and honestly, I’ve been wanting to try this restaurant forever.”
“Uh-huh, sure,” she says, unconvinced. “And you’re telling me you feel absolutely nothing for him?”
“Nothing,” I say, confirming my statement for the hundredth time while zipping up the dress. “Not even a spark of curiosity. Whatever we had, it’s gone. Poof. Completely.”
There’s a pause on the other end, and I meet her gaze in the mirror, “Just spit it out, Addie.”
A sly smile spread across her face. “I think Liam would be a great match for you.”
My hand stills on the too big straps. “Liam? As in Liam my boss?”
“Liam. As in ourfriendLiam. And yeah, so what if he’s your boss now? He won’t always be.”
