Billionaires Dollar Series

“With a different timeline?”

“Yes. We met… two months ago,” he says. “That should be fine.”

My eyebrows shoot high. “And we’re already engaged?”

“Whirlwind,” he says, motioning for the waiter. “A black coffee.”

“An iced latte for me, please.”

Liam raises an eyebrow at me. “See? We’re learning things already. Now I know your coffee order.”

“How did you propose?”

He waves a hand. “Doesn’t matter, as long as it’s not ludicrous.”

“No giant TV screens?”

“None at all.” He undoes the button in his suit jacket, glancing back down at the heavy watch at his wrist. “How do you want me to have proposed?”

“Just the two of us,” I say, swallowing. “No family or friends. Back in Fairfield, overlooking the ocean.”

Liam looks at me, and it’s a moment before he speaks. “All right,” he says finally. “That’s how I proposed.”

“And I said yes right away.” I put the black velvet box on the table between us, handling it with all the carefulness of an armed grenade. “How about you keep a hold of this until we meet next Saturday for the dinner?”

“Don’t you want to wear it to the restaurant? Let your ex get an eye full of the thing?”

“I’ll just as soon lose it in a pan.”

Liam’s mouth quirks, and he slides the box into his suit jacket. “I’ll keep it safe.”

“Thanks.”

He extends a hand. “Give me your phone and I’ll add my number. You can call or text me whenever with questions, if there’s anything else about our story that needs ironing out.”

“Right.” I hand it over, watching as he works. “Where do you live?”

“I rent an apartment here in the city. Haven’t decided if it’s worth buying anything yet.”

“Because you’re not sure if you’re staying?”

“Yeah.”

“But I thought you were working for your brother?”

There’s a slight edge to his voice that I can’t place. “I run an investment company he’s co-founded,” he says. “Together with Cole Porter and Nicholas Park.”

“Which is why you were at that party.”

“Which is why I was at that party,” he agrees.

I shake my head. “There is pretty much nothing about your profession that I understand.”

Liam snorts. “Trust me, the feeling’s mutual. I don’t have the faintest idea how to flambé something.”

“Alcohol in a pan, and a bit of fire. You’re welcome.”

There’s real amusement in his smile. “I’ll bear that in mind if I ever decide to cook.”

“Make sure your fire alarm is on first.”

His smile widens. “Let me know when you need my services at the restaurant.”

“To cook?”

“No,” he snorts, “to work my magic on your ex.”

I tug at the collar of my hoodie. “It’s just to make him… to give him a bit of his own medicine, and to stop him trying to talk to me.”

“Whatever the aim, I’m game,” Liam says. “What did he do, anyway?”

The waiter arrives with our coffee, giving me a convenient excuse to gather my thoughts. The stark fact of Jason’s betrayal, of the scene I’d walked in on, still makes my cheeks heat up with shame. I don’t need Liam to know how pathetic I felt about Jason sleeping with one of the waitresses right under my nose.

“We grew apart,” I say, reaching for my iced coffee. “So, the plan is for me to be myself, and our origin story is a modified version of the truth?”

“Small lies are easier than big ones,” Liam confirms, with the ease of someone who lies for a living.

I take a sip of my drink. “Right.”

“I’ll call you with the details for next week when I have them. Where do you live? I’ll pick you up.”

“Just outside of the city. I can send you the address.”

“Good.” He downs the last of his coffee, already motioning the waiter for the check. “Sorry, Maddie, but I have to get back to work.”

“Of course. I get that.”

“Don’t forget to let me know when you need me to white knight at Marco’s.” He signs our check and hands it back to the waiter, barely sparing him a glance. “That reminds me-we’re going to a nice restaurant next week. Do you have something to wear?”

I look down at my sweatshirt and back up to him. “Of course I do. I don’t always walk around like this.”

He stands, smiling with satisfaction. “You’d look lovely even if you did,” he says, and I’m sure that’s a lie. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

“See you soon,” I echo, watching as he strides out of the square and disappears into the City’s mass of suit-clad bodies, becoming one with the ambition of the place.

There’s no way this is going to end well, but as I lean back in the chair and contemplate the coming week… the only thing I know for certain is that it’s going to be fun and unexpected.

Spending time with Liam always was.