Chapter 12

VIVIANNE

It’s been a little over a week since Liam moved in, and things are finally settling down. I wasn’t sure he’d go through with it, but here we are—and now he wants to take me on a date.

We had to wait until Saturday since work kept us busy, and we spent time with a few of his friends throughout the week.

So far, I think this arrangement seems to be working out nicely.

We’re only a week away from leaving for his father’s cabin, but I think it’ll be fine—especially if he acts like this new Liam the whole time.

He’s been so gentle and sweet, almost like this isn’t playing pretend anymore. The light in his eyes makes my heart throb.

“So,” he says, climbing out of the car. “What do you think?”

“I think you have too much money and not enough to do in a day.” I laugh, motioning to the man in the driver’s seat. I wanted to walk, but Liam insisted on being driven.

~I have a driver, why not use him?~ he’d said. He even offered to get me my own driver, but I refused. Walking is fine with me. If I needed to drive, I have my own car anyway.

I step out and find myself in a park. It looks like something from a storybook—the lights glow in the darkness, illuminating the pathway.

The trees are colorful, their leaves barely clinging to the branches, ready to drop at the slightest breeze.

Liam offers me his arm, and I loop mine through his, leaning into his warmth.

He also hired a photographer to follow us and take a few pictures of our date—something about a magazine wanting a feature on us doing something couple-like.

He offered to separate the two—to make this feel more like a real date and do the shoot separately—but I opted to combine them. I love the idea of candid shots.

“This place is beautiful.” I sigh, leaning further into him.

“Here, this way.” He leads us around a bend toward a small pond.

A blanket is spread out by the water, waiting for us. We sit, chatting and leaning on each other. It feels nice, almost normal—like something we do every weekend.

“Where did you grow up?” he asks.

“Pennsylvania. A little town about three hours from here.”

Liam nods. “Do you talk to your parents a lot?”

I hesitate, tracing a finger over the fabric of the blanket. A few feet away, the photographer moves quietly, adjusting her lens.

“Honestly? Not really. Not as much as I should.” I exhale, the words heavier than I expected.

“My dad left us for a younger woman when I was sixteen. Thank God because he used to hit my momma and me.” My voice dips quieter now. “And Mom…well, she didn’t handle it well after he left. So, no, I don’t talk to them.

“Or I didn’t, really, until Momma got her diagnosis.”

“Diagnosis?” he asks.

“Cancer.” I swallow hard. “She doesn’t like doctors, so by the time my sister called me, scared and confused, I had to threaten Momma to go see someone—and again to get her to agree to let me talk to the doctor.

“That’s why I needed this job so badly.”

I look off into the distance, trying to contain myself, to ward off the tears threatening to fall. His hand settles on top of mine.

Silence stretches between us, but it’s not uncomfortable.

A soft click of the camera echoes in the air.

“I’m sorry.” His voice is low, almost careful. He looks down, and an ache grows in my chest.

“It’s fine, really.”

He shifts slightly, turning toward me. “I didn’t know you had a sister,” he says quietly.

“I have a big brother too. And a nephew.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” he asks.

I meet his gaze, my stomach tightening at the pity in his green eyes. I would give anything to make it go away.

Instead of speaking, Liam reaches for my hand, threading his fingers through mine. His grip is warm, steady, unhurried—like he’s giving me time to pull away if I want to. I don’t.

A soft shutter clicks.

“You’re already doing it.” I breathe deep, pushing the air from my lungs, trying to calm my mind.

Liam doesn’t let go. He just squeezes my hand, like he’s anchoring me here.

Another quiet snap of the camera.

I don’t like talking about it. But right now, with him, it doesn’t feel impossible.

“So, what are you going to do when this is over?”

I think I see hope in his eyes, and it cracks me in half.

“I don’t know. Buy a house. Settle down, maybe. Start a business. I’m not really sure anymore. I might have to move home to take care of Momma.”

It’s quiet as we watch the water. After a while, I lean over, resting my head on his shoulder and breathing him in.

It feels like only a second passes before he nudges me.

“We should get going.” His voice is soft, almost reluctant.

The walk back to the car is colder than it should be tonight.

“Are we doing anything for Halloween?” I ask, watching as he gives me a funny look.

“We’re adults,” he says, like that’s supposed to mean something.

I scoff. “So? Halloween doesn’t mean we have to dress up and trick-or-treat. We could go out and have a drink or two. Maybe invite Eddie or one of your other friends?”

A beat passes. Then—

“I’d like that,” he says as we climb into the car.

The tension between us thickens as we head inside. My skin is too warm, my thoughts too loud.

Liam escorts me to my bedroom door like a gentleman. He stops just short, seemingly waiting. Something unusual plays across his face. The world stills.

He leans in. I turn my face up, waiting. Wanting.

But just before our lips touch, doubt slams into me. I pull back, my heart hammering, my pulse tripping over itself.

“Goodnight,” I murmur, slipping into my room before I can change my mind.

I press my back against the door, dragging my hands down my face.

What am I doing? What was I thinking? This can’t happen.

But what if it did—and he wanted to end the contract early?

What then?

***

Jenna is in overdrive when we meet at my place for coffee.

I laugh as she hits my shoulder, grinning. “Maybe you should skip the coffee this morning.”

I want to tell her about the almost-kiss last night, but I can’t do that without explaining everything. Instead, I settle for telling her about the date and how amazing it felt to be with him.

“Wow, rub it in, why don’t you?” She laughs and takes a sip of her coffee.

“Sorry, it’s just…still so new.” My face heats up as my mind drifts back.

“So, how are you going to survive this weekend?” She eyes me, and my stomach knots. Spending the weekend with Liam’s father and stepmother in a cabin feels like a disaster waiting to happen.

I groan. “I have no idea. Do you think it’s too late to cancel?”

She smirks. “You’ll be fine, I’m sure. Plus, you guys will be so busy with Liam’s birthday stuff. I don’t think you’ll even notice the rest.”

I nearly spit out my coffee. ~Liam’s birthday? How could he not tell me?~

“His—his what?”

“His birthday,” she repeats, watching me like I’ve grown a second head. “November eighteenth. He didn’t tell you?”

I shake my head, my thoughts racing. We hadn’t talked about birthdays.

“I had no clue. Why didn’t he tell me?”

Jenna shrugs. “I’m not sure, but this is something they do every year. Probably because Liam usually spends his actual birthday with his mother.”

That doesn’t help. Maybe he doesn’t want me there for his birthday. Maybe that’s why he didn’t tell me.

I try to stop stressing, but my mind won’t let it go. I have to find him a gift. But what do you buy for a guy who has everything?

I frown at Jenna. “I have to get him ~something~, but what?”

She waves a hand. “It’s okay. Let’s just start shopping around and see if anything grabs your attention.”

She grabs my laptop and heads to the dining table, setting it up before taking a seat.

She types ~gifts for the guy who has everything~ into the search bar and starts scrolling through pages of ideas.

A few pages catch our eye, and we leaf through them, trying to find the best option. Then an idea clicks in my head. Immediately, I know what I want to get him.

Jenna watches, curious, until realization sparks in her eyes. When I tell her my idea, she gasps.

“Oh! Viv, he’s going to love it!” Her smile is so wide, her whole face lights up.

But instead of excitement, guilt twists in my stomach.

***

Jenna left a few hours ago, but I’m still searching for gifts. By the time I’m done, my cart is full, and I’ve ordered something special that won’t arrive until his actual birthday.

Hitting the checkout button feels surprisingly good—like a much-needed distraction.

A light knock on the door pulls me back. Liam steps inside the penthouse, looking exhausted. “Long day?” I ask, shutting my laptop.

“Long day,” he confirms, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. His whole presence feels off, like a heavy cloud has settled over him.

I don’t like it.

“Okay, tell me about it. I’ll order you some garlic shrimp pasta.”

That finally gets a smile out of him, and my heart nearly bursts.

He sits beside me, venting about his day—everything that put him in a bad mood. When he’s done, silence lingers between us.

I hesitate, then say, “What if you stop thinking like a CEO for a minute?”

He cocks an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“I just mean…what if you start thinking like a person again? Like you aren’t in it for your own company—but for them. That’s what I would want from you if I were thinking of dealing with Stryder Corp.”

His gaze sharpens, and then he sets his hand on my knee.

My heart stutters.

“You’re a genius.”

“I know.” I force a confident smile, hoping he doesn’t notice how shaky I feel.

He stands abruptly. “I’ll be back in a second. I just need to make a quick phone call.”

I watch him go, the warmth of his touch still lingering on my knee.

In just days, we leave for the cabin—a whole weekend with his father and stepmother.

I should be thinking about what to pack, about how to make a good impression.

But all I can think about is how little I know about the people waiting for us.