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“You’re dating my best friend, Kat. Do you really expect him not to tell me things about the two of you?” I glare at Bryce as he sits down in the armchair.

Closing her laptop, she places it on the coffee table before moving to cuddle against my side, and my arm wounds around her shoulders, Bryce’s gaze tracking every movement. “Of course, I know he’s going to tell you things. Just don’t make it weird around me or I’ll return the favor. You think Josie hasn’t told me things?”

I laugh at the look that crosses Bryce’s face, the way his brow crinkles in discomfort. Turning my head to hide my laugh, I end up pressing a kiss against Kat’s forehead, which earns me a soft look from her. Bryce gags in mock disgust.

She turns a glare back at him. “Why did you need to come over here to talk to both of us on a Sunday, Bryce? Why couldn’t I come to your place?”

“Actually, it’s more like Carter and I need to talk to you about something,” he replies. “You could have come to my place, but I don’t want Josie to hear this conversation. Plus, you kind of kidnapped my best friend for the weekend.”

“Play nice,” I warn. “There’s plenty of me for both of you.”

“Oh god,” Bryce shakes his head, and Kat looks up at me with a grimace. “That’s weird. Please don’t say that.”

“Ever again,” Kat pleads. “No one’s fighting over you.”

“I mean, honestly, Kat, you can have him,” Bryce replies. “I’ve had him for almost thirty years, kinda sick of him.”

“But what do I do when I get sick of him?” She pouts.

I pull my arm from around her shoulder, moving so there’s some space between us, and give them a mock pout. “I can go back to Georgia!”

“You know we’re just kidding, right?” Kat replies, reaching out to grab my hand and tug me back. I go willingly, unable to resist her. Once we’re both comfortable again, she looks over at Bryce. “So, what’s going on, and why isn’t Josie involved?”

He straightens up, looking more serious. “You told us you had a guy who can do the sign for the side of the building with the logo Mia decided, right?”

She nods. “Yeah, he said it’ll only take a couple of weeks once you nail down the name and get it to Mia.”

“Does he need the name if he already knows the font and everything Mia will use? Or can you add the name to the logo?”

She turns to me with a slight frown. “Why is Bryce being so secretive? And why don’t you seem at all surprised?”

“Because it’s a surprise,” Bryce answers. “For Mia and Josie.”

I can see the moment she realizes what Bryce is getting at because a tightlipped, playful smile spreads across her lips. “We can work something out. Tell me everything.”

May2024

“Kat!” Nadine grins brightly at me as I approach her desk. She stands to greet me with a hug. “I didn’t know you were coming in today. I thought the meeting was going to be virtual.”

I shrug, not knowing what else to say. “He emailed me last night asking me to come in for it. I had to get up ridiculously early to make it on time, because of course he isn’t going to push back his next meeting.”

She rolls her eyes. “Of course not. That meeting is his weekly chance to gossip and get drunk on a golf course.”

I stifle my laughter behind my hand, smiling at Liam as he passes by on his phone. I note the way their eyes track each other’s movements, clearly aware of where each other is in a room. “Have things not gotten better between you?”

She sighs, sitting back down as I lean against her desk. “You know when people make a joke that’s stupid, and then they apologize for it but can’t seem to get over it themselves?”

“And end up making a bigger deal out of nothing because they’re so worried about messing up again?” She nods in confirmation, and I groan. “No, I thought Liam was better than that.”

Her gaze drifts in the direction he just went, even though he’s long gone. “He is. I just don’t know if he knows what he’s doing. I’ve tried talking to him about it, but that’s a conversation he’s avoiding like the plague.”

It’s surprising to know that Liam doesn’t seem receptive to the conversation Nadine wants to have with him. Maybe he’s worried he’ll end up sticking his foot in his mouth, but he’s already doing it. I’d had the same conversation with Will when we first started the wholeI know I’m fat, so stop acting like I’m not, but he’d taken it the complete opposite direction, making pointed, negative comments about my curves. Liam, I think, is strictly in the world where he thinks the word “fat” is bad and should be avoided.

Which isn’t his decision to make.

“So, tell me how Columbia’s treating you!” Nadine leans toward me on her desk. “I can’t believe you’re dating an Olympic swimmer. I looked him up; he’s cute!”

Unable to hide my grin, my cheeks flush, and I duck my head. “Yeah, he’s something special. A lot different from my previous relationship.”