Page 53 of The CEO I Hate

“Sorry, can’t hear you,” I called, darting between a group of fans, turning just in time to see a TARDIS with legs plow into Liam.

18

MIA

Iwas still laughing about it when we reached the restaurant—a ramen place decorated with old movie posters. It had an open kitchen where the chefs worked under a string of red lantern lights, and the smell of creamy pork broth made my stomach growl.

“It wasn’tthatfunny,” Liam muttered as we sat down. The hostess slid two paper menus in front of us and pointed to a QR code where we could place our orders.

“She bounced off you like a rubber ball and went flying.” The image of the poor woman, trapped in her blue cardboard box, her feet stuck up in the air, was seared into my brain. But I’d only let myself giggle over it once I knew she wasn’t hurt. Even the woman had had a good laugh over it when she was back on her feet. “And then you were all chivalrous and helped her up.”

Actually, all six-foot-something of him had swooped in and picked her up like it was nothing, and I’d swooned a little. There was a moment where I’d wished it was me Liam had swooped in to gather in his arms. But the hell of it was, I knew if I happened to trip and fall, Liamwouldbe the first to help me up and make sure I was okay.

And then he’d immediately back off like I was radioactive, because Liam’s most consistent behavior was rushing out of rooms to ditch me when things gottooreal. Apparently, in Liam’s world, love was too painful to mess around with, and me and Liam…That would be the biggest mess of all.

“Well, I couldn’t exactly leave her on the ground,” Liam huffed.

“It was very gallant of you.” Scenes for the next update ofHeart and Hustlewere already spinning through my head. “I’m foreseeingsomething very similar happening to Miles. He needs a little hero moment. The fans will eat it up.”

“I’m not signing anymorethings.”

“I promise to warn you about all future signings so you can steer clear.”

He snorted. “Liar.”

I stared down at the menu. “I’m feeling classic tonight. Tonkotsu, maybe?”

“I was thinking about the spicy kimchi ramen.” He opened the app on his phone. “Want to share some gyoza?”

“I can get my own,” I said immediately.

“Iinvited you to dinner,” he argued, placing the orders. “So it’s my treat.”

“I don’t need to be treated.”

“I’mbribingyou, remember? To let the whole café incident go. You can’t pay for your own bribe. That’s ridiculous.” He glared at me, those brown eyes flashing gold under the lights. He arched his eyebrow, daring me to argue more.

Fine. If he wanted to pay, who was I to complain? Besides, it’s not like this was a date. I had nothing to prove by paying for my half of the meal. This was just dinner between…friends? No, that didn’t work. Work colleagues? Me and the man who was the bane of my existence?

Liam’s phone dinged, and he picked it up, firing off an email, frustrated lines splitting his forehead.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“Just moving some meetings around.”

Did he mean right now? Was he missing important meetings to eat dinner with me? “If you need to go?—”

He flipped his phone face down on the table. “I don’t.”

I nodded a little uncertainly. “I guess the work never really ends, huh?”

“You don’t get to clock out at five, if that’s what you mean.”

“Does that ever…” I started. “That just seems like a lot. When do you have time to turn your brain off?”

A waitress appeared with two glasses of water and placed them in front of us.

“I’ve been doing this for so long now that it’s normal,” Liam said. “If things were too quiet, if my inbox was empty, I think I’d start to get antsy.”