Page 79 of Stand Your Ground

“Liv… this is absolutely bananas.”

“No bananas have been involved. Yet.”

She flattened her lips but couldn’t help but smile. “You kinky bitch. I can’t believe this. And he’s already paid you?”

“One mil paid, one mil to go.”

She frowned. “I understand you saying yes just for the fun of the challenge, but the money… I don’t know that I get that part of it.”

“No?” I waved a hand in the air as if the points were all popping up like a scoreboard next to my head. “No money from my family, drowning in student debt, trying to freeze my eggs and become a single mom on my own terms?”

Recognition illuminated her eyes. “The money you suddenlycame into.”She sucked her teeth. “I knew you didn’t have no damn long lost great-great-aunt.”

“Nope. Just an eager puppy dog of a hockey player willing to blow his money on my services.”

Maven softened at that. “I didn’t realize the loans were so bad. You know Vince and I—”

I held up a hand to stop her. “Don’t you dare finish that sentence. I am your best friend, not a charity case. And I am certainly nowhere near destitute. I would be fine on my own. Iamfine on my own. This little agreement with Carter just expedites my savings and sets me up in a more comfortable position.” I sipped my gin. “Don’t worry — I’ll still let you pick up the bill for fancy girls’ trips.”

She smirked. “So, you’re really doing it, huh? Freezing your eggs?”

I nodded, heart skipping a beat as it settled in. “Soon.”

“I’m so proud of you. I’m… amazed by you, frankly. But…”

“Uh-oh.”

“No, no, it’s just…” She chewed the inside of her cheek, eyes dropping to her hands around her cup before she lifted them to me again. “I know you will be okay at the end of all this. Better than okay, it sounds like. But what about Carter?”

“What about him?” I didn’t mean for it to sound so crude when I shot the words at her. “He’ll be a pussy god drowning in women and still as rich as ever.”

“Does hewantto be drowning in pussy? Or does he only want to be drowning inyou?”

Fuck.

I didn’t need to hear those words from my best friend, not when I’d been convincing myself it was all going to be fine.

“He understood what he was getting into when we drew up the terms,” I said, my voice softer than I would have liked. “And he’s been enjoying himself. He knows what we are and what we will never be. Trust me — all he wants out of this is knowledge and confidence.”

Maven tilted her head. “And you?”

“Hello, did you black out when we were discussing the bank wires?”

“So, you don’t haveanyfeelings for him after all this?”

The scoff that left me was instinctual. “Maven.”

“Livia.”

“You know me.”

“You’re right, I do.” She stood and rounded the table until she was right in front of me. “Which is why I asked. Because I just saw my best friend doing goo-goo eyes out there, and I have a feeling it wasn’t because you’ve suddenly fallen in love with hockey.”

I clamped my mouth shut, eyes searching hers. When she arched a brow, I sighed.

“I… I’m not in danger of catching real feelings or anything. But yes, I do like him. I… I’ve enjoyed spending time with him. It’s surprised me.”

The corner of her lips lifted. “It’s okay to catch feelings.”