Chapter 6 #2
Yeah, that was probably true. Emma couldn’t keep a secret if her life depended on it. “It didn’t seem important. It’s not like we’re friends or anything. The only time I see him is when he’s in town and comes to the restaurant to eat.”
“Sounds like you’re friends to me if he invited you over for pizza.”
Emma would have a heart attack if she told her they kissed. “Okay, we’re friendly. But we’re not close like you and I.”
“Uh-huh. When are you seeing him again?”
“Tomo—” Liv snapped her mouth shut. Usually, she thought before she spoke. Clearly, her brain hadn’t fully recovered from kissing Matt.
Darn it.
“You’re seeing him again tomorrow?” There was no missing the excitement in Emma’s voice. If Liv could see through the phone, no doubt Emma would be bouncing up and down in her seat. “What time? And what are you doing?”
As her grandmother would say, the cat was out of the bag now. “I’ve been playing around with a couple of new recipes. Matt offered to come over and try one since he’s not busy. You know I always like to get different opinions before we add anything to the menu.”
Usually, she’d test any new recipes on her brother and his wife first. Then she’d cook the dishes for others. Most of the time, Emma and Phoebe were her next taste testers. But occasionally she’d ask someone else for their opinion.
“Sure. Whatever you say. Do you want me to come by and help you get ready before he gets there?”
“Emma, I’m cooking us a meal. We’re not going on a date. I don’t need help getting ready unless you want to stop by while I’m at work and make sure I have all the ingredients I need for dinner and pick up anything I’m missing.”
“Just because you’re not leaving your apartment doesn’t mean you can’t look nice.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll be fine.”
“Well, at least call the second he leaves. I want all the details.”
Matt had stood outside until he could no longer see the taillights on Liv’s car. Then, after pouring himself some whiskey, he’d headed back to the rooftop patio. He’d been sitting up there ever since, looking up at the stars and replaying the evening.
Other than female family members, he could only think of one woman other than Liv who he’d had a conversation with recently that had felt so easygoing and natural.
Usually, he selected topics that weren’t too personal, and he was always careful about his word choice.
The last thing he needed was to offend the woman across the table from him or give her the impression that he wanted a relationship when he didn’t.
That hadn’t been the case when he’d spent time with Evie, Adam’s girlfriend, a few weeks ago.
It hadn’t been the case tonight either. Not once had he worried about sharing something that might get out to the media or saying something that might offend Liv.
Instead, their conversation had flowed naturally, much like when he’d been with Evie.
Well, maybe not exactly. While he liked his cousin’s girlfriend, he wasn’t attracted to her. Liv, on the other hand, was a different story, and not only because she was beautiful.
He appreciated that Liv never made a big fuss over him. Whenever he came into the restaurant, she treated him like any other customer. All too often, that wasn’t the case. But that wasn’t why he’d stopped by her office this afternoon to ask her out.
Unlike a lot of people, she was real around him. Liv didn’t hang on his every word as if what he said was the most fascinating thing in the world. Even before the band hit it big, women had done that after they found out he was a member of the Sherbrooke family. Some guys might like it. Not him.
When he talked to someone, he liked it to be a two-way conversation.
Other people might have kept the problems her family was facing a secret, but Liv had been honest with him.
And whereas a lot of people he’d met would’ve asked him to help them out financially so they could buy the building and save the restaurant and catering business, she hadn’t.
Tonight, his attraction to her had grown. While playing pool, she teased him much the way he remembered her teasing her brother. When she wasn’t doing that, she asked him personal but not intrusive questions, such as how he’d gotten into photography and what types of books he enjoyed reading.
Matt sipped his drink and thought about their conversation while eating ice cream.
Books weren’t something he discussed with many people.
And when Liv said she pegged him as a romance novel junkie, he hadn’t been sure at first if she was joking or not, which was why he’d asked if she was serious.
This had led to Liv asking him something no one, not even his family, had ever asked him.
“How do you come up with the lyrics, then?”
Until she’d asked the question, he’d never realized how much it bothered him that no one had ever asked him anything about his music or his career other than when he’d be leaving on tour and when he’d be back.
Other than his grandfather, his family had never been against his decision to pursue a music career.
But they’d never understood it either. Business and the corporate world were such an integral part of Graham and Violet Sherbrooke’s life that they couldn’t imagine someone thriving without it in theirs.
His brothers were following in their parents’ footsteps.
His thoughts drifted away from their conversation as he took another sip.
The first person he’d ever kissed had been Leigh Vincent.
They’d both been fourteen. She’d thrown a party to mark both the end of the summer and the fact that many of them were heading off to boarding school in a few weeks.
Her parents had kept to themselves, only coming outside two or three times to make sure no one had drowned in the pool.
Since then, he’d kissed a lot of women. But tonight had been different.
When his lips touched Liv’s, every neuron in his brain fired at once as the outside world slipped away.
His last relationship had ended almost a year ago. Since then, he’d spent time with women and physically desired them, but he hadn’t enjoyed spending time with any of them enough to get serious. When he arrived in Orchard Harbor, Matt hadn’t expected that to change.
Now he was hoping it might.
His phone chimed as he finished his drink. When he checked the device, he found a text message from Theo.
Theo: Brianna said the wedding is at a friend’s estate in Orchard Harbor. Do you know where that is?
Someone had just booked a July wedding with Liv. Something told him it was the same one his brother and girlfriend were attending.
Matt: Yeah. It’s where I am now.
Theo: Will you still be there in July?
Last week, he would’ve said “most likely,” and maybe that should be his answer now. July was more than a month away. A lot could happen in a month. Hell, he could show up at Liv’s place tomorrow night, and she might tell him to get lost.
Maybe it was the optimist in him, but he felt like he’d have a reason to stick around Orchard Harbor indefinitely.
Matt: Definitely. Why don’t you and Brianna plan on staying with me?
Theo: Sounds good. See you then.