Fifteen #2
She strolls over to me, clinking her wine glass with mine. “So, how’s the fake engagement going?” she whispers in my ear, her voice dripping with mischief.
“You really know how to make an entrance,” I mutter, but I can’t quite hide the smile that pulls at my lips. “It’s going . . . fine. Everything’s fine.”
“Sure it is,” she teases, leaning in. “Tell me, Mia, have you really told him yet?”
I frown. “Told him what?”
“You know—that you’re secretly in love with him, but you’re too stubborn to admit it.
Honestly, it’s practically written all over your face.
” She waves her hand in front of my face like she’s waving away an annoying fly.
“Anyway, now that I’m here, the real fun can begin. You, my dear, are going to sing.”
I nearly choke on my wine. “Sing?” I gape at her. “What on earth makes you think I’m going to—”
“Do I need to remind you about your amazing vocal skills back in Scotland? Don’t even try to pretend you’re too cool for karaoke, Mia.” Her eyes are already twinkling with excitement. “I’ll make sure Austin records it for you to watch later. Besides, it’s your brother’s birthday. You owe him.”
Oh god. Here we go.
I feel my face flush, the thought of singing in front of everyone hitting me like a freight train. “Charlotte, I really—”
“Nope,” she interrupts, crossing her arms. “You’re going to do it. And you’re going to do it well.” She grabs my wrist and drags me towards the little piano in the corner of the room, where my brother’s smug grin awaits.
“I don’t remember this being part of the plan,” I grumble, but I don’t even have time to protest before the soft sound of a piano intro starts to play. Charlotte’s already found the song she wants me to sing. It’s At Last by Etta James, a song I haven’t performed in years.
“Ready, Mia?” Charlotte grins, giving me an exaggerated thumbs up. “You’ve got this. Sing your heart out.”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.
The room feels like it’s closing in on me.
But then I see Austin standing there, his eyes dark, focused on me, and suddenly I’m not scared anymore. There’s something in the way he looks at me—encouraging, maybe even proud.
I take a deep breath, letting the music wash over me, and I begin. My voice comes out smoother than I expect, filling the room with the soft, familiar melody.
The lyrics flow from me effortlessly, as if my body remembers them in a way my mind didn’t. I’m not thinking about the crowd, not even about Charlotte. I’m just lost in the music.
As I hit the final note, the room falls silent for a split second. Then, a smattering of applause. I open my eyes, surprised to see that Austin is the first to rise, clapping enthusiastically, his eyes gleaming.
“Holy hell,” he says, his voice low but filled with awe. “That was incredible, Mia. You didn’t sound like that when we went to that bar the other day.”
I can feel my cheeks warm. “I sang badly on purpose. I didn’t want to upstage you, you see.”
Austin nods. “Ah, I see. But seriously, hearing you sing like that . . . it’s a real turn on.”
Before I can say anything, the doorbell rings, interrupting the moment. Danny frowns as he walks over to answer it. “Who the hell is this now?”
And that’s when I hear a voice from behind me that freezes my blood. “Well, well. Looks like I haven’t missed all the fun.”
I turn around slowly, my heart sinking as Liam walks through the door. My ex. The last person I ever expected to show up here, especially after the mess we had between us.
Charlotte seems to read my face and leans in, whispering, “Oh, this should be interesting.”
I can’t even respond, my gaze still locked on Liam, who’s wearing that cocky, self-assured grin I remember all too well. And for a moment, it feels like everything comes crashing back.
The hurt, the heartbreak, the way he left me without warning.
“Liam,” I say, my voice tight. “What are you doing here?”
He shrugs like it’s no big deal. “Thought I’d pop by, see what all the fuss was about. Nice to see you too, Mia.”
I open my mouth to say something—anything—but nothing comes out. My whole body feels like it’s frozen, stuck in this strange loop of disbelief.
“Who’s this then?” Austin’s voice cuts through the tension, calm but full of authority. His hand is on my back now, possessive and protective in a way that makes my stomach flip.
Liam looks Austin up and down, his smirk faltering for just a second. “I’m Liam. And you must be Mia’s fiancé, right?”
I can feel Austin stiffen beside me, his body tense with unspoken words. There’s an awkward silence that stretches on too long, until finally, Danny clears his throat. “Well, can I get anyone a top up?”
And just like that, the tension in the air thickens even more. But one thing’s for sure: This night just got a whole lot more complicated.
The tension in the lounge is thick enough to cut with a knife, and Liam’s sudden appearance has thrown me completely off balance. I need answers—and I need them now.
Danny is mid-conversation with our dad, but I don’t care. I march over, grab his arm, and drag him out into the hallway.
“Mia, what the hell?” Danny complains, shaking me off like a teenager caught sneaking out.
“What the hell?” I hiss back. “That’s my line. Why is Liam here?”
Danny looks genuinely puzzled, which only fuels my irritation. He runs a hand through his perfectly styled hair—hair that he has never let me touch. “Why wouldn’t he be here? I work with him occasionally, remember? Big-shot barrister? Kind of a big deal?”
I blink. “Oh, right, because we’re all just dying to have a lovely family gathering with my ex-boyfriend.”
Danny shrugs, oblivious. “I didn’t think it’d be a problem. You’ve moved on. You’re engaged now.” He says the word like it’s a silver bullet, like it should magically erase the last three years of emotional baggage Liam dumped on me.
“Why didn’t you at least give me a heads-up?”
He throws his hands in the air, all casual arrogance. “I didn’t think it’d matter! Liam’s a good guy. You two just . . . didn’t work out. Happens all the time. It’s not like you’re still hung up on him.”
The audacity of this man. “I’m not hung up on him, Danny, but he is clearly hung up on me. Do you not see how awkward this is?”
Danny tilts his head, studying me like he’s trying to win an argument in court. “He seemed fine when I spoke to him. Polite. Professional. You know, normal.”
“Oh, sure,” I say sarcastically, crossing my arms. “Because ‘normal’ is exactly how Liam operates. Normal guys just happen to crash their ex-girlfriend’s brother's birthday dinner.”
Danny frowns, like he’s starting to piece it together. “Wait. You think he’s here because of you?”
“Of course, he’s here because of me! He’s not here for your stunning conversation skills, is he, Danny?”
Danny smirks. “Hey, my conversation skills are top-tier.”
“Danny!”
He sighs, finally dropping the act. “Ok, fine. Maybe this is a bit awkward. But what do you want me to do? Kick him out?”
I hesitate. I would love to say yes, but that would make this situation even messier. Plus, knowing Liam, he’d probably thrive on the drama. “No. Just . . . keep him away from me. And Austin for that matter.”
Danny chuckles, clearly not taking me seriously. “Relax, Mia. Show Liam how happy you are and move on.”
“Right,” I mutter, my stomach twisting.
Danny pats my shoulder, completely oblivious to my inner turmoil. “You’ll be fine, sis. Now, come back in before Mum starts interrogating Austin about babies again.”
He saunters back into the lounge, leaving me standing in the hallway, staring after him. I take a deep breath, shake off the tension, and prepare to dive back into the chaos.
Great. Just great. This night is officially a train wreck.