Walk of Shame (Love Unexpectedly 4)

Marley nods and sips her drink. “That’s a good sign for my maid-of-honor status.”

I don’t mention to Marley that Pam might be spending a bit more time in the city in the coming days. I don’t say anything to my friend because it’s fiercely private, but Pam’s reason for coming to see Andrew is both a little sweet and a little heartbreaking.

She wants to borrow money…for fertility treatments.

My heart squeezes just thinking about it. Apparently she and Peter have been trying to conceive for years, but there’s still no baby. The doctor has recommended a new treatment, one that’s terribly expensive. Peter is too proud to ask his brother for money, but Pam wants a baby more than her pride.

Andrew wrote her a blank check, no questions asked, and my heart…

I’m saved from getting weepy by the smell of familiar perfume and a wave of gorgeous red hair.

“Hello, darlings!” Liv Dotson says, plopping down into the booth across from us, her emerald green halter top a stunning contrast to her auburn waves.

Marley and I exchange a what the hell look without actually looking at each other. As best friends do.

This is…odd. We’re friendly with Liv, but hardly besties. Our respective groups overlap often enough that we frequently end up at the same club, but the same table? Not so much.

“So,” Liv says, leaning toward me and wrinkling her nose in playful confidence. “I’m dying to know. Did you get him here?” She looks around the VIP lounge, scanning for someone.

“Who?”

“Andrew,” Liv says, in an obviously voice.

“Oh, man, did everyone see that Page Six article?” I say, pressing my fingers against my forehead. I don’t really mind, but it doesn’t get much more private than kissing, and that was definitely a kissing moment. I resent, just a little, that I have to share it with the world.

“Pretty much,” Liv and Marley say at the same time.

“So is he here?” Liv asks.

I give her an oh please look. “You’ve met him. What do you think?”

Liv laughs. “Good point. But he doesn’t mind you being here?”

I shrug. “Nope. Told me to have fun.”

“That’s a good one right there,” Liv says with a little shake of her head, waggling her fingers in thanks as a server appears with a glass of champagne. “Gotta appreciate the ones who let you do what you want without getting all whiny and insecure about it. Did he pass along my message?”

“Um, no,” I say, nudging Marley under the table with my stiletto. She’s all but salivating, clearly loving that she’s on the verge of hearing Liv Dotson confirm outright that she’s hired a divorce attorney.

Liv waves. “I should have just asked you myself. I was saying that the four of us should totally do dinner some time. I think Chris and Andrew would get along great. They’re both a litt

le shy but sarcastic.”

Understatement.

And also, wait, what? Liv wants her divorce attorney and soon-to-be ex to have a dinner party together?

Marley can’t help herself any longer. “So how do you and Andrew know each other?”

Liv glances at Marley, her expression cooling just a tiny bit. “I’m sure you ladies put the pieces together when you saw me with Andrew at Del Frisco that day. Chris and I were having…problems. I took the coward’s way out, thought divorce sounded easier than working through it.”

“You’re speaking in the past tense,” I say with a hopeful little smile.

Liv blinks. “Well, yeah. I called it off. Didn’t Andrew tell you?”

Both women are looking at me. I swallow. No, he didn’t tell me. Come to think of it, he doesn’t tell me much. We’ve come a long way since our early days of him talking to me not at all, but most of the time he seems to live in his head unless coaxed otherwise.

“He takes client confidentiality super seriously,” I say, rolling my eyes dramatically as though it’s no big deal.