The Dating Plan(18)
“I thought most of the women you’d hooked up with in the city hated you,” Rainey said.
“Not like this.” Liam sighed. “I stood her up for her senior prom, then left town without telling her and never got in touch again.”
Without warning, Rainey leaned over the counter and slapped him lightly across the face.
“What the hell?” His hand went to his cheek. He looked to Ethan for support, but his cousin was doubled over with laughter.
“How could you?” she demanded. “You stood her up for her high school prom? What kind of scumbag are you? It was her PROM for chrissakes!”
“I know it was her prom,” he spluttered. “I was supposed to be her date.”
“If you’d stood me up for my prom, my dad would have hunted you down and used you for target practice.” She took an order from a new customer at the end of the bar, then returned to Liam. “And you thought you’d ask her to marry you? I’m surprised you got out of there with your balls attached.”
Ethan frowned at Rainey. “I thought you didn’t have a dad.”
“Well, of course I have a father.” She pulled two bottles of Budweiser from the cooler and slammed them on the counter. “That’s basic biology. The question is: Which of the dozens of men my mother brought home is the one? I like to imagine he’s the protective type—Don’t hurt my baby girl! and all that—and one day he’s going to walk through that door and ask what the hell I’m doing working here when he’s got a big house out in the country with a stable full of horses and a loving family who have all been looking for me since the day I was born.”
“That’s a nice dream,” Liam said as she flipped off the tops with her bottle opener.
“We all need a dream.” She carefully poured one bottle into a glass. “What’s yours?”
“I want to save the distillery.” Liam pulled out his penknife and rubbed his thumb absently over the surface. “My happiest memories are from the time I spent there with my grandfather. It’s my only real connection to the Murphy side of my family.” And wouldn’t that just stick it to his old man? His dad had never accepted that Liam was truly his son.
Ethan raised his glass. “Let’s drink to broken families and damaged souls.”
“How about you?” Liam asked Rainey after she had served her customer and poured herself a drink. “Do you want to marry me? Quick civil ceremony. A meeting with the legal trustee. Maybe one appearance in front of the family. We live our separate lives for a year. Then get divorced. I’d be willing to pay.”
“Tempting as it is, I’m allergic to marriage,” Rainey said dryly. “Also, I’m running the Canadian Death Race in Grand Cache, Alberta, this weekend so a quickie marriage doesn’t fit into the schedule.” She held up a toned arm, covered in tattoos. “One more banner and I’ll have a full Death Race set.”
“Impressive.” He was relieved she’d turned him down. Of course he’d had to ask—he’d regret leaving no stone unturned—but he and Rainey together were a disaster waiting to happen. “I guess Daisy is still my best option.”
Ethan refilled their glasses. “I think you should just move on. Forget Daisy. Forget the distillery. I washed my hands of all that Murphy crap a long time ago. Your family. My family. There are no good Murphy relationships. No good Murphy businesses. You’re making a fresh start here in the city. You’ve got a good job. You’re going to meet new women. Why complicate things by dredging up the past?”
Liam didn’t speak for a few moments as he mulled over Ethan’s suggestion. “I can’t let Brendan destroy it,” he said finally. “Besides the family legacy, there are jobs at stake. And Daisy would be a perfect fake wife. We know each other, so it wouldn’t be suspicious if we got together. And she hates me so there would be no relationship issues and no expectations.”
“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” Rainey shook her head. “I almost want to slap you again. What does she get out of it, other than an easy opportunity to slit your throat in your sleep?”
Liam took a moment to consider. “Her family is trying to set her up in an arranged marriage. She’s not interested.”
“Not worth it.” She grabbed a cloth and wiped down the already clean counter. “A year with a guy you hate versus just telling your parents to get the hell out of your life. I know which one I’d pick.”
“It’s not that simple,” he said. For the Patels, he knew, there was no life without family. Every weekend there was a family gathering, dinner, or celebration. When Sanjay had a soccer game, thirty or forty relatives would show up to cheer him on. If Mr. Patel couldn’t make it home from work on time, an aunt or uncle would bring over a full cooked dinner. If someone had a problem, everyone rallied around to help. By contrast, Liam had rarely seen his relatives. His mother’s family lived in Florida, and his father’s family hadn’t wanted to be around his dad.
“Sure it is.” Rainey brushed back a loose strand of hair. “If she tied herself to you for a year, she’d be giving up the chance to find that one person in the world who thinks you’re worth throwing down for when things go wrong. Don’t you want to find that person, too?”