The Dating Plan(46)

“Wouldn’t he say the same? He wants to sell the land to save his company and preserve what he sees as the family business. Maybe you’re not so different.”

“You don’t know anything about my family. I’m nothing like Brendan.” He needed to leave. Get on his motorcycle and get away from this house. Away from Brendan. Away from the family who turned a blind eye to the abuse. Away from Daisy and her irritating analytical mind. He had too much to risk to let himself slide back into the past.

As if she could read his mind, Daisy pushed to stand. “You seem to be okay,” she said in a clipped tone. “I should get going.”

Fuck. Could he mess this evening up any worse? Life had been easier when he’d kept his distance from his family.

“Daisy. Wait.” He caught up to her just as she reached her Mini, catching her arm before she could slip away. “I’m sorry. It’s just . . .”

She shook off his hand. “I understand, Liam.”

“Let me know when you get home so I know you’re safe.”

“There’s no one here.” She fumbled in her purse for her key. “You don’t have to pretend with me.”

Silence filled the space between them, his anger at Brendan fading beneath the weight of regret. Daisy was the only real thing in his life right now. The one person who made sense. He needed her strength, her calm. He needed her to know how much he cared.

“Do it anyway. Please.”

“Okay. I will.” She opened her car door. Hesitated. “Goodnight, humraaz.”

Warmth rushed through him, filling the black hole in his chest. She wasn’t just his humraaz. She was so much more.





? 17 ?


BREATHE. Breathe. Breathe.

Daisy bent over, arms wrapped around her legs, and tried to focus on drawing air into her lungs. Her anxiety had spiraled out of control after her mother’s sudden reappearance years ago and she’d been through three therapists before she found one who was able to help. Focus on the breath. In for four. Hold for four. Out for four.

Max had been unresponsive in his basket when she’d arrived to pick him up. While a panicked Mehar Auntie had searched the house for the source of his illness, Daisy had broken the sound barrier to get to the animal hospital, and the vet had taken him in right away. Mehar Auntie had arrived shortly after to let them know Max had gotten into her baking chocolate. Utterly devastated that he’d made himself sick while she dozed on her couch, she’d stayed to keep Daisy company while the vet pumped Max’s stomach.

Mehar Auntie rubbed her hair. “He’s going to be okay, beta. The doctor said so. Let me take you home, and you can come back in the morning and pick him up.”

Her voice caught, muffled by her lap. “I can’t leave him, Auntie-ji.”

Thick black boots crossed the floor in front of her. She heard the squeak of leather, the groan of the plastic chair beside her, inhaled a whiff of fresh ocean air, and then Liam’s face was down beside hers.

“How’s Max?”

His unexpected appearance startled her out of her breathing rhythm and she shot up to sitting. “What are you doing here?”

“I thought you might need a friend.”

Seven words. They rippled through her body and settled in her soul.

“He’s going to be okay.” She looked over at Mehar Auntie, who was watching them with interest. “This is Liam. We were visiting his family tonight.” After the vet had assured her Max would be okay, she’d somehow managed to send a quick text to Liam, never expecting he’d turn up.

“The fiancé.” Mehar Auntie nodded and introduced herself to Liam. “Who is your family? What do you do? How do you know Daisy?”

Daisy’s chest tightened as her anxiety peaked again, and she tried to squeeze in a few breaths. “This . . . isn’t . . . the time . . . for . . . an . . . interrogation.” She leaned forward and felt a gentle hand circle her neck. Warm and soothing, it made her feel curiously safe.

“I’m sorry,” Liam said. “I shouldn’t have come. I thought you’d be alone. I didn’t mean to cause you more stress.”

“It was nice of you to come.” She sat up, took the tissue he offered, dabbing away the tears. “It’s been a long time since I had an anxiety attack. I try hard to keep my life under control.”

“I’m not judging.” His quiet, rumbling voice was calm and steady.

She nodded, pressing her lips together in case she blurted out something that would let him know that every time he opened his mouth the walls of ice that protected her heart melted just that little bit more.

Mehar Auntie filled Liam in on the details. “The vet told her Max will be okay and she can go home. He’s sleeping now, so he isn’t in any pain.”

“I can’t leave Max.” Daisy bent over again, hands fisted against her forehead.

Liam stroked a gentle hand through her hair. “My mom had anxiety issues and it helped when I rubbed her back . . .”

Daisy looked up at Mehar Auntie, who nodded, seemingly pleased rather than disappointed that someone was taking over her job. “Yes, please.”

“Pleasure.” He put his motorcycle helmet on the empty seat beside him and stroked her back with slow, easy movements of his hand, never stopping, never tiring, until the attack crested and she could breathe again.