Trouble with the Fake Boyfriend (Rock Bottom #3) - Holly Renee Page 0,17

to the building.

But if it did happen, and that was a huge if, then Liam was going to be my business partner. I didn’t know how involved or how silent of a partner he planned to be, but I knew with one hundred percent certainty that little fact put Liam one more notch up on the don’t fucking go there meter.

And he was already pretty high.

“Yeah. I made him an offer just below asking price over the phone, but told him that I’d send the offer in writing when I got to Tennessee.”

He already submitted an offer?

I turned in my seat so I was fully facing him. “And what did he say?”

“He said he’d think it over. He seems like a nice old man, but I’m sure he’s going to play hardball. Hell, I wouldn’t sell it below asking price.”

“Then why did you offer below asking? What was the asking anyway?” Because I had no idea if I’d be able to contribute half. I think I’d be close, but once I did that, I’d be completely wiped out. Add water to your shampoo bottle until every trace of soap was gone wiped out.

“Just to give us a little wiggle room for negotiations. I don’t want him jumping way above asking if he gets any other offers.”

That made sense. Clearly, I had never bought any piece of real estate. “And the price?”

I held my breath as I waited for his answer.

He swallowed, and I knew he didn’t want to tell me. Which meant it’s probably way more than I could afford.

“I’ll worry about the building and you worry about everything else.”

Wait. What?

“I can’t let you just buy the damn building without me contributing. Then it wouldn’t be ours. It would be yours.” And there was no way in hell I was going to let that happen.

“No. It wouldn’t. It would be in both of our names, fifty-fifty.”

“What’s in this for you, Liam?” Why the hell would you buy your neighbor who you tongue fucked against the wall of a building like some sort of knight in shining armor and not have any expectations?

“I’m a businessman, Brooke, and I think you’re smart. I’m not buying you a building to be some sort of hero. This will be a fifty-fifty partnership, and I think we can make a lot of money.”

“You think I’m smart?” Somehow that was the only thing I seemed to hear.

“Of course, I think you’re smart.” He looked over at me and seemed to study me. Too long while he was driving and definitely too long for my comfort. “I wouldn’t offer to go into business with you if I didn’t think you were smart enough to make it successful.”

Well damn. I wasn’t foolish enough to not realize how much those words coming from him affected me. “What about Tucker? Is he going to be in on this too?”

I didn’t know if I wanted that or not. Of course, I knew that Liam and Tucker were business partners and best friends, but there was something about the thought that all of this could have been charity from Tucker simply because I’m his wife’s best friend that completely turned me off.

“No. It’s just me and you.” He ran his fingers through his hair as if that small, simple statement made him uncomfortable. “Are you okay with that?”

“Yeah.” I nodded my head as I studied his profile. “I’m okay with that.” This was a bad idea. I knew it deep down the moment he offered it, but the way I was currently staring at the curve of his bottom lip seemed to reiterate the fact.

Because suddenly I was more worried about remembering the feel of his lips on mine than what it would feel like to have those keys in my hands.

Six

Meeting the Parents

Liam

Brooke was fast asleep when we pulled up to my parent’s house. It was getting dark, and we had been on the road for several hours.

I spent most of the time trying to figure out what the hell I was doing. Brooke spent it with a tiny bit of drool running down her face.

I stared at my childhood home and took a deep breath. Coming home should have been easy. Hell, it was always easy, but I had to go and complicate the hell out of it with my big mouth and my even bigger stupidity.

Brooke started moving next to me, and she blinked her eyes open before looking around with a sweet, lost look on her face. “Are