The Rehearsal Dinner

Liam, bless his perfectly sculpted jawline, was a natural. I’d always known he was good at… well, everything. He could whip up a gourmet meal from leftover ramen, fix my perpetually-broken-down car with a paperclip and a stern look, and somehow manage to make even a trip to the DMV feel vaguely adventurous. But I hadn’t realized his hidden talent was pretending to be my long-suffering, utterly smitten boyfriend.

“So, you’re telling me,” Kevin, my ex, drawled, swirling the amber liquid in his glass, his eyes – the color of a particularly unsettling swamp – fixed on Liam. “This is the guy? The one you’ve been raving about?”

Liam, who was supposed to be me, the klutz who tripped over her own feet and spilled coffee on herself at least twice a day, managed to look effortlessly cool. He leaned back in his chair, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips. “Raving is a strong word, Kevin. I’m more of a… steady appreciation kind of person.” He glanced at me, a spark of something unreadable in his eyes. “She tells me *everything*.”

My stomach did a little flip-flop. *Steady appreciation.* Liam, you magnificent liar. I fiddled with the stem of my wine glass, trying to look nonchalant. My ex, bless his manipulative heart, was eating it up. He’d cornered me at this ridiculously upscale cocktail bar – ostensibly to “catch up” – but I knew his game. He wanted to see if the new guy was up to snuff, probably to find some new angle to worm his way back into my life. And who better to present as the ultimate upgrade than Liam?

“I’m glad to hear it,” Kevin said, his smile widening, showing a little too much tooth. “Because honestly, I was worried. You always did have a… unique taste in men.” He shot me a look that was supposed to be charming but landed somewhere between condescending and threatening.

“Well, my taste has certainly evolved,” I chirped, trying to inject a note of finality into my voice. Liam’s hand, warm and solid, found mine under the table. It was a casual gesture, one that a real boyfriend might make, but it sent a jolt of something akin to electricity through me. My fingers instinctively tightened around his.

Liam squeezed back, a silent reassurance. Then, he turned his attention back to Kevin, his voice smooth as velvet. “Actually, Kevin, [Protagonist’s Name] and I were just talking about our upcoming trip to Tuscany. You know, for her cousin’s wedding?”

I blinked. Tuscany? Cousin’s wedding? My cousin was getting married in Ohio, not Tuscany. And my only trip to Italy involved a disastrous attempt to learn Italian that resulted in me ordering a live chicken instead of a pizza. But Liam was so convincing, so *earnest*, that I found myself nodding along.

“Oh, yes,” I chimed in, fully committed now. “It’s going to be wonderful. Liam’s never been to Italy, so I’m really looking forward to showing him around.” I beamed at Liam, who returned the smile, his eyes twinkling. He was good. So, so good.

Kevin’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. “Tuscany, huh? Sounds… expensive.”

“Oh, it is,” Liam agreed cheerfully. “But worth it. Seeing [Protagonist’s Name] happy is worth anything.” He turned to me, his gaze soft. “Isn’t that right, love?”

*Love.* The word hung in the air, a sweet, dangerous melody. My cheeks flushed. I managed a weak nod. “Right.”

Kevin studied us for a long moment, his eyes darting between Liam and me, searching for any crack in our facade. He found none. Liam was radiating an aura of contented possessiveness that was both infuriating and… strangely appealing. I found myself leaning into his side, a subtle movement that felt entirely natural.

“Well,” Kevin said finally, pushing his chair back. “It seems I’ve interrupted a… private moment.” He stood, offering me a tight smile. “Don’t be a stranger, [Protagonist’s Name].”

As he walked away, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. “Wow,” I breathed, turning to Liam. “You’re amazing. Tuscany? Really?”

Liam shrugged