“Why did you pretend otherwise at your office?”
“Mitch handed me the file on the meeting minutes before it started. I barely had time to absorb the situation before you were standing in front of me. I’m sorry, I just—”
“I get it.”
Of course he did. He would’ve been as shocked to see her as she had been to see him.
A white sedan slowed to a stop in front of them. His rideshare had arrived.
“Tell your family thank you for the invitation, but I have other plans for dinner.” He moved toward the sedan’s back door just as a fast-moving silver BMW swung into her driveway.
A tall man in a gray Armani business suit pushed out of the beamer. “What's wrong?”
Liv frowned at her brother’s tone and his unexpected appearance. “What are you doing here, Pierce?”
“You sounded upset on your voice mail message.”
“Why didn’t you just call me back?”
“I tried, but you didn’t answer.”
She flinched, forgetting she’d called him on their mad dash to the school. “Sorry, I had a small freak-out moment, but everything is fine.”
Pierce eyed Zeke, who stood next to the sedan, his hand gripping the top of the door. “Who’s this?”
“This is Zeke, a . . . work associate. Zeke, this is my brother Pierce.”
The two men shook hands, neither smiled.
Finally, her brother turned back to her. “You never freak out. What happened?”
“It was nothing.”
“She was attacked,” Zeke said.
“Attacked?” Pierce echoed.
“Keep your voice down.” She pointed toward the house. “They’ll hear you.”
“Are you hurt?”
She glared at Zeke, daring him to contradict her. “I’m fine.”
“Looks like everything is under control here.” Zeke climbed into the waiting car. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“I’ll text you the address.”
Nodding, he shut the door, and the vehicle drove away.
“Date?”
“I don’t date people I work with. We’re going to meet at Plate It to sort out a business issue.”
Behind her, an angry hand whopped against the picture window.
Pierce smirked. “I take it Callie wanted him to stay.”
“Ya think?” She blew out a tense breath. “Do you want to take Zeke’s place at the dinner table?”