#Chapter 40: Conferring with Liam

Marcus waits at the table he booked in advance, twirling the stem of his wine glass through his long fingers as he does so. Liam is late, but Marcus isn't worried or bothered about it. Liam has been run off his feet even more than usual lately; he's earned quite a bit of leeway when it comes to punctuality. Marcus has chosen the same wine bar as his recent date with Lydia, and where he had the unpleasant run-in with the odious Becki. Honestly, can the woman not take a hint? It's getting ridiculous, the way she pops up at the most inopportune times to pester and flirt. Lydia was furious about the scene at their table, he recalls. She'd bitten his head off over it, as if he has any control over what that relentless and tacky woman does. Lydia had moped and complained about it through the rest of their date at the bar, on the way to the theater, during intermission, on the way home from the theater…it was exhausting, Marcus thinks. Little barbed comments and sniffy remarks, insin