The Arrangement

12

John Owen stood in the middle of the hallway. The staff member had stopped several feet away, still clutching Joy's suitcase as though he wasn't sure whether to continue walking or set it down.

Liam stepped outside his bedroom and walked over slowly.

"The guest room is already prepared," he said evenly. "He was taking her luggage there."

John's gaze shifted from the suitcase to his son.

"The guest room?" He asked with a raised brow.

"Yes."

The older man was silent for a moment.

"And why," he asked, "would Joy be staying in the guest room?"

"We agreed it would be best."

John's brows drew together. "Best?"

"Well… that's until the wedding." Liam answered with a shrug.

His father regarded him with an expression that suggested he wasn't impressed by the explanation.

Liam knew that look. It was the same one John wore whenever someone tried to explain away something that made no sense.

"I don't see why.”

Joy stood just inside the bedroom, unable to stop herself from listening.

She had been relieved when she'd heard Liam mention the guest room. The idea of sharing a bedroom with him had made her chest tighten.

She needed her own space.

A place where she could breathe without constantly wondering whether she was saying or doing the wrong thing.

Being around Liam for long periods already made her nervous. Sleeping in the same room? She couldn't even imagine it.

“You're getting married."

"We're not married yet." Liam replied calmly.

"Many parents would object to an unmarried couple sleeping in the same room." He added.

"They would."

"And yet you're using that argument on me?"

Liam's mouth twitched.

"If the two of you are already living under the same roof, then separating your bedrooms achieves very little."

Liam resisted the urge to sigh. Most fathers would insist on separate rooms until after the wedding.

His own seemed determined to accomplish the exact opposite.

He was still trying to think of another explanation when he heard movement behind him. Joy.

She had finally stepped out of the bedroom.

She walked over quietly before stopping a short distance behind him.

"So," he said, looking between the two of them. "You agree with the idea as well?"

Joy swallowed. Before she could answer, Liam spoke.

"We've already discussed it."

"We have." She nodded in support.

John's eyes remained fixed on his son.

"And you've both decided staying apart makes more sense?"

"Yes."

"As long as the rooms are close to each other." Joy quickly nodded again from behind him.

Liam reached behind him without looking and gently caught hold of her wrist. Before she realized what he was doing, he guided her forward until she was standing beside him instead of hiding behind his back.

His arm slipped naturally around her waist, it looked like nothing more than an affectionate gesture. To Joy, it made her forget what she had been about to say.

She stiffened for a brief second before forcing herself to relax.

John looked from one of them to the other, stretching the silence.

Finally, he spoke.

"If you're already fooling around, I don't see the point of pretending separate bedrooms make any difference."

Joy's entire body froze. Her face turned scarlet so quickly she could practically feel the heat climbing into her ears.

"Huh?" The word escaped before she could stop it.

John looked genuinely puzzled. "What?" He asked right back.

Joy opened her mouth. Then closed it again. How was she supposed to answer that?

Beside her, Liam let out a quiet chuckle. It wasn't loud, neither was it mocking. He was amused.

He looked down at her bright red face before lifting his eyes back to his father.

"Father, you'll have to be a little less direct." He looked down at her again. "Joy embarrasses easily. She isn't comfortable discussing... those kinds of things."

Joy's eyes widened, and she slowly turned to stare at him. Those kinds of things? When had this conversation become about that?

She wished the polished marble floor would simply open up and swallow her whole.

John looked unimpressed. "I merely asked a reasonable question."

Joy finally forced herself to return to reality. She couldn't just stand there letting Liam answer everything.

She let out a tiny, awkward laugh. "N-No... that's not it."

Both men looked at her. She suddenly wished they hadn't.

"I mean..." She cleared her throat. "Us staying in different rooms doesn't have anything to do with... with..." Her voice became quieter. "...that."

She couldn't even bring herself to repeat the words.

Liam remained completely silent beside her. She appreciated that, at least he wasn't making it worse.

"We just thought it would be more practical."

John waited. "Why?"

Joy blinked. Why? She hadn't expected him to ask another question. Her mind raced desperately for an answer.

Then she remembered how Liam's bedroom looked. Everything inside had been perfectly arranged.

Not a single object seemed out of place. The room was elegant. Expensive. Dark. It reminded her more of a luxury hotel suite than somewhere a person actually lived.

It looked nothing like her own room at home, where books ended up on chairs, blankets never stayed folded for more than an hour and sunlight was always allowed inside.

An idea finally came to her and she looked up at John.

"Actually..." She smiled sheepishly. "I don't like Liam's room."

Liam slowly turned his head toward her. She didn't notice.

"It isn't really my style," she continued. "If I were going to stay in it with him, I'd probably end up changing almost everything."

Understanding flickered across John’s face. Joy noticed immediately and inwardly sighed in relief.

"I thought..." she continued more confidently, "it would be better if we finished making those changes before the wedding." She glanced at Liam with a smile. "Then I'll move into his room afterwards."

Beside her, Liam went perfectly still. His arm remained around her waist, his expression didn't change, but the muscle in his jaw tightened.

Everything she had just said grated against him.

His room had been designed exactly the way he wanted it. Every piece of furniture. Every colour.

Every detail.

The thought of someone changing "almost everything" made him instinctively reject the idea. Even if it was only an excuse.

He kept every trace of irritation off his face.

"So," John said thoughtfully, "the two of you have already discussed redecorating?"

Liam slowly withdrew his hand from Joy's waist and slipped it into his pocket.

"Yes." The single word came out a little flatter than usual.

Joy frowned as she looked at him. Something had changed, but she wasn't sure what.

She searched his face. "Are you okay?"

At that exact moment, his phone vibrated inside his pocket. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen and read the message without saying a word..Then he put it back into his pocket.

"I have to return to the office."

He looked at his father. "There are meetings I can't postpone."

Without waiting for anyone to respond, he turned and began walking down the hallway. Joy stared after him, she couldn't believe he was actually leaving.

He was just… Going? And leaving her here?

Alone? With his father?

Her eyes followed his retreating back in disbelief.

She hadn't even had time to prepare herself.

John watched his son disappear around the corner before muttering under his breath, "That boy grows more disrespectful every year."

Joy pressed her lips together, pretending she hadn't heard him. John looked at her again.

"You've had quite an eventful afternoon."

She nodded with a smile. "I suppose I have."

"You should get some rest." He said as he turned to leave.

"I'd like that." She said more to herself.

She smiled politely before looking down the hallway. Then her smile faltered, every door looked exactly the same.

Her suitcase had already been taken away to the guestroom, but where was it?

She would have gone to find one of Liam's staff for help, but she didn't want to risk the chance of running into Liam's father again, so she opened Liam's bedroom and went back in.