Read Online Promised at the Moon by Rebekah R. Ganiere - Free Book Online

him.
    The bracelet Natasha had gotten was still in her purse. “Cara, do you mind if I talk to Liam for a minute?”
    “Nope.” Cara slid into Liam’s booth.
    Liam scanned the restaurant. “You want to step outside?”
    She nodded.
    They walked back up the steps to the street where music and laughter rang out in all directions from the various college eateries.
    “You look extra spiffy tonight,” she said.
    He rubbed his neck. “Yeah, every once in a while I dress up like a trained monkey and parade around in public.”
    She smiled. “You look like a business student now.”
    He chuckled and shoved his hands in his pockets. “So, what’s up?”
    “I just wanted to say thank you for Dragon Lance . I like it.”
    “See, I knew you weren’t a one-genre girl.”
    “Yeah, well, you’ve been so helpful in opening my eyes I got you something.”
    His brow furrowed. “You didn’t have to do that.”
    She opened her purse and dug around inside. “I know, but I saw it and it made me think of you.” Fingers shaking, she grabbed the bracelet and handed it to him.
    He looked down at it. Seconds turned into a minute and her heart pounded louder as anxiety knotted her muscles.
    “It’s okay if you don’t like it. I just thought—”
    His gaze met hers. “I love it.”
    Relief bathed her skin. “Really?”
    “It’s great. Thanks.”
    “Liam?” A tall, leggy brunette in a short, dark skirt and tank top walked up the stairs and linked her arm in his. “Pizza’s ready.”
    Natasha’s joy raced out of her faster than a jackrabbit from a wolf.
    The brunette looked Natasha up and down, revealing pearly white teeth on her fashion-model face. “Who’s your friend?”
    “Asha, this is Deena.”
    Deena offered her hand. “Nice to meet you. I so rarely get to meet Liam’s friends.”
    Natasha reached out and shook Deena’s hand, resisting the urge to rip the long, slender limb from its socket and beat Deena to death with it.
    “Nice to meet you too.” Somehow she managed to remember her mother’s lessons about manners in the face of someone you didn’t like, and she smiled.
    Liam’s gaze never left Natasha’s face. “Deena, can you give us a sec?”
    Deena squeezed his arm, her eyes sparkling in the neon lights. “Sure, hon. I’ll try to save you a slice.”
    “You know what?” Natasha fumbled in her purse and then looked at her phone. “I just remembered I have to be somewhere.”
    Liam took a step forward. “Asha—”
    “Are you sure?” asked Deena. “We’d love to have you join us.”
    Natasha backed away, still smiling. “I am so stupid. I promised someone I’d meet them for this thing, and I completely forgot and now that I look at my phone, I see they texted me so I better go. You can give Cara a ride home, right?”
    Liam tracked her as she continued to back up. “Sure.”
    “Great.” Natasha continued smiling to the point that she thought her teeth would dry out and her lips would crack. “It was so nice to meet you, Deanna. Liam, I’ll catch you at school or something. Have a wonderful night.”
    She turned before they could stop her and jogged across the street. She told herself not to look back. Looking back would show weakness. She needed to be strong. She hopped in her car and started the engine. Hold it together . She put the car in reverse. Just keep smiling until they can’t see you . She pulled out of her spot and tore down the street.
    When she looked in the rear window, Liam still stood there.
    Liam stared down at the bracelet. No one had ever given him a gift before besides his mother. His chest felt like a thousand bricks had just been piled on top of it.
    Deena gave him a peck on the cheek. “I’m gonna go back in with Cara.”
    “Yeah, okay.” His voice came out strained and hoarse.
    The way Asha had taken off hit him like a sucker punch to the kidneys. He’d not once seen her smile that way. But he had seen a smile very similar on his mom’s face every time