“What is it with you, Brianna Caldwell?” he asked. “Here you are, a fancy college girl with big career dreams, hanging out with a man who sleeps over a garage and had to drop out of high school to get a job. What would your father say if he knew about you and me?”

“My father’s a fair man. He wouldn’t judge you for that.”

“But you haven’t told him about us, have you?”

Brianna didn’t reply. The truth was, her father would want her to find a man with an education and a future that would promise the kind of life she’d enjoyed growing up. But Liam was a good man who cared about her, and she’d fallen in love with him. How could she explain that to Burke Caldwell, who believed it was a man’s first duty to provide a bountiful life for his family?

“I knew you hadn’t told him,” Liam answered her silence. “Don’t worry, I understand. You might want to hold off until you get the key to that new car he promised you. A BMW convertible—that’ll be one hot set of wheels.”

“Stop it, Liam.” She pulled away and turned to face him. “You’re making me sound like a conniving, materialistic little bitch. It’s not about the car. The car is just a thing. I’m waiting for the right time, that’s all.” She glanced at her watch. “And speaking of the right time, I need to get back to the dorm. It’s my roommate’s birthday, and we’re going out for pizza. It’s my dad’s birthday too. I want to call him before we leave.”

Brianna had her phone with her and could’ve called Burke from here. But Liam had never liked the idea of dating her behind her father’s back. That old-fashioned attitude was one of the things she loved about him. But it was also an ongoing source of friction. Making him wait while she made the call would sour the good time they’d enjoyed this afternoon.

He caught her close and gave her a quick, hard kiss. “All right, let’s go,” he said. “Wish your old man a happy birthday for me.”

As they rode back toward the campus, Brianna clung to his back, holding on tight. She could feel his rigid muscles through the leather jacket. Liam was poor but proud; and the thought that she might be ashamed of him would be enough to drive a wedge between them.

She couldn’t stand the thought of losing him. But if she wanted to keep him, changing things would be up to her.

Branson, The same night