Love Is Beautiful

Sienna Whitmore's POV

I tugged at the itchy black wig covering my real hair, resisting the urge to rip it off and throw it onto the floor of the high-end restaurant. The long, jet-black strands weren't just uncomfortable- they were part of my disguise. A disguise I had perfected over the past three years.

Sitting across from me, my latest blind date, Nathaniel Pierce, cleared his throat and adjusted the cuffs of his expensive suit. His eyes, a dull shade of brown, flickered over me with the same guarded politeness all my father's chosen suitors had. I could already tell he wasn't impressed. Perfect.

A clumsy smile stretched across my lips. "So, Nathaniel, do you like cats?" I leaned forward, making sure my oversized glasses slid down my nose. The thick lenses distorted my eyes just enough to give the impression of terrible vision, another touch to the persona I had crafted.

Nathaniel raised a brow. "They're fine, I suppose."

I gasped dramatically, clutching my chest. "Fine? Just fine?" My voice pitched high enough that the couple seated at the next table glanced in our direction. "Oh, dear. That's a problem. You see, I have seventeen of them. They're my babies."

The flicker of discomfort in his expression was everything I needed.

He shifted in his seat. "Seventeen?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Mr. Fluffington, Lady Whiskers, Sir Pawsalot-"

The list continued as I watched him struggle to maintain a neutral expression. By the time I reached cat number ten, he coughed into his napkin and took a hasty sip of water.

"I, uh, don't think I'm suited for that kind of commitment."

A fake pout curled my lips. "Oh, but they're so easy to take care of! Well, except for Mittens. He has this unfortunate habit of attacking anyone who isn't me."

Nathaniel checked his watch, and I knew I had him exactly where I wanted. "Listen, Sienna-"

"Bridget," I corrected, using the fake name I had given him.

"Right. Bridget." He sighed. "I don't think this is going to work out."

Feigning heartbreak, I clutched my napkin to my chest. "Oh no! But we had such a connection!"

Nathaniel looked more than ready to bolt from his chair. He muttered something about an early morning meeting and tossed enough cash onto the table to cover the bill before practically running for the exit.

The moment he disappeared, I dropped the act. My exaggerated pout turned into a victorious smirk.

One more down.

A satisfied sigh escaped me as I removed the wig, shaking out my real auburn hair. The relief was instant, like shedding an unnecessary weight. I plucked off the ridiculous glasses and signaled for the waiter, ready to order dessert now that my date had fled.

"Rough night?" The deep, amused voice came from the seat Nathaniel had vacated.

My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. A man slid into the chair across from me as if he belonged there, completely at ease.

Sharp blue eyes, the color of a stormy ocean, studied me with far too much interest. His dark brown hair was slightly tousled, giving him an effortless charm that matched the confident smirk on his face. Dressed in a black button-down with the sleeves rolled up to reveal strong forearms, he radiated confidence.

I blinked. "Excuse me, but who are you?"

He leaned back in his chair. "Liam Caldwell. And you, Sienna Whitmore, are the most entertaining thing I've seen all evening."

Panic shot through me. He knew my real name.

My gaze darted around the restaurant, searching for any sign of my father's spies. Had he sent someone new to watch me? No, that didn't make sense. If he had, they wouldn't have let me chase Nathaniel away so easily.

I narrowed my eyes. "Are you stalking me?"

Liam chuckled. "Not quite. I was supposed to meet someone here, but she never showed. Imagine my surprise when I ended up watching the most creative date sabotage I've ever seen."

Heat crept up my neck. So, he had watched the entire disaster unfold. Fantastic.

I straightened in my seat, refusing to be embarrassed. "It wasn't sabotage."

He raised an eyebrow. "No? Seventeen cats?"

My lips pressed together. "Maybe a little sabotage."

Liam smirked, clearly amused. "Any reason you're working so hard to get rid of your dates?"

I tapped my fingers against the table. "That's none of your business."

"Fair enough," he conceded, tilting his head as if assessing me. "But I have to admit, it's impressive. The wig, the glasses, the over-the-top personality shift-it's all very committed. You must really want to avoid marriage."

My stomach clenched at the word. Marriage. My father's obsession, and my personal nightmare.

I lifted my chin. "Some of us prefer to live our lives without being shoved into arranged relationships."

Liam's expression flickered, something unreadable passing through his gaze before he masked it with an easy grin. "Understandable. Though, if you keep this up, your father might start getting desperate."

The thought made my stomach twist. "He already is."

Silence settled between us for a brief moment before Liam leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Tell you what, Sienna. Since I lost my date tonight, why don't we make this interesting?"

I eyed him warily. "What do you mean?"

"That was your last blind date, right?" His smirk held something more dangerous now, as if he was toying with an idea. "I'm guessing your father isn't the type to give up easily."

I scoffed. "You have no idea."

"Then let's make a deal." Liam's eyes gleamed. "You want your father to stop setting you up? I can help."

I frowned. "And why would you do that?"

He shrugged. "Maybe I like a good challenge. Or maybe I just enjoy watching you send rich men running for the hills."

My gut told me there was more to it than that, but I couldn't deny that I was intrigued.

Liam leaned closer, his voice dropping just enough to make my pulse stutter. "What do you say, Sienna? Want to team up?"

I exhaled slowly, studying the man in front of me. His confidence was unnerving, but there was something almost... mischievous in his offer.

If I wanted to be free of my father's matchmaking, I needed a new strategy. Maybe, just maybe, Liam Caldwell was the key to ending this once and for all. A slow smile spread across my lips. "Alright, Liam. Let's make this interesting."