Claire let out a quiet laugh. "You mean, you enjoyed being interrogated by a five- and seven-year-old?"
I didn’t answer. Just held her gaze.
"The whole thing," I said.
She blinked, then glanced away. Her hand brushed the hem of her sweater. There was a new color in her cheeks again, something softer than before.
When we stepped into the hallway, we paused just inside my apartment door. Neither of us moved. We stood there, facing each other.
There was a small pulse in my neck.
"Good night, Claire," I said quietly.
She hesitated. Just for a second.
"Good night, Liam." She turned and walked toward the guest wing.
I crossed to the balcony and slid the door open. The night air was cool, pleasant. I stepped out and looked up.
A few stars managed to push through the city haze. Not many. Just enough to notice.
The chair sat where it always did, angled toward the skyline. I dropped into it, elbows on my knees, the distant hum of traffic folding around me.
I sat like that for a minute. Maybe more.
I do like the way it feels to have someone around.
Then I stood, stretched once, and turned toward the door.
I brushed a fingertip over the back of the chair as I passed it. A small smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.
"I wonder if I can find another chair to match."
Stay Locked In
Claire
Iwent to my room and shut the door.
I stayed there, hand still on the knob. Then I leaned my forehead gently against the wood and let out a breath. I missed the light switch and found it on the second try.
I only asked him for a pizza place recommendation. Not a home-cooked meal. Not a cooking class. Not built-in babysitting. And definitely not company.
He’d gone out of his way tonight, for Nolan’s nieces. For Nolan’s sister. It was generous. And maybe a little too much.
I hoped he didn’t think he had to go out of his way just because we were his coach’s family.
I loosened my grip one finger at a time, pushed off the door, straightened my shoulders, and crossed to the dresser.
I’ll just be extra considerate. Keep the balance even.
I set an early alarm and killed the light.
Balance.
The 6:00 alarm went off. I love powering through my emails early, before the city really wakes up. There’s something satisfying about checking off replies before anyone else starts making demands.
This morning’s batch included a misdirected LinkedIn message, a dentist reminder I didn’t need, and an update from my favorite spreadsheet software. Riveting.
