His smile fades as quickly as it came, tension knotting his shoulders again. I step closer, laying my palm over his heart, feeling the frantic beat there.
“Are you okay?” I whisper.
His hand covers mine, squeezing gently.
“Yeah,” he says.
But it’s not convincing. Not even a little.
Because deep in my bones… deeper than instinct and fear… I feel it. Something heavy and unseen has shifted, pulling between us like a riptide. I don't know what it is. But I know whatever it is it’s not good.
We pull into the fairgrounds and park next to Sam’s truck. Inside the cab, Sam and Charlie are tangled up together, kissing like the rest of the world doesn’t exist.
Liam taps lightly on the window, grinning, but there’s a tightness to it I can't ignore, like he’s still stressed about his father even though he’s pretending that he’s not.
Sam doesn't even look embarrassed as he gets out of the truck. Neither does Charlie, who just laughs as she climbs out, only pressing a loud, exaggerated kiss to Sam's mouth, who, in turn presses one to the slight swell of her stomach. It’s effortless. Easy. Untouched by fear.
I glance at Liam out of the corner of my eye, wondering?—
Will he ever be that comfortable with me?
Will there ever be a time when he touches me in front of the world like he’s not afraid of what it means?
Before I can linger on the thought, Phern’s beat-up truck rolls in beside us. She hops out, slamming the door shut with a scowl.
“I should’ve stayed home today,” she mutters, adjusting her sunglasses as she comes to a stop next to me. “Between my brother being disgustingly in love and you two about to join the club, I’m gonna be icked out all damn afternoon.”
I laugh lightly, bumping my shoulder against hers, grateful for the normalcy. But Liam doesn’t laugh. Doesn’t even smile. That heavy feeling in my chest tightens.
Phern notices, of course, because nothing gets past her, but she just lifts a brow and says casually, “Where’s Uncle Carl? I’d like to have a word with him. Especially after that last text.”
“Text?” I ask, frowning.
Phern nods grimly.
“Yeah. That asshole started a group chat with the three of us. Sam, Liam, me.” She rolls her eyes. “It’s vile. I can't believe some of the shit he said.”
Charlie crosses her arms, her expression dark.
“It’s terrible,” she echoes. “Stuff about the ranch. About Liam. About you.”
The bottom drops out of my stomach. I look at Liam, waiting for him to react. Waiting for him to say something. Instead, he stiffens, his eyes tracking across the crowd.
“I see Teddy,” he says, already moving. “I’m going to say hello.”
“Want me to come with you?” I offer, trying not to sound like I’m grasping.
He shakes his head without meeting my eyes.
“Nah. I’ll be fine.”
He walks away. Leaving me standing there with his family, smiling like everything’s fine. They—bless them—don’t act like anything is strange. But deep down I know. Something inside Liam is breaking. And I don’t know if he’s going to let me help pick up the pieces.
Charlie points toward a bright yellow tent near the edge of the fairground.
“Is that a lemonade stand?” she says, eyes lighting up. “If so, let’s go.”
“Anything you want, darlin’,” Sam says immediately, his whole face softening as he takes her hand and leads her away.
