He gestured to the French doors on the other side of the bed.“Join me on the patio?”
I nodded, tongue thick in my mouth.I’d never been this attracted to someone in my life, and I didn’t know what to do about it.I’d hated Liam for what felt like forever.Could I just…let that go?Should I?
He was still the man who hadn’t visited the most important woman in my life.Should he get a pass for that just because I’d seen him naked?No, of course not.That would be silly.But I had to admit, I was tempted.
We settled into the chairs on the tiny patio, with a bistro table between us.I gazed out over Carlisle Memorial Park.In a few weeks, when spring was properly underway, colourful flowers would bloom, and the residents of Carlisle Creek would head out in droves to welcome the arrival of warmer weather.Today, though, the grass was still crunchy and pale, the snow not yet melted in some spots, the promise of a new season merely hinted at.
“We should talk about Nana.”I released a tight breath.“And … I’m sorry for brushing you off earlier.”
I briefly explained about the visits to Doctor Madison when Nana first recognized her memory problems.I left out her plans to move to the nursing home before her memory deteriorated further, since I would be taking care of her at home.
Liam listened.No interruptions.No comments.He didn’t ask for clarification, didn’t agree or disagree.He listened.He really seemed like this was new information, something he hadn't known before.
“That explains a few things,” he said after several nerve-wracking moments before he huffed a strangled laugh.“Like why she keeps asking if you and I have met yet.”
“I noticed that, too.”
“Aside from that, she seems okay.Other than last night, that is.”
I nodded, deliberately not telling him about the smattering of late nights we’d had the last few weeks.It made no sense to scare him with Nana’s rough patches when they were only anomalies.“Everything I’ve read online says that maintaining a routine can help.That’s part of the reason I’ve been rushing to leave the store at the same time every day, and why I have Kai come and help every so often.I prefer to run all my errands during the day so I don’t risk being late to see Nana.It’s not much, but I’ve been doing whatever I can to help.”
A shadow crept into his eyes.“I haven’t been calling her as much.”
I pulled my lips between my teeth, my heart aching for him.He was clearly upset with himself.“It’s not your fault, Liam.You didn’t know.I thought she’d told you.”
He rose from his seat, raking his hands through his hair.“Ishouldhave known.Ishouldhave been talking to her often enough to be able to tell that something was wrong.Ishouldhave been around more to help.”
I felt for him, I really did, but he wasn’t entirely wrong.I don’t know whether he would have been able to tell if something was wrong over the phone, but he damn sure would have been able to tell if he’d been around more.But he was here now, and that counted for something.
“Your face!Does it hurt?”I blurted, desperate to change the subject before I was forced to face my increasingly complicated feelings.Such as, how could I possibly be so attracted to him when I’d spent the better part of the last two years hating him?
Why hadn’t Nana confronted him about what he had done?Was it because she loved him too much for it to matter?With a gasp, I forced that thought away; I couldn’t face what it meant for my relationship with Nana if the answer was yes.
I turned my attention back to Liam.“Did you get to a doctor yet?”
He sighed.“I’m going to cancel.It’s better already, thanks to the ice pack you made me.That helped to keep the swelling down.”
“Well, if you don’t need to see a doctor, how about we do something exciting instead?”
Liam’s smile set that damn gang of butterflies loose in my belly again, and suddenly I wasn’t so sure I could avoid facing my feelings about him after all.
fifteen
smuggling tree trunks
Liam
“Theoldgirllooksfantastic,” I said, forcing myself out of my daydreams and into the present.“Nana’s kept her in good shape.”
My heart was still racing from finding Maya standing in my room when I wandered out of the bathroom naked.I still couldn't believe my dick had stirred at her mere presence despite my havingtaken it in handmoments before, which did nothing for my heart rate.
The blush on her cheeks—which I wish was because she’d enjoyed seeing me naked, and not because she’d been embarrassed—just made her sexier.Like how flushed she’d be after I’d spent a couple of hours figuring out exactly what made her scream.
What the hell, Liam?Rein it in.You’re not that guy.She’s just being friendly.
Maya paused, giving me a meaningful look.“She did take excellent care of her car, but she signed it over to me when Doctor Madison revoked her driver’s license.”
“Hold on.What do you mean she doesn’t have a driver’s license?”
