“Because you were still in love with Harvey. You were stillwaitingfor Harvey. Because you two go together like peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.”
“Gross,” I said, wrinkling my nose.
“It’s delicious, they’re made for each other,” Liam defended. “Like the two of you. Even if I wanted to pretend I couldn’t see it for the longest time. I got to the courthouse and all I could imagine was a lifetime of being second choice.”
“You’re not… you weren’t…”
“I was,” Liam said, gentle this time. “And it’s okay. Still love you,” he added, smiling wryly. “But it’s gotta go both ways.”
Liam was right. Ihadloved him, in a way, but Harvey…
Harvey was different. Being with Harvey had been different. Even after all this time, he lit up my entire world like no one else ever had.
I felt like everything in my life was exactly as it should have been when Harvey was within arm’s reach.
I’d felt like that since I was seven years old.
Liam was always the next best thing, and maybe we were both to blame for letting that drag on longer than it should have.
“We had good times,” I said, tears stinging at my eyes. I was already on edge emotionally, it wouldn’t have taken much to set me off.
Hearing that a man I’d been with on and off for the better part of a decade was leaving town was more than enough to do it.
But thinking about Harvey leaving and maybe never coming back was so much worse.
“We did,” Liam agreed. “We had some really good times. I’m not necessarily gonna miss this place, but I will miss seeing you around.”
“But you have to move on,” I said, nodding to myself. Of course he did. His life was elsewhere.
Just like Harvey’s.
“I gotta move on,” Liam agreed with a shrug.
“Can I have one last hug?” I asked, shuffling around the counter.
“Obviously,” Liam said, rolling his eyes and moving in for a bear hug. He squeezed me tight as ever, broad chest comforting and soothing, and I knew I’d miss him.
But I also knew I could let him go. That in twenty minutes, when I got over the surprise, I’d even be excited for him. Liam had always been too big for Otter Bay, and he deserved the chance to spread his wings and fly.
Right now, though, there was a tear or two spilling over my cheeks.
“This isn’t goodbye,” Liam said, pulling back and smiling that charming, boyish smile at me that was going to playreallywell with all the prettiest boys wherever he ended up. “It’s just see you later. I couldn’t go the rest of my life without another cup of your coffee.”
I hadn’t made Liam coffee since the wedding that never was.
“Can I make you one before you go?” I asked. “You must’ve been living on gas station coffee a while.”
“Yeah, I think it’s probably fried some of my tastebuds,” Liam laughed. “I’d love that. Lemme buy you one?”
I glanced around the mostly-empty shop, and at Dante wiping down the fridge.
“I could probably take fifteen minutes for coffee with a friend,” I said. “But this is on the house. Call it the world’s tiniest going away present.”
“Fifteen more minutes with you is the present, Iggy,” Liam said. “And it’s more than big enough for me. Friends again?”
“Friends again,” I agreed. “Go take a seat, I’ll be over in a second.”
I watched Liam pick a two-person table by the window, next to what had always been his favorite plant, and my heart swelled.
