Liam swallows and nods, an embarrassed blush coloring his cheeks as he keeps looking forward. “Yes, I do believe that. I suppose it was just bad luck that your only other male friend in England just happens to look like a young preppy version of Anthony Hopkins.”
I gaze up at him with exhausted but friendly eyes. “Leave it to you to have a man-crush on Hannibal Lecter.”
“YoungHannibal Lecter. And the heart wants what the heart wants.”
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I recently discovered that Phillip was only pursuing me because Juliette was bribing him. Apparently, she picked up on the sparks between you and me and was trying to divert my attention.”
“Are you serious?” he asks, his pace slowing momentarily.
“You can’t make this stuff up.”
He shakes his head in disbelief. “I guess I should take it as a compliment. My romantic prowess must be so tangible that she knew enlisting outside help was the only way to tone down your interest.”
“That really is the only logical explanation. It definitely had nothing to do with the fact that she thought you were going to steal me away and keep me in England forever.”
“To be fair, Iwasconsidering keeping you prisoner in my seaside castle, but it’s being treated for asbestos at the moment, so I had to scratch that plan.”
“What a letdown. And here I was hoping to finally live out myRapunzelrole-play fantasy. I was growing my hair out and everything.”
Liam laughs and I drink it in—savoring every note—every drop. But its sweetness starts to turn bitter when I realize it might be the last that time I hear it.
“We really should be assuming a more serious tone here,” he says. “Isn’t this meant to be our tearful farewell?”
“We can play out our goodbye scene however we want. Our relationship has hardly been conventional.”
“True.”
“What was the worst breakup you ever had?” I ask.
He looks down at me, knowing I’m only delaying the inevitable but seeming willing enough to play along. “Does my recent soul-crushing divorce count?”
“No, I want a more embarrassing memory. I’m thinking of you in braces, truly believing you’re losing the love of your life after dating someone for three weeks, and then sprinkle in some possible wailing.”
“I thought you said youdidn’twant me to discuss my divorce?”
I make a face at him, and he smiles to himself before continuing to look forward as we keep walking.
“Alright, a devastating breakup. Let me see...when I was thirteen, I was dating Nadine Lacey. It was a quite serious relationship. And by quite serious, I obviously mean that we spoke on the phone several times over the course of a month and decided to be exclusive after going to a movie and sharing a much anticipated closemouthed kiss.”
“So, what you’re telling me is that you’ve actually been married twice before?”
“More or less. Anyways, my friend Matthew was having a roller-skating birthday party. I obviously went, and when it was time for a couples’ skate, Nadine decided to hold hands and skate with Norman Baxter, who also happened to be one of my best friends.”
“Typical Norman,” I grumble. “You know, I’ve never met a Norman that I’ve liked.”
“Have you met many?”
“No, Norman Baxter is my first, but now I’m going to be biased for the rest of my life.”
“You don’t have to do that,” he says easily, “though I do appreciate your loyalty.”
“It’s official, then. He’s on my enemy list. Holding a grudge on someone else’s behalf is a big talent of mine.”
“Sounds healthy.”
“Yeah, I’m super broken inside.”
Liam chuckles, and we cross the street over to a more residential block, then turn to head back in the direction of his building. “Alright then, over to you. What’s one of your tragic breakups?”
