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He followed her gaze to where Melody and Dean swung their hands together as they walked a few houses ahead of them. “Oh,” he said. “Not really, but I suppose we don’t have another option.”
“We could always pretend we got food poisoning.”
“I think I’d rather have real food poisoning than be with those two all night.”
“We’d probably throw up less,” she quipped.
They laughed silently, and Liam’s anxiousness lessened, if only to a small degree. He needed to remember this was Claire standing next to him, not the angelic being she appeared to be.
She was just the girl who’d suggested getting a tree for his mother. The girl who marveled at Big Ben and the Tower of London. The girl who was following her dreams and trying to get him to do the same.
And yet, the more he dwelled on those things, the more he realized how much he liked those things. How much he admired those things. But admiring her would lead to other feelings he couldn’t develop.
After a quick ride on the Tube, the four of them reached the Royal Albert Hall, taking their seats in the second tier. Liam shuffled down the aisle first, followed by Claire, Melody, then Dean. Liam helped Claire remove her jacket, careful not to touch her shoulders, then they sat side-by-side. He tried not to be affected by her floral scent that he couldn’t help but breathe in and savor.
He pulled out his program, reading the same line over and over again, his brain refusing to focus on anything other than Claire’s arm brushing against his or the way her eyes focused on him every so often with a smile on her lips.
He needed to calm down, to acknowledge that everything was fine.
But the truth of the matter was that nothing was fine. He wasn’t fine. He was tormented, drawn to this woman he could never have.
“Liam?”
He blinked, glancing to the woman occupying his every thought. “Sorry?”
She gave a little smile. “You seem a little…distracted tonight. Are you alright?”
Distracted? Yes, he was distracted. He was distracted by her. Her scent, her smile, her goodness. “Just anxious for the ballet to start.”
She eyed him curiously, but he looked away, afraid that she’d be able to read his mind.
Curse his stupid decision making. He never should have agreed to befriend Claire Frost.
TWENTY-FOUR
Claire could feel the anxiousness oozing from Liam. What was with him tonight? He was usually the picture of calm control, but now, his jaw continually twitched, and he sat rigidly in his seat.
Was it being near Melody and Dean again? Or was it the fact that he and Claire had nearly kissed and were both now pretending it didn’t happen?
“So how was your guys’ day together?” Melody asked, turning away from Dean for the first time that evening, though their fingers were still intertwined.
Claire’s frustration at Melody from earlier that day had already dissipated. She couldn’t hold onto that anger when she’d spent the entire day with Liam, instead.
“It was a lot of fun,” she responded simply.
“Aw, I’m so glad. Also…” Melody glanced beyond Claire’s shoulder, then leaned close in a hushed whisper. “Did you see Liam’s face when you came down the stairs tonight? He was totally checking you out.”
Panic flapped in Claire’s chest, and she shushed her friend in an instant. “Melody, stop. He’ll hear you.”
Melody just grinned. “He’s super into you. Even Dean mentioned it.”
Claire shook her head, if only to keep her mind from dwelling on her racing heart. “You guys are both insane.”
Did her words sound as weak as they felt?
The lights dimmed, signaling the beginning of the show, and Melody pulled back with a knowing look, leaning closer to Dean once again.
He’s super into you.
