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Liam nodded. Everything she said was true, but it didn’t make it any easier to acknowledge just how often his job interfered with his personal life.

Claire continued, hesitance written all over her pretty face. “I just don’t want things to become impossible for me when I have to leave, you know? And kissing you…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “I can’t. I’m not like Melody.”

Liam nodded, knowing her plight perfectly. “No, you aren’t,” he replied softly. “And neither am I.”

Their eyes met, and an understanding passed between them, though no further word on the subject was shared. Neither of them could continue kissing each other without a relationship growing between them—and neither of them could bear a relationship severed so soon after its beginning.

So they would stop. He would stop. Because Claire deserved the world, and that was something he couldn’t offer, no matter how much his heart tried to convince him otherwise.

TWENTY-SIX

Claire and Liam didn’t meet up with Melody and Dean again. After a quick text, Claire discovered from Melody that she and Dean had gone to another Christmas market, so Claire and Liam went home. With Tasha already asleep, they bade each other a simple goodnight, then Claire rushed to bed, hoping to be asleep before Melody returned.

To her disappointment, however, she lay awake for hours, trying to quiet her thoughts by watching White Christmas on her phone. But time and time again, her mind strayed to Liam until well after midnight when Melody finally came home.

Claire closed her eyes, feigning sleep to avoid any chance of discussing…well, anything with her friend, but when Melody finally climbed into her own bed and silence filled the room, Claire’s thoughts rushed on.

She didn’t want to speak with Melody about Liam. But then, she was going to go crazy if she couldn’t talk with someone about all that had occurred. Tasha was a non-starter, so Melody was her only option.

Claire hesitated still, clicking her teeth together. Maybe her friend would help her. She always had before. And now without Dean there, Melody would listen, right?

With a deep breath, she whispered into the darkness. “Melody?”

A moment of silence passed. “Hmm?”

Had Claire woken her? Maybe this was a bad idea. “Um…never mind.”

Melody shifted in her bed. “You woke me up for that?” she asked, her words slightly slurred from sleep.

“No. I…I wanted to talk to you.”

“Okay. About what?”

Claire stared up at the ceiling, twiddling her fingers against her stomach. “About something stupid I did tonight.”

Melody scoffed, sounding more awake. “I highly doubt you’re capable of doing anything stupid, Claire. Every decision you make is overcomplicated and overthought.”

Normally, Claire would be offended by the words, even if they were true. Instead, she winced. “Not tonight.” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “I kissed Liam.”

Rustling sounded in Melody’s bed as she shot upright, clicking the lamp on as it illuminated the room. “You did what?”

Claire spun around from her mattress on the floor to face her, wincing at the sudden brightness. “Shh! You’ll wake him up!”

Melody pressed both hands to her forehead, holding her dark hair back from her face. “Are you serious right now?” she asked, her voice barely lowering.

Claire winced again, nodding.

“I knew it! I knew I saw something between you guys tonight!” A grin split across her face. She bounced out of her bed to hop onto Claire’s, the mattress jerking Claire upright. “You have to tell me everything. Right now. Like, do you like him? Like-like him?”

Claire hesitated. She knew the truth, but how could she admit as much aloud?

“Oh my gosh! You do!” Melody exclaimed. She covered her mouth with her hands as her eyes squinted with barely restrained glee. “If you guys get married, we’ll be family for real!”

“Melody—”

“Oh my heck, you guys would make the most gorgeous kids. Oh, and imagine the little accent they’d have! Ah! You better have me as your bridesmaid, or I’ll never—”

“Melody!” Claire whispered with vehemence, reaching over to clasp her hand over her friend’s mouth. “Stop! If Liam hears you, he’s going to think that I’m saying all of this.”