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However, he only managed a few minutes of edits downstairs before his mum walked into the sitting room in her full-sized, fuzzy robe.

“Morning,” she greeted with a sleepy smile. “You’re up early.”

Liam set his laptop aside. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“Even after your late night?”

He nodded.

She gave him a searching look, then took out a mug. “Cuppa?”

“No, thanks.”

She nodded, then put the kettle on for herself. “So how was your night?”

Liam hesitated. Her question was nothing out of the ordinary. But there was something so forced about her disinterest that made him think she was more interested than she was letting on.

“It was great,” he responded carefully.

The evening had been great, up until the end when his ship had crashed and burned.

“You saw The Nutcracker?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm.”

Liam narrowed his eyes at her reaction. “What?”

“Nothing. I’ve just never heard you describe the ballet as great. From what I recall, when you were fifteen, you said it was ‘the worst way to waste two hours of one’s life’.”

Liam paused, knowing exactly where his Mum was leading the conversation. “Well, I was young, last I saw it. I’d like to think I’ve matured a bit since then.”

“Or you just had better company last night.”

She gave him another look, and he smiled. “That could’ve had something to do with it.” He cleared his throat. “So how was working late?”

“Oh, it was fine. Made much better with the surprise of that tree. Was it really Claire’s idea?”

Wow. She changed the conversation back to Claire faster than Liam had thought she could. He glanced to the bare tree still standing in the corner of the room. Visions of the pine on its side with Claire lying beside it flashed through his mind. “Yeah, it was all her.” No one else was that selfless and thoughtful.

“You’ve been spending a lot of time with her,” Mum said, taking her mug and sitting on the couch opposite him.

Liam stared down at his laptop on the couch cushion beside him, the photo of the deer in the morning light pulled up on his screen—the one Claire liked. “I wasn’t given much of a choice in the beginning.” He lowered his voice. The girls didn’t appear to be awake yet, but he’d hate to be overheard. “Melody’s being ridiculous.”

“Is that any surprise? She’s always been like this around Dean.”

Liam shook his head, indignation boiling in his stomach. “It doesn’t matter. Claire came all this way to be with her. Melody should at least have the common decency to spend time with her friend, instead of some bloke who’s kissed a dozen other women this year alone.”

He knew he’d given away too much when his mum’s eyes fell on him, but he couldn’t help it. The mere thought of any injustice happening to Claire—whether it was by Melody or Claire’s parents—riled him up. How had such a pure-hearted woman been dealt such a cruel hand?

“Liam, is there something between…”

Her words faded away as he shook his head, already knowing what she was going to say. “No. No, there’s nothing between Claire and me.”

Lies.

“She’s a wonderful woman,” he continued, if only to prove to himself he could be truthful. “We’ve been having a lot of fun. But we live too far from each other. And you know with my job, a serious relationship just wouldn’t work.”