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Tears flooded her eyes. Why wasn’t she good enough for them? Was she so great a burden to them that they couldn’t even bear a few minutes of speaking with her? She’d been an idiot to think that things could change. This is how it had always been and how it always would be. She was always going to be alone. She was always going to be second choice.

Despite her best efforts, her tears spilled down her cheeks. If Tasha and Melody saw her this way, there would be no end to the attention and questions and extra efforts they’d make to help her feel more welcome and included.

Claire didn’t need any of that. She just needed a minute and some fresh air. She could compose herself. She would.

But as she turned toward the escalators, her vision blurred by her tears, she collided with a solid chest.

She gasped, teetering backwards before strong hands encircled her upper arms, steadying her stance.

“Claire?”

Liam. Of course it would be him.

“Are you alright?”

She nodded, unable to meet his gaze.

“What’s the matter?”

She shook her head, biting her tongue more fiercely than she ever had to keep her emotion at bay. But when he smoothed his thumbs along her arm, and she looked up at the concern etched across his brow, she was undone.

TWENTY-EIGHT

Liam had no idea what had happened to Claire after he’d left the perfumery, but as he watched the tears rolling down her cheeks in unstoppable waves, he had no other thought or desire other than to ease whatever burden she was carrying.

A few people walked by them outside the shop, their curious eyes focused on Claire as she attempted to hide her face. Without hesitation, Liam shifted his body to shield her from the others.

“Come on,” he said softly. “Let’s get some fresh air.”

Claire didn’t protest when he took her hand, her fingers tightening around his.

Together, the two of them traveled down escalator after escalator, walking through the maze of customers, Christmas trees, and shops, neither of them stopping until they reached outside. Liam directed her toward the less-popular window displays at the far end of the department store, turning her gently to face the window so passersby couldn’t witness her continued emotion even in the darkness.

“Is this alright?” he asked, still holding on to her hand.

She nodded, sliding the tips of her fingers beneath her eyes to wipe away her tears. “Sorry. You can go back inside with the others if you want.”

Liam shook his head. “I’d rather be out here with you than listen to Melody prattle on about perfume.”

He’d hoped to make her smile, but she just stared harder at the window display—a stuffed mountain goat perched beside mannequins boasting white winter coats and blue scarves.

Instead of looking at the display himself, Liam studied Claire, wanting to help her but not sure how when he didn’t even know what the problem was. Had Melody hurt her by ignoring her again? Or had Liam done something to offend her—other than kissing her when he shouldn’t have?

Knowing he wasn’t going to get anywhere by asking the questions to himself, he faced her more directly.

“Do you want to talk?” he asked. “If you don’t, that’s fine. Or if you’d rather be alone…”

His words faded when she shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I can talk about it. I’m just embarrassed about being an emotional wreck around you.”

As if on cue, her eyes filled with tears again. The white Christmas lights around the display reflected in her eyes like diamonds.

“You don’t need to be embarrassed around me, remember?” he said gently.

She nodded, ducking her head as she pulled out her phone. He thought for a minute she was trying to distract herself, but when she held up her phone toward him, he examined a photo of an older couple standing against a blue railing with the sea behind them.

He narrowed his eyes, struggling for context before realizing the couple were on a ship at sea. “Your parents?”

She lowered her phone with a small nod. “I called them tonight. They could only talk for a few seconds before leaving, which was fine. But then I saw all these pictures on Facebook and…” She trailed off with a shrug. “It’s just hard to see how they prioritize their time.”