Page 116 of Shattered Melodies

Liam words from earlier admittedly stung, but I understood. Now, as I watched Liam from across the room, I noticed how he flinched at every little sound. The poor guy was wound tighter than a spring, and I couldn’t blame him. This whole situation was a mess, and he was feeling the pressure from all sides.

We’d been hammering out details for the fundraiser for hours now, and I could see the fatigue setting in on everyone’s faces. It was time to call it a day, but before I could suggest it, Liam caught my eye.

“Hey,” he said, his voice low as he approached me. “How much longer do we have? Before the bank’s deadline, I mean.”

I ran a hand through my hair, doing some quick mental math. “About a week and a half, give or take. Not a ton of time, but we’re making progress.”

Hank, who’d been listening nearby, chimed in. “Why don’t we aim for this coming weekend? Give us enough time to pull it all together, but not so long that we’re cutting it too close to the deadline.”

I nodded, mulling it over. It was a solid plan. “Good thinking, Hank. Let’s do it. This weekend it is, folks. We’ll nail down the final details tomorrow.”

“Alright, everyone,” I said, raising my voice to address the room. “I think we’ve made some good progress here. Let’s break for the night and pick this up tomorrow with fresh eyes.”

There was a collective sigh of relief around the room. Dean stretched, his back cracking audibly. “Sounds good to me, boss. My old bones aren’t cut out for these marathon planning sessions anymore.”

Mike, ever the jokester, piped up. “Yeah, and I’m starting to forget what my wife looks like. She might file for divorce if I don’t show my face at home soon.”

That got a chuckle out of everyone, even Liam, though his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. I made a mental note to check in with him later.

As the group started to disperse, Hank lingered behind. “You know, Caleb,” he said, his voice low, “this fundraiser idea of Liam’s it’s a good one. Might be just what we need to turn things around.”

I nodded, feeling a surge of pride for Liam. “Yeah, I think so too. We’re lucky to have him here.”

Hank gave me a knowing look. “Mmhmm. Lucky indeed. Just make sure you’re taking care of him too, you hear? He’s putting himself out there for us, and that can’t be easy after everything he’s been through.”

I felt a twinge of guilt. Hank was right, of course. I’d been so focused on saving the ranch that I hadn’t stopped to consider how all this might be affecting Liam.

“You’re right,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “I’ll talk to him.”

As the last of the crew filed out, tossing ‘good nights’ over their shoulders, I turned my attention back to Liam. He was still tense, his shoulders hunched as if he was trying to make himself smaller. It hurt to see him like this, so unlike the confident, vibrant man I knew he could be.

“Hey,” I said softly, approaching him. “You doing okay?”

Liam attempted a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, sure. Just peachy.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at his sarcasm. “Liar. Come on, why don’t you come back to my place for dinner? Mom’s making her famous pot roast.”

To my surprise, Liam actually took a step back, his eyes widening. “I don’t know, Caleb. Your parents they must be pissed at me, right? For leaving, for causing all this trouble.”

I blinked, taken aback. Was that really what he thought? Without thinking, I reached out and took his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Liam, no. They don’t blame you for any of this. Hell, they’ve been asking about you non-stop since you got back to town. Mom’s been dying to see you again.”

He looked skeptical, but I could see a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “Really? You’re not just saying that?”

I shook my head, a fond smile tugging at my lips. “Nah, I wouldn’t lie to you about that. Come on, what do you say? Free food and good company. Can’t beat that, right?”

Liam hesitated for a moment longer, then his shoulders relaxed slightly. “Alright, yeah. That sounds nice, actually.”

“Great,” I grinned, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. “Let’s hit the road then. I’m starving.”

As we walked out to my truck, I couldn’t help but marvel at how natural this felt. Having Liam by my side again, heading home for a family dinner it was like no time had passed at all. And yet, everything had changed.

I climbed into the driver’s seat, waiting for Liam to buckle up before starting the engine. As we pulled out onto the road, I snuck a glance at him. He was staring out the window, his profile illuminated by the setting sun. God, he was beautiful.

“You know,” I said, breaking the comfortable silence. “I never thought I’d see you back here. In Oakwood, I mean.”

Liam turned to look at me, a wry smile on his face. “Yeah, well, that makes two of us. Funny how life works out sometimes, huh?”

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