Page 110 of Truck Hard

You can do this. I tell my reflection.You have to do this.

Warm hands slide around my waist, and I startle before recognizing Liam’s touch in the mirror. He presses a gentle kiss to my neck, his presence solid and reassuring at my back.

“You look beautiful,” he murmurs against my skin. “As always.”

I lean back into his embrace, letting his strength seep into me. Ever since our talk at Frank’s last week, something has shifted between us. The walls I built to protect myself are slowly crumbling, brick by brick. It terrifies me how much I want to let him in.

“I still think I should go with you,” he says, meeting my eyes in the mirror. The concern in his gaze makes my chest ache.

“I know.” I turn in his arms, needing to face him properly. “But I need to do this alone. Charlie can’t hurt me anymore—he’s in jail, and this is just a formality. The paternity test results are already in.”

The words feel hollow even as I say them. Charlie may be behind bars, but his influence still haunts me. Every shadow holds his threat, every corner conceals his rage. But I refuse to let him control me anymore.

“Besides,” I continue, smoothing my hands over Liam’s chest, “this isn’t just about facing Charlie. It’s about proving to myself that I can stand on my own two feet. That I’m strong enough to protect what matters.”

Understanding flickers across his features. “You are the strongest person I know,” he says quietly. “I just hate seeing you deal with this alone.”

“I’m not alone.” I stretch up to kiss him softly. “I have you. I have Cam. I’m just… learning how to be brave again.”

His arms tighten around me. “You never stopped being brave.”

Before I can respond, footsteps thunder up the stairs. “Mom!” Cam calls. “Have you seen my history book? I can’t find it anywhere!”

I reluctantly step back from Liam’s embrace. “Check under your bed!” I call back. “That’s where it was last time!”

More thundering footsteps, followed by a triumphant “Found it!”

Liam chuckles. “He gets his organizational skill from you, you know.”

“Hey!” I swat his arm playfully. “I’ll have you know I’m very organized. Now.”

The light moment fades as reality creeps back in. I glance at the clock—forty-five minutes until I need to be at the courthouse. My stomach churns again.

“I should get going,” I say, checking my reflection one last time. “Need to drop Cam at school first.”

Liam catches my hand before I can move away. “Text me when it’s over? Even if you just want to scream about it.”

The offer brings tears to my eyes. After years of Charlie monitoring my phone, restricting who I could talk to, the simple freedom of being able to text someone I care about still feels like a miracle.

“I will.” I squeeze his fingers. “Promise.”

He kisses me once more, soft and sweet, before heading downstairs. I hear him say goodbye to Cam, their voices mixing in an easy camaraderie that makes my heart swell. They’ve grown so close these past few weeks, bonding over baseball and car mechanics and everything in between.

Taking a deep breath, I grab my purse and head down to join Cam. He’s shoving the last of his breakfast into his mouth, backpack already slung over one shoulder.

“Ready?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.

He studies me for a moment, his eyes so much like Liam’s it takes my breath away. “Are you okay, Mom?”

“I will be.” I manage a smile. “This is a good thing, remember? Getting Charlie’s name off your birth certificate, making everything official with your real dad.”

Cam’s face lights up at the mention of Liam. “Yeah. That part is definitely good.”

The drive to school is quiet, both of us lost in our thoughts. As I pull up to the curb, Cam hesitates before getting out.

“Mom?”

“Yeah, honey?”

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