Page 37 of Changing Tides

21

SOPHIE

Liam is not rebound material.I have to remind myself as we walk into Sunset Smoothie. We’re in line behind a few other people, standing quietly and reading the menu. Liam clears his throat. He does this a lot around me before he speaks. I wonder if it’s a nervous tick. “What are you going to get?” he asks me.

I smack my lips together. “I think…a Pink Pitaya,” I say, licking my lips. “What about you?”

“A Kowabunga,” he says laughing. “I used to love the Ninja Turtles.”

I laugh too. “So did my brother Simon.Sometimeshe would let me play with him.”

Liam smiles and looks up. “Oh, it’s our turn.” He puts his hand on my lower back and guides me forward. My skin sizzles. The butterflies in my stomach from his touch are putting me in a dangerous headspace. I remind myself once again that anything more than a friendship with Liam is to be avoided. He doesn’t seem bothered, nor does he remove his hand while he orders.

The teenager behind the counter takes our order and then takes note of my yoga mat. “Did you guys try that couple’s yoga class down the block? My boyfriend and I have been wanting to try it.”

“Oh…we’re not a couple,” I say hesitantly. “I mean…it was just a regular hot yoga class.”

I glance at Liam who promptly removes his hand from my back.

The cashier nods. “Too bad, you guys would make a cute couple. Let me get those started for you.” She turns and walks away from us. I’m so stunned by her remark that Liam whips out his credit card and pays before I can stop him.

“Liam, I didn’t want you to pay! Let me Venmo you,” I tell him firmly.

He laughs, tucking his card back in his minimalist wallet. “Not a chance, Soph. I wanted to.”

I feel my cheeks heat up when he calls me Soph, and it's not leftover from the yoga class.

The cashier brings our smoothies over to the pick-up counter and tells us to have a good night. We take them and some napkins and start walking toward our homes. Liam falls in step beside me, his knuckles keep grazing mine and it sends a chill up my spine. I glance at him while I sip.

“So…” We both say at the same time and then we laugh, glancing at each other.There is something here.I think to myself.I can’t deny it. I can see it in the way he looks at me.“You first,” I tell him, gesturing with my free hand.

“I was just going to ask what made you move here. But if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine too.” He takes a long sip.

“Oh…well, I guess you might’ve figured by now that I am getting a divorce,” I tell him, leaving out any sort of context.

Liam plays dumb. “I didn’t figure that.”

When I give him a knowing look he shrugs.

“Okay, I did see his picture come up when your phone rang. And the photos in your box. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snoop.” We come to a street corner and Liam darts over to the trash can to throw out his empty cup.

“Geez, you drank that fast!” I exclaim. “Didn’t you get a brain freeze?”

Liam smirks and gives me a shrug. He’s quiet, maybe waiting for me to continue.

I contemplate how much I want to share. I haven’t been able to talk much about James without crying, and I really don’t want to cry in front of Liam. That would be embarrassing. “My husband had an affair.”

“Jesus, Sophie. I’m sorry,” Liam laments. “I didn’t mean to bring up a painful subject. I’m such an ass. I just thought we were getting to know each other.” He looks at me with such sincerity that I almost blurt out everything at once.

“It’s okay. Anyway, I never really thought I’d be divorced, truthfully, but he got her pregnant.” I exhale loudly and take another sip of my smoothie. “So here I am.”

“Christ,” Liam mutters. “You’ve been through it, huh?” He drapes an arm around my shoulder. The moment of affection catches me off guard but surprisingly, isn’t unwanted. “I’m sorry I was such an asshole to you.”

I shake my head. “Don’t worry about it,” I remember all that Liam has been through too and my heart swells. “We all have our shit, remember?” I give him a weak smile, trying to make light of the situation. “I came here to move on. And that’s what I’m going to do.” He peers down at me, a half-smile playing on his lips, and tugs me closer into the crook of his arm. I let my arm find his waist and curl into him. We finish the walk like that, neither of us wanting to pull away. I know something is happening here, but I can’t bring myself to call attention to it.

Before we know it, we’re in front of our two houses. He lets his arm fall from my shoulder, and I immediately wish he would put it back. I wish I could tug him close and feel his rock-hard abs against my soft middle while I wrap my arms around his back and tug on his T-shirt. I won’t do that. But I am surprised at the longing I feel for someone I have so recently met. I think he feels it too.

“Well, here we are,” he sighs. He turns and looks at me in earnest. “Want to walk to yoga together on Sunday?” He looks so hopeful that I don’t bother to disguise my own eagerness.I think I’m starting to like him.

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