Page 54 of Falling for Love

“You too.”

He closed the door, and I felt like I could finally breathe. The tension between us was unstoppable, and I think it all had to do with my accidentally planting a couple of kisses on him at Buttercup Java.

As I pulled away, I couldn’t help but glance at him in the rearview mirror. Besides his incredible physical attributes, something else there drew me in.

He felt…

Safe.

He waved in the rearview mirror, and I drove toward my home.

By the time I pulled into my driveway, the weight of everything had settled squarely on my shoulders.

I parked the truck and leaned back in my seat, taking a long breath. I shouldn’t have let things get this far. Not with someone like Liam—kind, thoughtful, and persistent in a way that made my heart ache. He deserved more than a single mom with too much baggage.

I shook my head, grabbed my things, and headed inside. The house was quiet with Hayden at school, but the silence only made my thoughts louder.

I set my bag on the counter, pulled my hair into a messy bun, and set up my laptop at the kitchen table.

Before I could even open my bookkeeping software, my phone buzzed.

I glanced at the screen and saw my mom’s name.

“Hey, Mom,” I said, answering with a forced brightness.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

“What’s up?”

She sighed. “What’s going on? You sound… distracted.”

I hesitated, fiddling with a pen on the table. “Oh, just trying to catch up on work. The usual.”

“Uh-huh. Come on, Evie. What’s really going on?”

“It’s nothing. Just… complicated.”

“Complicated, huh? Does this have anything to do with a certain someone? Maybe someone who’s been making you smile more than usual lately?”

I let out a weak laugh. “How do you always know?”

“A mother knows,” she said simply. “So, spill. Who is he?”

“His name’s Liam,” I said softly, the words thrilling and terrifying. “He’s… amazing, Mom. He’s funny, kind, and great with Hayden. But—”

“But what?” she prompted gently.

“But it’s not right,” I said, my voice breaking slightly. “He’s this incredible guy with all these big dreams, and I’m just… me. A single mom trying to keep her head above water. It’s not fair to waste his time. Not to mention, I don’t know when my ex might show up again.”

“Evie,” she said, her tone soft but firm. “You are so much more than just you. You’re strong, smart, and one of the most loving people I know. If Liam is half as amazing as you say he is, he’s lucky to have you in his life.”

I pressed my lips together, my chest aching. “You don’t understand, Mom. I’ve been through this before. I’ve let someone in, trusted them, and it didn’t work out. I can’t go through that again.”

“I understand more than you think,” she said quietly. “And I know how much you’ve been hurt. But you can’t let the past define your future. Not every man is going to let you down, Evie.”

“Even Dad did…” The words escaped my lips before I realized what I’d said.

A soft echoey sigh ruffled through the phone.

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