Page 28 of How to Write a Rom-Com

“Ha!” Liam laughs, setting down two mugs on the table in the middle of two Adirondack chairs. “I’m the fun uncle, he’s like the grumpy old granddad who denies he’s had any fun but who loves those kids to death.”

“He definitely does.” I plop down in one of the chairs and take in the view. In the distance, behind the mountain peaks, the clouds are starting to gather. I think for a moment there’s going to be a rainbow, but when I look again it’s not purple I see on the edge of the clouds, it’s a darker gray. The crescent moon sits just at the edge of the clouds, the edges of which are sticking out like the fingers on a hand. One part of the sky looks like a completely different world from the other—one side bright blue, the other getting darker by the second.

Or maybe it’s just my imagination.

I take a quick photo of the landscape, trying to subdue my urge to type a note into my phone about the structure of the clouds. I must have writing on the brain; I haven’t felt this inclined to write about nature in a while.

“View keeps getting better, huh?” Liam says, taking a sip of his coffee.

“That’s an understatement,” I say.

“Do you actuallylikeliving in the city?”

I pause, taking in Liam’s question. I don’t think anyone’s ever asked me that before. I try to recall my parents’ reactions when I first moved, but nothing comes to mind.

“It comes with its challenges,” I reply. I draw my legs up beneath me and rest my head in my hand. I can’t help but admire Liam and his sun-kissed skin, sat against this dreamy backdrop of the lake and the sky.

“That was a very diplomatic answer,” Liam says, a curious tone in his voice.

I sigh. Can he see right through me? Am I that much of an open book? I never thought my face was as revealing as the words that come out of my mouth, but Liam seems to be able to pick up on my every expression.

“It’s very different from where I grew up, which I like. And it’s where my job is,” I add.

“And you love your job,” Liam responds quickly, a hint of skepticism in his voice.

“Of course,” I say with a nod. I’m caught off guard by Liam’s question, a question that surprisingly strikes a nerve. Since coming here, I’ve realized that living in Manhattan puts me in a bubble. I’m so accustomed to having everything I need—or think I need—within a five-minute walk of my apartment that I’ve forgotten that there are other ways to live. Admittedly, I’ve been enjoying the slower pace of Hudson Hollow, the beautiful views, and the peace and quiet.

I keep my eyes on the lake to avoid Liam’s intense gaze—this setting is entirely too romantic for me to be caught staring at him. As much as I hate to admit it to myself, I'm far too interested in him. And I shouldn’t be,can’tbe. I’m only here for a short time, and I’m here to do a job. I can’t let anypotentialfeelings for Liam, or whatever this is, jeopardize that.

Research. Small town. Cast of characters. Stay focused, Lucy. Don’t look directly into those perfect blue eyes.

“So, Jill’s a single parent. That must be tough,” I say, hoping he’ll accept the change in subject.

Liam takes a sip of his coffee before he speaks. I tilt my head to read his expression and catch myself tracing the stubble along his jaw, wrapping around his lips. He’s changed out of his boating attire and is back to his usual jeans and “Liz’s” shirt look, only he’s paired it with a collared plaid shirt. He looks like the lakeside version of a lumberjack, complete with the five o’clock shadow and the luscious hair that falls just below his ear.

“It is, but she works hard to hide how much she’s struggling. For herself, for the family, for the twins.”

“What about your parents? Do they get babysitting duty too?” I say with half a smile.

“My dad does what he can, but he’s been in rough shape since my mom passed,” Liam’s voice tapers off at the end of his sentence. He turns and looks over the railing, his gaze fixed on something in the distance. We’re silent for a few moments, long enough for a warm breeze to send the brush across the canal rustling like a wave.

“I’m so sorry,” I start, my voice cracking. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

Liam puts his hand up and quickly pats his knee. “Don’t be. How could you know?” He pauses. “She died last year, colon cancer.” My heart drops. “By the time we knew something was wrong, it was too late. It was very quick.”

“Liz was her name, wasn’t it?” I ask, already knowing the answer by the look in Liam’s eyes.

“Elizabeth, yeah,” he replies with a soft smile.

I don’t want to say “I’m sorry” again. I am sorry, of course, but I feel like that is the last thing people want to hear when they are grieving. I don’t want to be generic, or come across as disingenuous. I want Liam to know that his pain is palpable, and that I truly feel for him.

“Do you think about her a lot?” I ask.

Liam is surprised by my question. He nods slowly, his eyes boring into me. “Every time I look at the lake,” he says.

“I lost my grandparents in high school. I was really close with my grandfather. I looked for him everywhere too, just to find that one thing that would remind me of him every day. It makes missing him hurt just a little bit less.”

Liam looks out over the water again. “She loved the lake. She loved Hudson Hollow, she never wanted to go anywhere else.” A smile spreads across his face as he speaks, and I don’t think he realizes how tender it is.

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