Page 188 of Without Fault

“No, I’m fine.”

He lets out a breath before pulling me in for a hug, and we sit on the couch while his mom plays another song.

“You were a theater kid?” I glance up at him, and when he closes his eyes, I let out a laugh.

“Capri is fired.”

“She didn’t even say anything.”

“Bullshit.”

I only laugh harder and he pulls me closer before kissing the side of my face. I force him to show me pictures and he says he doesn’t have any so I call over Capri.

“She doesn’t have any.” Liam tries to get out of this, but it’s no use because I’m determined.

“Of course I do.” Capri flops next to me and pulls out a phone that clearly belongs to his mom since the lock screen is Liam holding a baby girl.

“Wait, let me see that.”

She tilts the phone back to me, and I swipe down to look at the lock screen again. Liam is in trunks by a pool, and he looks so different without all of his tattoos. He only had one on his arm, and I realize this is his first tattoo, the one he hated.

“What was that tattoo supposed to be?”

“I don’t even know.” He shakes his head disappointedly, and I break into a laugh before looking back down at the picture. His sister is sitting on his knee in a bright yellow bathing suit, and they look so happy.

“It was her birthday.”

I glance over at Liam, and he has his eyes on the phone.

“I almost drowned because she jumped into the deep end, and I was struggling to swim while trying to hold her.” He shakes his head, and I smile at him.

“I held her above my head as I was underwater, and when the lifeguard finally grabbed her after I was about to pass out, she was fuckinglaughingat me.”

“The lifeguard?!”

“No, my sister. I swear she did that shit on purpose.”

I break into a laugh, and Liam joins beside me. “She kept walking on the edge to scare me and would pretend to jump in, just to see me lose my shit.”

He smiles at the memory, and I only laugh harder. “She sounds hilarious.”

“She was.” He pulls in a breath, and I feel my smile start to fade as I look back down at the phone. Liam kisses my cheekbefore taking the phone from me. “If I show you pictures from the musical, you have to promise not to send them to yourself.”

I cross my fingers before giving him a smile. “Promise.”

He studies me for a beat, and I keep my smile in place. “Let me see your hands.”

I burst with a laugh before burying my face in his chest.

“You’re the worst liar I’ve met.” He tickles my side, and I laugh harder as I try to squirm away.

“Let me have three pictures of you as a kid.”

“No.”

“Two.”

“No.”

---