Page 89 of This Feeling

The door opened, and a very tired-looking Liam stood there. He had dark circles under his eyes, and it looked like he’d pushed his fingers through his hair a hundred times.

“Liam, we don’t mean to bother you or Hope, but I wanted to drop off this dish for you. It’s eggplant parmesan.”

He offered up a weak smile as he reached for it. “Thank you so much, Harper. Thanks, Declan. It’s very much appreciated.”

My heart ached for Liam, and I wanted to pull him into my arms and just hug him.

“Is there anything else you need?” Declan asked.

He looked as if he was going to say something, then he shook his head.

“Liam…anything. We really want to help you and Hope.”

He let out a long breath. “I have to head into work for a bit tomorrow, and my mother can’t watch Winnie, and Hope’s father is out of town with Opal. I was going to take her with me, but—”

“Nonsense. We’ll pick her up tomorrow morning, and she can spend the day with us. We’re going to my parents’ house for dinner, and I know my mother would love to spoil that sweet baby.”

Liam looked unsure. I didn’t blame him. We all may have known each other from growing up in Moose Village, but he didn’t reallyknowknow us.

“If you’d rather Aurora joined us, I can ask her.”

Liam perked up at that. “Are you sure, Harper? That’s a mighty big ask.”

“I’m positive. Right, Declan?”

Declan nodded. “Absolutely. I mean, I don’t know anything about kids, but we’d love to help out, and I’m sure we’ll all have fun.”

That time, Liam laughed. “I like your honesty. I’ll pack a bag for her tonight. Just some things you might need. You’retotallysure?”

“I am one-hundred percent positive.”

Liam handed Declan the casserole dish and hugged me tight. I hugged him back, and wished I could absorb some of the hurt and worry he was going through.

When we stepped apart, Liam wiped a tear away, cleared his throat, and then took the dish back from Declan. “Thank you.”

My throat was clogged with emotion, so I was relieved when Declan asked when we should stop by to get Winnie.

“How does nine-thirty sound?” Liam asked.

“We’ll be here!” I said, as cheerfully as I could.

Liam thanked us again and bid us goodbye.

Declan reached for my hand, and we started to make our way back toward Main Street. Liam’s house wasn’t far from Main, and was only a fifteen-minute walk or so from the Moose Village Hotel.

We walked in silence for the first few minutes, until Declan spoke.

“I can’t even imagine what Liam is going through.”

“Me either. I don’t know Hope as well as Aurora or Brystol, but I know they’d been trying to make her feel at home in Moose Village ever since she and Liam moved back here.”

“That was nice of you to offer to take Winnie.”

I squeezed his hand. “Now that it’s sinking in, I’m kind of scared. What do we do with a one-and-a-half-year-old?”

Declan laughed. “I have no idea. Take her to the park. Get ice cream. Are there any play places around here?”

“Not in Moose Village. Well…actually, I don’t really know. We could call Brystol and see if we can meet her at the toy store?”

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