Page 39 of Off The Ice

“Are you sure?” I pressed, still unsure if I’d done something wrong. “You’re acting weird.”

He huffed out a laugh. “I’m not acting weird.”

“You are,” I confirmed with a solemn nod.

“Well, maybe it’s because I just trained for hours, and I’m so hungry that I don’t know how to function anymore.”

I bit my lip to hide the smile of relief that appeared as I settled down across from him.

“Sorry in advance if it’s gross,” I said nervously as he grabbed his fork. With wide eyes, I watched him take the first bite.

“Well,” I asked with a wince, twisting my hands in my lap. “Is it okay?”

“It’s great.” He stared up at me with warm steadiness in his green eyes as he held eye contact.

I looked down as if I could hide from his gaze. “Good, I was worried.”

“Well, don’t. It’s actually one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time.”

I smiled but didn’t respond, feeling too self-conscious to form a coherent thought. I knew he was probably only saying it to be nice, but it flattered me all the same.

We ate in silence for a few minutes until Liam’s words broke through the quiet of the dimly lit kitchen.

“You didn’t have to do this, you know,” he said, watching me cautiously from across the island.

“And you didn’t have to let me stay here.” I shrugged. “Believe me, you did a lot more for me than a simple meal can make up for.”

He shook his head, his eyes boring into mine. “You don’t have to make up anything to me. I mean it.”

I offered him a smile, knowing that his words didn’t erase the massive kindness he’d shown me.

“Hey,” he said, clearing his throat awkwardly. “I’m sorry about the other night. I was a jerk. I shouldn’t have come at you like that.”

I looked up, shocked by the look in his eyes that appeared to be sincerity and… guilt?

“It’s okay,” I said.

“No, it isn’t.”

“No, Liam.” I held up a hand to stop him. “Really, it is. If you hadn’t said all that, I probably would’ve run back home and tried to beg him to get back together, and I would’ve walked right into something I didn’t want to see. So really, you saved me a little bit of pride.”

He stared at me as if wanting to say something more, but I couldn’t handle being under the pressure of his gaze.

To escape it, my eyes flicked over to theFriendsepisode I’d left on in the living room while I cooked.

I always had a show playing for background noise. It made me feel a little less alone and was something I’d carried over from childhood. As an only child, TV shows were usually my only companions, and they worked powerfully to ease the loneliness that was my constant companion.

“Do you want us to eat on the couch?” Liam asked, smirking as his gaze scanned between me and the television a few feet away.

“Oh.” I blushed. “No, it’s okay. I know most people don’t like doing that.”

Except me because it was the only thing that turned my brain off.

“I don’t mind,” he said, watching for my answer.

I bit my lip, not knowing what the right answer was. Before I figured out how to respond, Liam was picking up our plates and moving toward the couch.

Wordlessly, I found myself following him. He set our plates down on the coffee table and gestured for me to sit, which I did, pressing against the corner of the couch to give him ample space.

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