Page 19 of Liam

Great.

I had to race from Mia’s house to the studio, and I hate starting my mornings like this, because it’s hard to shake it off and continue with the rest of the day, but I have no choice. We’re behind on filming, so Linc and I have to rush through it all so he can spend the afternoon with his on-again, off-again whatever they are.

I still need to shower.

I’vebarelyslept.

And I can’t stop thinking about Adelaide.

Fuck.

The door to the “office” is wide open—no Adelaide. Relief washes through me, but I don’t even have time to relax. I take the quickest shower in the history of ever, then dry and wrap thetowel around my waist. The second I open the bathroom door, I freeze.

So does Adelaide Baker.

Her eyes are level with my bare chest and she keeps them there, and I look straight ahead, above her height, toward the bedroom where I wish I could be.

She says Ibrokeher—the words that kept me up all night—and maybe I did…

She clears her throat.

I do the same.

“Liam,” she deadpans, and then she’s gone.

I wait until I’m in the confines of the bedroom with the door closed to do something as simple asbreathe.

Ibrokeher?

Maybe.

But there’s a big difference between what I did to her and what she did to me, and that’sintent.

I didn’tmeanto hurt her.

It’sallshe meant with me.

The conclusion came to me at around five this morning, and it was enough to allow me to feel at peace with her accusation. And once I decided I would confront her about it, I could finally rest.

Mind.

Body.

All of it.

I step out of my room and go directly to the next, where I lean against the doorframe and… do nothing. I hadn’t planned exactly what I wanted to say. I just know I need to saysomething.

She’s sitting at the desk, an open folder filled with documents in front of her, and she says, “If you’re here to pile on, can you wait a few days?” Her eyes meet mine, bloodshot, surroundedby darkness, and it looks like she’s had about as much sleep as I have. Her hair’s loose today, wave after wave, and it’s the first time I’ve seen it not in a braid since her return. “I really can’t take much more today, Liam.”

I stutter a breath, my heart skipping a pulse. “How could you always tell us apart?” It’s completely irrelevant to the issue at hand, but it’s what comes out anyway.

She tilts her head slightly, her eyes narrowing. She sounds annoyed when she asks, “What?”

“You’ve always been able to tell me and Linc apart,” I say. “How?”

After looking away, she focuses on the papers in front of her. “Your eyes.”

Liar.“We have the same eyes.”

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