Page 40 of Liam

Her lips kick up at the corners. “But it’s a good surprise.”

I stop spraying and face her fully now, trying to read her expression. In the short time we’ve been out here, she’s somehow managed to turn my nerves to attraction, then attraction to dread, then dread to calm, and now… now that calm has turned to doubt.

The last time she had a surprise for me, I ended up in the alley behind the pet store, getting jumped by four of her friends, so?—

She cuts through my thoughts. My memories. “Listen, if you don’t want to hang out?—”

“No,” I interrupt. Then try to get my shit together. “I mean, yeah. Okay.”

“Yeah, that soundsrealconvincing,” she says, tearing her eyes from mine to the driveway ahead.

I stare at her profile, watching her lashes fall against her cheeks… feeling the seconds tick, tick, tick on by. An ache forms in my chest, spreads to stomach. “Adelaide.”

She doesn’t look at me when she says, “You’re the only person who uses my full name.”

Because herfriendscall her Addie, and I don’t know if that’s what we are yet. “Addie…”

She faces me, her eyes holding mine.

“Ireallywant you to surprise me.”

In more ways than one.

16

Addie

If I’m being honest, I’d started planning this moment since I sat opposite Liam in that diner booth. Yesterday, before I left work, I asked him if he had any food allergies. He didn’t. So, I had Roman take me to Main Street on the way home and gathered my supplies. I spent all night making subs, preparing a charcuterie board, and even baking cookies.

I’m pretty sure it was the first time anyone had used the oven since Roman moved in. And, speaking of Roman, he spent the entire night watching me, eyes questioning, but never actually verbalizing the questions. Something I’m grateful for because I wouldn’t know how to answer. It’s not as if this was adateor anything remotely close to romantic, but… as I stand on the dock, admiring my hard work—the red and white checkered blanket with food and drinks all laid out, the recycled jars turned to vases with flowers I’d picked from around Roman’s apartment complex… maybe I went a little too far.

Five nights of Pinterest can do that to a girl.

It wasn’t supposed to be a romantic gesture. More of anappreciativeone, I guess. A Thank You of sorts… for forgiving me for my past actions.

“Wow,” Liam says from behind me, and I turn to see him making his way up the dock. I’d given him fifteen minutes’ notice so I could prepare, and now he’s here and I’m… I’m panicking. I look from him to the picnic set up and internally cringe. It’stotallyromantic, and I fight the urge to kick everything—cookies and all—into the lake. “You’re right,” he says, stopping beside me. “It’s a good surprise.”

My smile is instant. So is the warmth that fills my insides. I glance up at him, not bothering to hide my emotions. “Yeah?”

He nods. “I feel a little underdressed though,” he states, looking down at his plain white tee and athletic shorts.

“Stop it,” I tell him, tugging on his arm to sit down on the blanket. “You look great.”

Liam clears his throat as he settles in, then watches me do the same. “Did you make all this?”

I nod a little too enthusiastically and keep that same energy as I describe the food in front of us. When I finally finish and glance over at him, I expect him to be looking at the spread, but he’s not. He’s looking atme.

And I don’t think he likes what he sees.

My smile slips as I break the stare, my heart suddenly wary.“It’s a little much, isn’t it?”

“A little,” he admits quietly.

That wary heart of mine? It sinks right into the pit of my stomach.

“But only because no one has ever done anything remotely this…nicefor me before.”

Confused, I gather the courage to face him again.

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