Page 50 of Liam

I rear back. “How old is he?”

“Forty-five.”

We laugh together, this beautiful sound that used to haunt me in my sleep, wake me from my dreams, only to long to hear it again.

“To be fair,” he adds, “his mom is pretty scary.”

Through my smile, I ask, “You didn’t get theminprison, did you?”

“No,” he says, shaking his head. “Juan is an incredible artist, as you can see, but he didn’t know what to do with the talent, so I suggested tattooing. He got out before me, but when I was released, he was out in the parking lot waiting for me. I didn’t ask him to be there. He just… was. He brought me into his home, introduced me to his wife and kids, and let me stay there until I got back on my feet.” He looks down at his arms, turning them over to reveal all of Juan’s work. “Anyway, he’d bought all the tattoo gear while I was still inside, but he hadn’t used it yet, so I let him practice on me.”

My smile only widens as I hear Roman speak. It answers the main question I had while we were apart:Is he okay?I’m so grateful he had his own version of Dayna and Griffin. Someone who was there for him. Someone to be the light throughout the darkness. “He sounds amazing.”

“He is. His whole family, too. They never let me spend a holiday alone.”

I pout. “I take it you still don’t see your mom often?”

Roman’s eyes drift shut, the back of his head pressing farther into the couch cushion.

“What?” I ask. “Did something happen to her?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “I mean, I don’t know.” Then he sits taller, twisting to face me. “We’re all about truths, right?”

“Right…”

“Listen, you know my relationship with my mom was already rocky since she left me for a man she barely knew. I didn’t speakto her a lot then, but… when your parents left, I was so lost with what to do, so I called her for help, and… she didn’t want to.”

Every inch of muscle tightens within me.

“We spoke even less after that. Then, when I got arrested, I had one phone call and, stupidly, I wasted it on her. I begged her to be there for you. I understand you aren’t hers, but still… you’remysister, and… anyway, we haven’t spoken since.”

“Roman…”

“Don’t you dare think any of that is your fault, Addie. Not even for a second. We were just two kids born to parents who shouldn’t have been parents at all…”

I think, in my mind, I’d always seen Roman as a pillar of strength and resilience, and maybe—maybe I missed the signs when I was younger. Or, maybe, I wasn’t looking for them enough. I forget he’s been through what I have, andworse, because no one was there to pick up the pieces for him like he did for me. I look down at the tattoos on his arm again, run my thumb over the cross with intricate ivy weaved around it. “I like this one,” I tell him.

“That’s Juan’s mom’s favorite, too.”

“Can I meet him?”

“Anytime.” He pauses a beat. “Hey… this is probably horrible timing, but uh… I need to ask you something.”

I lift my eyes to his.

“Why did you lie to me?”

I tilt my head, confused. “About what?”

“The car thing?” he answers. “You said you wanted a job because you were saving for a car, but then you told me you can’t drive, so…”

I pull back, just enough to create some distance.

“Don’t pull away, Addie,” he pleads. “You can tell me.”

I know Ican, but I don’t reallywantto. Roman and I are the same in many ways. Harboring guilt, it turns out, is one ofthem. And we’re in such a good place now.Sogood. I don’t want to ruin that. But I don’t want to keep things from him either. “I said Idon’tdrive. Ican. I just choose not to. I was in a pretty bad car accident,” I tell him, then—at his expression—rush out, “I’m fine. I promise. It’s just… I had to stay in the hospital for a few weeks to monitor some injuries, and I don’t know how much the state covered, but I’m pretty sure Dayna and Griffin had to pay out of pocket for some of it. I’d like to pay them back, especially considering how well they’ve taken care of me. How well they’restilltaking care of me, even when they don’t have to.”

Roman’s eyes search mine, the corners of his lips pulled down at the corners.

---