Page 41 of Love Under Review

“There are no major improvements yet. But she will be ready for surgery again in another week or two. If they can get everything out, she could go back to living a normal life. If not, she could go anywhere from weeks to a year before passing away.” He locked his eyes with hers, seeing a betrayal there. He tried to think of what he could have done to give her that impression.

Her jaw tightened, and she rubbed her lips together as though trying to keep her emotions in check.

“I wish you would have told me. That you were heading out, I mean.” She tucked a chunk of hair behind her ear and stared into his eyes, sending that tingly feeling flooding over him. Her words cracked at the end, and Liam felt like he’d been punched in the gut.

Reaching forward, he placed his hand on her upper arm. “I’m sorry. There’s just a lot going on in my life right now, and when the doctors called and said we needed to hurry, I just took off.”

Something about his comment changed her expression, like she’d been smacked.

“No, I get it. I just thought—” She paused, her expression looking like she was at war with some internal decision. “I just hope you’re okay.” She took a few backward steps away from him, heading in the direction of her street.

“Thank you for that.” Her words opened hope inside him. Someone cared about him, but not in a way to get ahead or lie about her feelings. “MK Malone agreed to come to the bookstore.”

The sadness in her smile dampened his excitement. “Congrats, Liam. I hope it’s a success.” She turned and walked away, but Liam ran up and grabbed her arm.

“Danielle, I’m really sorry I didn’t text you when we left. Can you forgive me for that?”

Her gaze went from his hand on her arm to his face, her lips trembling like she was about to cry. “You had to go. It was your sister. I should have figured it was something important.”

They paused, staring at each other a few more moments before she said, “I’m sorry. I have to run. I told my mom I’d help her with some, uh, muffin baking.” She gave him a small smile and waved as she walked down the street.

There was still something she hadn’t told him, but maybe it would be better to let her tell him when she was ready.

Chapter 25

So many emotions coursed through Danielle that she was shaking by the time she made it home. After a long, hot shower, she felt a bit better, even though that seed of doubt had entered in.

Checking her email, she saw a response from Liam about MK Malone coming to the bookshop. Her stomach sank, a bitterness rising in her throat. How was she going to pull that off now? She’d sent the response on Saturday and had promptly forgotten about it. As she thought about the possessiveness she’d felt about him not telling her he was leaving, she felt guilty. But most of all, she was scared of how he would react when he found out she was MK Malone.

Sinking onto her bed, she stared at her dresser for several minutes, all of the scenarios passing through her head. There were only a few situations where he might be accepting of her deception so far, but she needed to come clean to him before the MK Malone appearance. She didn’t want him to look like a fool in front of the entire town.

Pulling out her phone, she debated texting him an apology but knew it would be better to do it in person.

Will you meet me at the pizzeria tomorrow? I need to talk to you.

As if he’d been waiting for her text, his response came within a few seconds.

Of course. What time?

How about noon? Will that work with the bookstore schedule?

The response took a few more minutes this time before it finally came through.

Can we do eleven? I forgot I’m supposed to help in Cari’s class after.

A smile played on her lips, and she nodded, even though she was alone in her room.

That works. Thank you.

Putting her phone away,she got up to dry her hair, hoping she’d be able to make it through her speech. She’d been so frustrated with him not contacting her, but he’d been taking care of his sister and niece, which she found endearing. But would he feel the same about her after she revealed she was MK Malone?

* * *

Danielle couldn’t waituntil eleven to speak to him. She’d been up half the night, tossing and turning over her decision to even say MK Malone would come to meet the town. She’d loved the anonymity and hearing what people really had to say about the books. And she’d liked getting to know the bookstore owner in the process.

Sitting on the bench outside the bookstore at eight, she pulled out her computer and started typing, trying to focus on the edits she needed to make in her book. But her mind was hyperaware of every sound around her, causing her to glance up every few seconds, hoping to see Liam’s smiling face.

When she saw him strolling down the sidewalk from the elementary school, she turned her eyes back to the screen, wanting to at least appear like she was engrossed in the words.

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