Page 27 of My Knight Before Christmas
“If you say so. We’ll let you get some sleep,” Amy said with a last hand pat.
Liam’s warm lips found my temple, where he pressed a soft kiss. “Get feeling better, sweetheart. I’ll call you tomorrow.” The bed bounced slightly when he stood.
I really had meant to talk to Liam. I don’t know how his conscience let him take care of me when he had another woman waiting for him at home.
Twelve
Isangalongto‘This Is Me’ while I dumped cups full of flour into the industrial sized mixer at the bakery. Frostings opened at seven and we had exactly two hours left to prepare for the masses. Thankfully, Drew had earbuds in and left me in peace.
My cell buzzed in my back pocket, startling me. I wiped my hands on my apron and whipped my phone out. Liam’s name flashed across the screen along with the photo we’d taken at the beach on our second first date. I slid my finger across the phone. “Liam?”
“Hey. I’m out front. Open up.”
I glanced at the door separating the kitchen from the front counter. The circle window wasn’t big enough to allow me to see anything out front, especially in the dark. “At my house?”
“No. Frostings.”
I jerked my head. What was he doing here? “Um. Why? It’s ridiculously early.”
“Will you just let me in, please?”
Drew, in a show of unusual worry, mouthed, “You okay?”
“On my way.” I nodded to Drew, then walked out front, flipping the lights on as I went. Liam, in black athletic pants and a zip-up hoodie stood on the other side of the door holding a cup holder with three to-go cups.
I flipped the lock open, pushing the door open. “What are you doing here and so early on a Saturday?”
He dropped a kiss on my head before walking past me and placing the drinks on the counter. “How are you feeling?”
I stared at him. “Better than last night. Are you going to answer my question?”
He placed his hands on my shoulders, ducking to make eye contact with me. “We didn’t get to talk much last night, and I figured the best way to see you was to come help. It sounded like you needed an extra set of hands anyway.”
His gesture was so sweet. A theme with Liam. Time to rip the band-aid and get this over with. “Liam, we need to talk.”
His brows furrowed. “That doesn’t sound good.”
I fiddled with my apron strings tied at my waist while fighting back tears. “Who is the red-head that stays at your house?”
“What red-head?”
Puh-lease. Denying she existed was such a scumbag move. I refused to look at him, still focusing on my apron. “When I dropped off the box of treats earlier this week, she answered and said you would be home late. She looked pretty comfortable from what I could tell.”
He placed his hand over mine, stopping my fingers. “Avery, please look at me.”
I did as he asked. I hated the way I loved his eyes when the person behind them wasn’t worthy of me.
“That was my cousin, Olivia, on my dad’s side. She was in town for a work conference and I offered my place for her to crash.”
His cousin? I thought back to our interaction. She never said how she knew Liam. She only seemed upset that he wasn’t going to be home. Was he speaking the truth?
“Really, your cousin?”
“Yep.” He took his phone out and pulled up his social media account that listed her as a family member. “My cousin.” He then went to his photos and showed pictures with his sister, Olivia, and him at what appeared to be a family reunion.
“Oh.” I bobbed my head uncontrollably. She did not look like a cousin. But I also only saw her for a moment and immediately jumped to horrible conclusions because I let myself believe Liam was just like my aunt and uncle. Liam had confessed to worrying about losing me over his family drama and cutting ties first as a way to protect himself. Maybe I too, had self-sabotaged our relationship out of fear. It was time to let that fear go. Anna and Amy had told me multiple times not everyone cheated. My own parents had a great marriage. Why couldn’t I use their example as a guide instead of my aunt and uncle’s?
Liam took my hand. “I promise you, Avery, you are the only woman in my life.”
