Page 6 of Love in the Net
When Liam finally pulls into a long, gravel driveway, my breath catches. A house—or rather, amansion—comes into view, a gorgeous cabin-style home with wide windows that glow warmly against the cool night. It’s elegant but cozy, nestled among the trees like it’s been there forever.
All at once, I know where we are, and it’s not a restaurant.
“This is your house,” I say.
“Yeah,” he says, glancing at me like he’s nervous about my reaction. “I wanted something quiet. Away from the noise.”
“It’s beautiful,” I say sincerely. “Like, ridiculously beautiful. You live here alone?”
“Just me and the dogs,” he says, pulling the truck into the attached garage. “They keep me company.”
As if on cue, Bear and Scout appear at the door connecting the garage to the house, their tails wagging furiously. The moment Liam opens the door, they barrel into the garage, greeting him with enthusiastic barks and licks.
“I should’ve brought Waffles,” I say.
“Next time.” Liam gives me a flirty look and nods me into the house. “I have to go on the road in a few days, so I hate leaving the doggos alone when I’m here.”
Oh, right. He travels a lot during hockey season.
I squeeze past him and go inside, and the interior of his house is just as stunning as the outside. High ceilings with exposed wooden beams, a stone fireplace crackling in the living room, and plush furniture that manages to be both stylish and inviting. The whole place smells faintly of cedar and something warm I can’t quite place; maybe cinnamon?
“Wow,” I say, turning to him. “This is—honestly, I’m having a hard time not being jealous right now.”
He chuckles, scratching the back of his neck like he’s a little embarrassed. “I don’t spend as much time here as I’d like, but it’s home.”
“It definitely feels like home,” I say, my gaze landing on the framed photos lining the mantel. Most of them are of Bear and Scout, though there’s one of Liam in his hockey gear with his team, and another of him as a kid, grinning with a hockey stick in hand and his arm around another boy close to his age.
I turn to him and close the distance between us. “You can never come to my house.”
He grins at me. “Don’t be ridiculous. Our next date is dinner at your place.” He leads me into the kitchen where he starts pulling containers out of a couple of paper bags. “I got Chinese food. I hope that’s okay.”
“Did you talk to my half-sister?” I tease. “Chinese food is my love language.” I let Liam serve me beef and broccoli and all the snow pea chicken that will fit on my plate, and then we sit down at his big oak table.
“So, a dog bakery,” he says, plenty of questions there.
“Is that a question?” I use my chopsticks to pick up a piece of beef. “Are you asking me why I opened a dog bakery?”
Liam chuckles and shakes his head. “Yes, Claire-Bear, I’m asking you why you opened a dog bakery.”
“I used to be a vet tech,” I say while he fills his mouth with orange chicken. “I love dogs and cats, and I love baking. So I combined the two.” I say it like it’s no big deal, but I am proud of what I’ve done.
“I’ve ordered from you online,” he says. “I think my brother’s come in. He babysits Bear and Scout when I’m on the road.”
I nod and finish my bite of snow peas and chicken. “Did you grow up here?”
He shakes his head, swallows, and says, “Upstate New York.”
“Warmer here.”
“Most of the time.” He reaches over and steals my last piece of broccoli.
“Hey.”
He grins and pops it into his mouth. “Tell me about the store. Do you make all the treats yourself?”
“Yes,” I say, a hint of pride starting to creep through me. “All the recipes are mine. Tried and true. I love it, even if it’s a little challenging from time to time.”
“Challenging because…”
