Page 99 of Fix Them Up
Across the room, Liam and his dad were engrossed in conversation. Their eyes came to me, and I flushed. But Liam smiled, and Liam’s dad headed for me. My stomach swooped. I’d never met the parents of someone I was… well, whatever we were.
‘Dad. This is Kat. Kat, this is Kevin,’ Liam said, gesturing to me.
Kevin Hunter had grey hair, a strong, square jaw, and twinkling blue eyes. He was shorter than Liam and had one of those smiles you could feel in the room. I could understand why so many people asked him for help. Kevin struck me as the kind of man you wanted when your car broke down or you had IKEA furniture to assemble. He looked strong, sturdy, and capable.
‘Lovely to meet you, Kat. I’ve heard a lot about you.’ Liam’s Dad smiled and went to hug me. Everyone was very… tactile. ‘I’m Kevin,’ he said. ‘I heard you’ve been causing my son grief.’
My eyes widened. ‘Oh.’
Liam rolled his eyes. ‘He’s pulling your leg, Kat. Ignore him.’
Kevin’s eyes twinkled. ‘He probably needs it.’ He looked at his son. ‘Someone to shake things up, huh?’
A silent conversation was shared between them.
‘So, what do you do, Kat?’
‘I’m a graphic designer.’
‘And you live in London?’
‘For now,’ I said, keeping my voice light.
Liam’s eyebrows shot up.
‘How’s it coming along with the house?’ Brian asked while opening the oven and checking the chicken.
Liam glanced at me, an expectant look on his face like he wanted to know, too.
‘Great,’ I said, forcing a smile under the expectation of their gazes on me. ‘Thanks to Liam. I don’t know what I would have done if he hadn’t taken the job.’ I turned to Kevin. ‘I haven’t had a chance to thank you for letting Liam jump on the project quickly and only charging me for the materials. You have no idea how grateful I am.’ I glanced at Liam. ‘We got off on the wrong foot, Liam and me. So I imagine he wouldn’t have accepted without someone to coerce him.’ I smiled and shoved Liam with my shoulder.
Kevin’s heavy brows knitted together. ‘Coerce –’
‘Dad –’
Kevin barked a laugh. ‘I didn’t have to say anything. He jumped at the chance.’ Kevin’s eyes twinkled as he glanced between Liam and me. ‘And now I can see why. I don’t think Liam could resist helping the pretty girl he was holding a flame for.’
‘Dad,’ Liam said, as his cheeks flushed.
Kevin continued. ‘Well, obviously, I’d have always helped you, Kat. But it was our Liam who suggested we absorb the labour costs.’
I turned to Liam, and he was scratching his head, looking anywhere but at me. He couldn’t have known me for more than a week, and he’d missed out on thousands and thousands of pounds to help me out.
Gratitude surged inside my chest, making my eyes burn.
‘Especially strange because he’s always on my back for helping people –’
‘– Bending over backwards to help people,’ Liam inserted.
Lydia leaned on the back of Liam’s shoulders, messing up his hair. ‘Oh, you mean like not charging customers you fancy?’
Liam went a bit red. He was blushing, and all I could do was stare in amazement.
‘Liam –’ I started, unsure what I was even going to say.
Thank you.
Let me pay you back.
