Page 131 of Fix Them Up
I turned to him, smiling up at his handsome face, which was flickering between disbelief and hope. I decided to put him out of his misery.
‘I’m staying.’
His head shot up.
‘What?’
‘I want to stay. Here, with you.’
‘You’re moving here? We’re doing this?’ Liam’s eyes were wide, still disbelieving. I stepped closer, wrapping my arms around his neck and leaning closer.
‘Well, you did make this house the most perfect house I’ve ever seen –’
‘You did that –’
‘And built me an art studio. Then you told me you love me. I’m afraid you won’t be able to get rid of me now.’
‘I don’t want to,’ he said, pushing me up onto my new desk, his mouth on mine, insistent and urgent. His hands were everywhere: on my neck, my cheeks, like he was trying to kiss every bit of me at the same time. Like he couldn’t decide where to start.
He pulled away. ‘You’re staying.’ We were both out of breath.
‘I’m staying.’ He kissed me again, somehow even more urgent and fervent than before.
‘How long have we got?’ I gasped between kisses.
‘Long enough.’
One Year Later
To-Do List
Pick up Abi from school (Liam)
Food shop (Kat)Already done it, Red
Prep food for tonight (Kat)In what world?
Collect Mum and Graham from the station (Kat)Sandra and Brian are on it
Make sure we have enough napkins.I brought some over from Lily’s
Just get ready, beautiful. I love you – L
‘Abi! Kat!’ Liam bellowed up the stairs. ‘We’re going to be late!’
‘Shit,’ I muttered furiously, flicking through my make-up bag, and Abigail laughed beside me.
We had been applying eyeliner for the past twenty minutes, sitting at my dressing table in our loft room. We sat on matching stools, the mirror lights illuminating our irises – mine blue, Abigail’s a deep brown, like Liam’s. I bought Abi her own after she liked to linger by my dressing table, asking me what products I used.
‘Oh yeah. I’ve seen someone use that before,’ she said after I showed her my Lancôme mascara. ‘Some millennial on YouTube, I think.’
She pretended to play it cool until I bought her a tube, with Yasmin’s approval, and she jumped up and down, squealing. I will never forget the force of her hug around my waist, her small arms wrapped around my middle, and Liam’s satisfied smile watching us together.
Since then, we’ve always done our make-up together.
I checked my watch. ‘Shit. Seven twenty. We are late.’
Abigail hummed, concentrating on applying her eyeliner. We promised Liam to leave at quarter past by the very latest. I glanced over at Abigail. Her dark hair had grown so quickly this year. Her mouth was open in a perfect ‘O’ as she applied her mascara. Her eyeliner was impeccable.
