Page 29 of Fix Them Up
‘Yes, Kat. Sorry, love.’ Dot smiled.
‘No problem.’
Liam’s eyes trailed over me. ‘Yes, we’ve met. Kat called me a prick the first time we met.’
I choked.
‘What did you do?’ Dot asked Liam, her eyebrows drawn.
‘I stole her parking space.’
‘Liam,’ Dot said, her lips pursed. ‘Really.’
‘At my dad’s funeral.’
Dot’s eyes went comically wide, and Liam gave me a dirty look as if to say,You didn’t have to add that particular detail.
‘I deserved it,’ Liam said, his eyes not leaving mine. I could feel my cheeks burning, but I wasn’t sure why.
Dot clicked her teeth. ‘Your mum brought you up better than that, Liam.’
‘I know.’ He glanced at me. ‘But in all fairness, I couldn’t help but want to get under her skin.’ Liam’s lips lifted. ‘She made it too easy.’
‘You sound like your brother,’ Dot said, shaking her head. ‘How is that troublesome brother of yours?’
The light left Liam’s eyes as he smiled tightly. ‘Last I heard, he was in Peru hiking Machu Picchu.’
‘He needs to be careful. That’s dangerous business.’
‘Ren will get it out of his system soon enough.’
‘I used to teach them both piano,’ Dot explained for my benefit. ‘Liam always practised his scales. You were competent enough.’
‘“Competent enough”, what a compliment,’ Liam said, and I held back a smile at his tone.
‘But Ren, well, sometimes he wouldn’t turn up. His mum would be so livid with him, and he’d bring me presents to apologise. Sweets or some flowers he’d picked. He was so much trouble but always loveable. Cheeky.’
‘Yep, that’s Ren,’ Liam said, an edge to his voice.
‘How’s your mum?’ Dot asked.
Liam took a sharp intake of breath. ‘She’s good. Still gardening.’
‘Oh, good. I haven’t seen her in a long while.’ Dot looked into the distance. ‘After I stopped teaching the two boys, we became friends, Lily and I,’ Dot explained. ‘We were thick as thieves. I’ll have to drop by and see her soon.’
‘She’d like that.’ Liam squeezed Dot’s hands.
‘Right, can I get you ladies a drink?’
‘Oh, I couldn’t.’ Dot changed her mind quickly. ‘Maybe a small glass of port.’
‘Port.’ Liam looked at me. ‘Guinness?’
‘I’ll have a prosecco.’ I glanced up at him. ‘Someone told me that it’s more “ladylike”.’
Liam held my gaze, and then his eyes flicked down me, lighting little fires along my skin.
‘You’re ladylike enough. Guinness?’
