Page 41 of This Heart
“Harper got most of it, so please, no worries.”
It was true, there was only one other thing to dry off and put away. Once Liam and Kim left the kitchen, I glanced over my shoulder. Liam’s house wasn’t an open floorplan, so I couldn’t see what was happening in the other room. I decided that was a good thing because if I had to hear that woman be rude to my friends, I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep my mouth shut.
As I put the last dish away, Liam entered the kitchen. I smiled. “All done.”
“Thank you for that. I already thanked Harper.”
Shrugging, I replied, “It wasn’t a big deal. I meant to ask you, when did you put the picture of Hope in Winnie’s room?”
“A couple of months back. I wanted her to have something that she could say good morning and goodnight to.”
“I love that idea.”
He pushed his hands into his jeans.
The awkwardness in the room was thick, and it was evident that Liam could also feel it.
“Aurora, I feel like maybe something is wrong?”
I shook my head. “Nothing is wrong. I promise.”
He nodded. “It’s felt strange since you got here, and I don’t want you to think there is anything between me and Kim.”
That caught me by surprise. “I have to admit I was a bit surprised she had dinner with you this evening.”
“No, she didn’t. She was early and happened to show up when Winnie and I were wrapping up dinner. She mentioned not eating, so I offered for her to have some leftover tacos.”
I felt like a fool for being relieved, but I also didn’t want Liam to think I was jealous. “Liam, honestly, what you do with your private life is just that. Private. You don’t owe me any explanations.”
Smiling, he said, “I know, but I needed you to know that, for whatever reason.”
I glanced around the kitchen before looking back at him. He was staring at me, and if I hadn’t known better, I swore he wanted to…
No. Aurora, you are off in another world, girl.
“We should go join everyone and start the movie.”
He snapped out of whatever daze he was in and laughed. “Right. Let’s go watch this movie of yours.”
Kian, Declan, and Harper all fell asleep during the movie, leaving only me, Cadie, Kim, and Liam to watch it. When it was over, I turned to Liam and smiled.
“What did you think?”
Before he could reply, Kim spoke. “That was silly.”
Turning to Kim, I asked, “Silly good or silly bad?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t like it.”
“Is it because she was a nanny?” Cadie asked.
Kim shot her a look. “It had nothing to do with that. I simply didn’t like the movie.”
“I thought it was cute. I liked how she changed during the movie from scaring the kids to them adoring her!”
Kim tilted her chin up and sniffed. “It was unbelievable.”
I giggled. “Of course it was, it was a movie. Nanny McPhee is one of my favorite characters.”
