Page 90 of Gravity of Love
The corners of his mouth twitched with amusement. “He doesn’t do CrossFit.”
“Oh, thank god.” She placed her hand on her chest and bent forward in exaggerated relief.
“He’s funny. Really funny. But has a dry sense of humor. He’s the most intelligent person I know. He got a thirty-five on his ACT and a 1560 on his SATs. He was asked to join Mensa when he was seventeen. As far as I know, he’s not a big drinker. And if hewasa serial killer, he’s smart enough to get away with it.”
“That’shot.”
“It’s hot that he could be a serial killer and get away with it?”
“Yousaid he’s a good guy, the best guy you know. You don’t throw compliments like that around willy-nilly.”
“Willy nilly?” he repeated.
“So, I’m thinking he’d be like Dexter if he was a serial killer.” She grinned. “Hot.”
Liam couldn’t tell whether Poppy was serious or not about finding the possibility of AJ being a serial killer that only killed other killers hot. He was leaning towards was. But she seemed like herself again, so even if she was being serious that she thought AJ being a serial killer like Dexter was hot, he was okay with it. “You’re not going to ask about Niko?”
“Nope.” She shook her head with a determined gleam in her eyes.
“He plays professional baseball.”
Poppy shrugged, wholly uninterested.
It was strange that even through a photo Poppy was more attracted to one twin than the other. It had been that way their entire life. It was very rare for someone to be interested in both brothers. In most situations they had very strong, intense feelings for one or the other. And thankfully, it worked the same way when it came to their attraction to the opposite sex. Liam couldn’t remember the twins ever having the same love interest.
Poppy got a page, which thankfully ended this AJ inquisition. “See ya tomorrow.” She smiled, then turned on her heels.
Liam sighed in relief as he stepped on the sensor again, which opened the double glass doors. This time he actually made it out of the hospital and into the fresh evening air, leaving the hospital for the final time, at least in an official capacity.
As he walked to the parking lot, he checked his phone. He hadn’t had a chance all day thanks to the accident and everyone wanting to say goodbye. He had a text from Frankie from that morning at ten thirty.
Frankie:We need to talk. Something happened. I did something, and I need to tell you. Call me.
She’d never asked him to call her before. He pressed her name, and it rang four times and then went to voicemail. He didn’t leave a message. He texted back saying he just got off work and tried to call.
His mind was spinning as he drove home. He tried calling her two more times, but there was no answer.
We need to talk. Never a great start.
Something happened. Sounded ominous.
I did something, and I need to tell you. Nothing good in that sentence.
Call me. That request didn’t sit well with him.
He knew that the welcome dinner had already started. That could be why she didn’t have her phone on her.
Liam tried to relax on his drive to Hope Falls. He rolled his head to the side and attempted to relax his shoulders. Every part of his body had been wired tight since he’d left Frankie in bed this morning, her body tangled in the sheets. Her words echoing in his head all day, “I love you.” Three words. No hesitation, her voice soft and calming the way only Frankie could sound. As she dozed off in his arms, and he told her that he loved her, she replied, “I love you, too, I always have.”
He’d finally admitted his feelings for her, and the world hadn’t stopped spinning. No one had died. He wasn’t struck down by lightning. He’d actually believed they could finally be together. Maybe not tonight, or even this weekend. He assumed despite his brother being a total asshat, she still wouldn’t want to do anything that might spoil her mom’s weekend, and he couldn’t blame her. But she’d told him that she loved him, and he told her the same. That meant something. It changed everything.
But now, now his body was wired for an entirely different reason because of her text.
The thirty-minute drive was a blur of pine tree shadows as he focused on the tunnel of light in front of him. It passed in what felt like the blink of an eye and also a year. As he turned onto Main Street in his truck, the crisp night air rolled in through the crack in the window, replaying the four words,I love you, too,on repeat. The words,I always have, also played like a broken record, over and over.
They’d wasted so many years denying their feelings, an abyss between them, like two people on opposite sides of a frozen lake, always afraid to be the first to cross the ice. But now, it wasn’t a secret anymore. Frankie loved him, and he loved her. It sounded absurdly simple when he said it in his head, like something thatbelonged on a grocery store greeting card or in the corner of a high school yearbook. The truth of it made his chest ache.
In that time, she’d been with his brother. He didn’t want to think about the fact that Tristan had touched her, kissed her, and all the other things he’d done with her. He knew he had no right to be jealous, but the truth was, Liam felt like Frankie was his, he always had. Which was fucking ridiculous. She didn’tbelongto him.
