Page 4 of Meant To Be

“I’m coming,” I tell him, taking a deep cleansing breath and following behind him. If he does end up being a creep, which I’m highly doubting now especially after taking care of everything for me thus far, but if he is, I have my purse with a can of mace.

I walk into the mudroom from the garage and see what looks like a work in progress. I guess what the diner patrons say is true, he bought this old place and is working on it when he’s home from his month long disappearances.

We continue into the house and I’m blown away. He’s clearly made it an open floor plan, and the kitchen and living room are amazing. Liam’s house isn’t overly large. It’s more of a family style home, where it feels homey even with the lack of furniture or knick-knacks.

“You’ve really done a great job on your home,” I tell him honestly.

“Thanks. It’s definitely a work in progress. Is pepperoni, pineapple, and bacon okay for you?” he questions.

“Sure. I can’t say that I’ve ever had pineapple on pizza before, but I’m so hungry I’m not sure that it would matter.”

He gets out some chips from a cabinet, opens the bag, pours some salsa from the jar, and puts it into the bowl. Then turns back to the fridge and asks, “Want a beer?”

“Thanks, but no thanks. I’m only twenty,” I whisper out. I’m almost ashamed to admit that, but he doesn’t say anything else. He just pulls out a bottle of water and sets it down on the counter.

“No problem, figured you were young. I wasn’t sure though,” he says as he sits down at a bar stool and I take my seat as well.

We sit around talking about how I’m in school and in my last semester until I then have to intern at a salon. Then I can branch out on my own and finally quit working at the diner.

He tells me he’s home for another a month before he has to go back to the Middle East where he does security. Once the pizza is here, we both devour our slices and it’s not long until I’m yawning.

“Come on, I’ll take you home,” he grasps my hand and leads me back through the garage towards his truck. I’m taken aback when he opens the passenger door for me and keeps a hand on the small of my back until I’m in my seat. Liam makes sure I’m buckled before heading to the driver’s side and buckling himself in.

“Where to?” he asks.

“I’m off of Seventh Street and Avenue C,” I tell him as he puts the truck in reverse and heads to my small studio apartment.

Chapter Five

Liam

I wasn’t really ready to say goodnight to Everly, plus, from the looks of her studio apartment, there wasn’t much in the way of security. Something I know I’ll be taking care of along with her car. Everly has this beautiful presence about her, one I want to get to know more of. I knew if I walked in to her apartment, I wouldn’t leave. I’d either demand to stay there or I’d bring her home with me. I wouldn’t care if she was kicking and screaming the whole way.

Instead, I held my hand out for her phone, programmed my number in to hers, and then rang my number till I felt my cell buzz in my pocket. I kissed her cheek and said, “Goodnight Everly. I’ll call you tomorrow about your car.”

“’Night, Liam. Thank you for helping me out so much,” she says in a hushed tone, making it harder and harder for me to leave, but I do.

I get into my truck and wait until I see her front door close. I watch as she turns on some lights, only then do I head for home.

By the time I get home, it’s already going on ten o’clock. I’m dog tired after working on my house, but I know I won’t sleep, not until I know what Everly’s car will need. This way I can hit the auto store and get her back up and running. I’m thankful as fuck that she told me she had the weekend off and wouldn’t need a car. It just further solidifies that there’s something about her, something that has me yearning for more, and not liking the fact that she was tempted to junk her car and walk or take the bus back and forth to work and school. Like fuck I would let that happen.

I park in my driveway, open the garage door, then turn on the radio and strip off my shirt as I walk to Everly’s car. I’m under the hood and it’s worse than I thought, but nothing I can’t fix. At least I know taking the mechanic’s class in high school is being put to good use. I know she has a warped head gasket, what I continue to find out is she needs all new hoses and water pump. Calling it quits for the night is not what I wanted to do, but I need to head into the house and hop in the shower again to wash of this grime.

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