Chapter Six
Evie
The comforting scent of butter and sugar filled the kitchen as I spooned dollops of cookie dough onto a baking sheet.
The rhythmic sound of Hayden’s laughter filtered down the hall, a welcome melody after the twenty-four hours of worry. I glanced at Liam, leaning against the counter casually, watching me like he was content to stay there forever.
“It’s nice to hear him laughing again,” I said, adjusting the tray before sliding it into the oven. “You bring it out of him.”
Liam nodded, his lips curving into that easy smile of his. “Kids are tough, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one bounce back as quickly as Hayden.”
“He’s resilient,” I said, wiping my hands on a dish towel. “But I kind of think it’s because you’re here.”
His gaze softened, lingering a beat too long, and I felt the warmth rise in my cheeks. “Well, I can see where he gets it.”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the smile spreading across my lips. “Are you always this charming, or do you save it for women covered in cookie dough?”
“Only the special ones,” he said, making me laugh.
I turned back to the counter, starting to prep another batch of dough.
“So,” I said, glancing at him, “you mentioned something about starting a cider company once. What’s the story there?”
Liam’s eyebrows lifted, clearly surprised by the question, but then his expression shifted into something thoughtful.
He crossed his arms, leaning against the counter as he considered his answer.
“Red Barn Cider,” he said finally, a touch of pride in his voice. “That’s the dream.”
I tilted my head, curious. “Why cider?”
“Well,” he began, “I’ve always loved the idea of taking something local, something rooted in tradition, and making it into something special. Buttercup Lake has plenty of orchards, and there’s a history here of small-batch production, community markets, that kind of thing. Not to mention, I’ve been dabbling with hard cider recipes long enough to have stumbled on a good one.”
“That sounds amazing,” I said sincerely, pausing to look at him. “Have you done anything to get it started?”
“A little,” he admitted, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve been playing around with recipes and testing blends. I’ve even got a bottler lined up to make small batches. But the hard part is finding the right space. I want to do more than just make cider—I want to create a place where people can gather, like a barn-turned-cider house. Somewhere cozy, with tastings, live music, maybe even a firepit out back and eventually produce in-house.”
My hands stilled as I imagined the vision he painted with such vividness.
“Liam, that’s… incredible. It sounds like something this town would love.”
“Yeah?” He met my eyes, and there was a flicker of vulnerability there like he wasn’t entirely sure he could pull it off.
“Absolutely,” I said, nodding. “You’ve thought this through. It’s not just a business—it’s an experience. And this town thrives on things like that.”
His smile lit up all his features. “Thanks. I’ve been passionate about it for a while, but, you know… it’s a risk. I work at the lodge. It’s consistent. I’m part owner. There are few risks there.”
“All good things come with risk,” I said, scooping another spoonful of dough onto the sheet. “But it sounds like you’re ready to take it on.”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “Maybe. Or maybe I’m just good at talking about it.”
“Come on,” I said, nudging him lightly with my elbow. “You’re not the type to back down from something you care about.”
His smile turned a little softer, a little more personal. “Guess I’ve got a habit of that, huh?”
Before I could respond, Hayden’s voice called out from his room. “Mom! Lance keeps stealing my cars!”
I laughed, saying, “Well, don’t let him drive off with them.”
Liam grinned, his gaze following the direction of Hayden’s voice. “He’s a hoot.”
“He is,” I said, my tone warm. “Keeps me on my toes, that’s for sure.”
“You’re good at it,” Liam said, and there was a weight to his words that made me pause. “Being a Mom. Balancing everything.”
“Thanks. It’s not always easy, but he makes it worth it.”
Liam nodded, his expression thoughtful. “That’s kind of how I feel about the cider thing. Like, it’s a lot to take on, but if I can make it work, it’ll be worth it.”
“You will,” I said firmly, sliding the tray into the oven. “And when you do, I expect free cider for life.”
“Deal. But only if you promise to bring cookies to the grand opening.”
“Done,” I said, grinning. “Though I might eat half of them on the way.”
“Fair enough,” he said, leaning a little closer. “I’ll even save you the best seat by the firepit.”
I glanced up at him, my pulse skipping at the way his eyes held mine.
For a moment, the kitchen felt warmer than it should’ve, the space between us charged with something unspoken.
“Mom!” Hayden called again, breaking the moment.
Liam stepped back, his smile turning playful. “I’ll keep an eye on the cookies if you want to check on the little guy.”
“I think he’s fine,” I said, shaking my head. “But I’ll go check.”
As the timer dinged, Liam pulled the cookies from the oven, the scent of chocolate chip goodness filling the room.
“You okay?” I asked Hayden.
His eyes sparkled with excitement. “Are you two going to get married.”
“Hayden,” I said in a hushed voice.
“He’s really nice.”
“Is that why you called me in here?”
“No. I wanted more soup.”
“I’ll go heat some up.” I returned to the kitchen, where Liam placed the cookie sheet on the stove.
“See,” he said, holding up his hands in mock offense. “I’m not completely hopeless in the kitchen.”
“I see that.” I poured soup into a bowl and zapped it in the microwave.
Liam took the soup and started toward the family room, calling out as he went, “Hayden, I brought your soup! And don’t worry—I left part of my finger in it, just like last time.”
Hayden’s giggles erupted, loud and pure, and I couldn’t help but laugh myself.
As I watched Liam disappear down the hall, the thought crept in before I could stop it.
What would it mean to let him in?
To let myself fall for someone like him—someone who made my son laugh like that, who made me feel seen in a way I hadn’t in years?
I didn’t know the answer yet. But I was starting to think I wanted to find out, which nearly scared me to death.
Liam walked in and leaned casually against the counter.
The faint smell of cookies still lingered in the air.
Liam’s voice broke into my thoughts. “So, does this mean you’re still on for coffee when Hayden’s back to his usual self?”
I hesitated, not because I didn’t want to, but because the thought of spending more time with him made me a little nervous.
Liam had a way of making me feel things I wasn’t sure I was ready for.
But I nodded, feeling the corners of my mouth lift into a smile. “Yeah. I’ll meet you for coffee once things settle down. Promise.”
He crossed his arms, leaning slightly forward. “Is that a real promise, or one of those I’ll get back to you promises?”
“Real,” I said firmly, laughing at his mock-skeptical expression. “Scout’s honor.”
“Were you even a scout?”
“Nope.” I grinned, and he laughed, the sound warm and effortless. “Were you?”
“No. But, I’ll take what I can get. So, what’s your secret, anyway?”
“Secret?” I asked, tilting my head.
“Yeah, how do you manage to juggle everything? Work, Hayden, a dog that looks like he moonlights as a tornado… and somehow you make it look easy.”
I chuckled, shaking my head. “It’s not easy. Trust me. It’s a lot of routine. I’ve got schedules for everything. Breakfast, work, bedtime—it all has to run like clockwork, or the wheels fall off.”
“Routine’s that important, huh?” he asked, his tone curious but light.
“Yeah,” I said, nodding. “It was something I didn’t have much of growing up.”
His smile softened, but I quickly turned back to the counter, fiddling with the dish towel to avoid elaborating.
I didn’t want to ruin our lightheartedness with stories of my chaotic childhood. My mom did her best under the circumstances, but I didn’t know half the time whether I was coming or going. I wanted something different for Hayden. It was why I loved living in Buttercup Lake so much.
“Anyway,” I said quickly, glancing at him with a smile, “it helps. Keeps me sane.”
He nodded, sensing the shift, and didn’t push. “I get that. My family’s big on routine too. Growing up, my mom had a rule about Sunday dinners—no matter what, we all had to be there. It didn’t matter if you had homework, a date, or a hangover. You showed up.”
I laughed. “Sounds like your mom knew how to keep everyone in line.”
“She did,” he said, grinning. “Still does, actually. Even now, if I’m home on a Sunday, I know better than to skip dinner.”
“Well, she sounds like my kind of woman,” I said, smiling. “I like someone who knows how to run a tight ship.”
Liam leaned forward again, his voice dropping slightly. “I think you’d get along. She’s definitely made the lodge what it has become. She and my dad, actually.”
The sound of Hayden’s footsteps padding down the hall broke the moment. He appeared in the doorway, clutching his favorite blanket in one hand and rubbing his eyes with the other. His face was still pale, but there was a small smile tugging at his lips.
“Mom, Lance wants to go outside,” he mumbled, his voice slightly hoarse.
I walked over and placed a hand on his forehead, relieved to feel that his fever had gone down.
“Lance can wait a bit, honey. You should stay in and rest. How about I let him out in a minute?”
Hayden nodded, too tired to argue, and shuffled back to the couch. Lance followed him loyally, settling beside him like the world’s fluffiest bodyguard.
“I guess I’m on dog duty,” I said, glancing at Liam with a grin.
“I’ll take care of it,” he offered immediately, stepping toward the back door. “I’ve got plenty of energy left, unlike some people in this house.”
I laughed softly, shaking my head. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Hey, I’m just trying to earn my coffee date,” he said, his tone teasing as he grabbed Lance’s leash and clipped it on. “I don’t want to get ghosted.”
Lance perked up at the sound, his tail wagging enthusiastically as Liam led him to the door.
“That is extremely unlikely,” I assured him.
“We’ll be back in a few,” Liam said, flashing me a grin before heading out into the chilly backyard with Lance trotting beside him.
I turned back to Hayden, who had already snuggled back into the couch, his eyelids drooping. “You doing okay?”
He nodded sleepily, his voice muffled by the blanket. “Yeah. Liam’s nice.”
I smiled at that, my heart warming. “Yeah, he is.”
As I waited for Liam to return, I wandered into the kitchen and leaned against the counter, letting my thoughts wander.
The way Liam had fit so seamlessly into our day, from making Hayden laugh to offering to walk the dog, felt… natural. Easy in a way I hadn’t experienced in a long time.
Who was I kidding?
I’d never felt that.
But this felt nice.
At the same time, it scared me. Letting someone in—letting someone into Hayden’s life—wasn’t something I took lightly.
The back door opened, and Liam stepped inside, rubbing his hands together to warm them.
“Lance handled his business like a pro,” he said, unclipping the leash and giving the dog a pat on the head.
“Thanks,” I said, smiling as I grabbed a towel to dry Lance’s paws. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know,” he said, leaning casually against the doorframe. “But I wanted to.”
The familiar words happily swept through me.
Lance trotted over to Hayden, settling back at his side, and Liam turned his attention to me.
“Evie, you’re doing great. With all of this—Hayden, the chaos, everything. Just thought you should hear it.”
I felt my cheeks warm at his words, but I quickly busied myself wiping down the counter. “Thanks. That means a lot.”
“I mean it,” he said, his voice softer now. “And don’t forget, I’m holding you to that coffee date.”
I glanced at him, smiling despite myself. “I haven’t forgotten. Just let me get through this stomach bug first.”
“Deal,” he said, his grin returning. “I’ll see myself out before Hayden and Lance recruit me for bedtime stories.”
I laughed softly, watching as he opened the door and entered the crisp evening air.
The warmth he left behind lingered, and I wondered what it might mean to have someone like Liam around—someone who didn’t just fit into our lives but seemed to make them better.