13. Liam
Chapter thirteen
Liam
"You’re zoning out again, West."
Bryan’s voice cuts through the noise of my thoughts like a blade. I blink and realize I’ve been staring at the same spreadsheet for who knows how long. The numbers blur into meaningless columns on the conference table between us.
I drag a hand over my face, trying to shake it off. "Sorry," I mutter.
"Don’t be sorry," Nate adds, leaning back in his chair with that smug little grin he gets when he knows something I don’t. "Be honest. Who’s got your head all twisted up?"
Bryan chuckles quietly. He already knows.
I scowl, but it feels half-hearted. "We’re supposed to be talking about the yacht project."
"Yeah," Bryan says dryly, "but it’s hard to talk about yachts when you keep staring into space like some lovesick poet. Spill it."
I lean back in my chair and cross my arms, but it’s no use. They’re both looking at me like sharks circling.
I let out a sigh and admit it. "Lucy."
Nate’s grin widens. "Knew it."
Bryan leans forward, resting his forearms on the table. "What happened? You finally made a move?"
I hesitate. Even saying it out loud feels… risky. Like if I name it, it’ll ruin the quiet, fragile thing we’ve got between us. But what the hell. I’m not about to lie to these two.
"I don’t know how to explain it. Two nights ago. After dinner. At your place," I say to Bryan. "We were walking outside after everyone left. It just… happened. I kissed her."
Nate lets out a low whistle. "Finally."
Bryan just watches me carefully. He doesn’t say anything yet, and somehow that’s worse.
I rub the back of my neck, feeling the weight of the moment all over again. "I don’t know what to make of it. She melted in my hands — I know she felt it. But then she wouldn’t even look at me when I dropped her off. Just stared out the window the whole way home."
Bryan speaks up then. "And?"
"And what?" I shoot back, frustrated.
"And what do you want from her, West? You planning to chase her, or are you gonna keep dancing around it like you’ve been?"
I pause, staring at him. "I want…" I trail off, because the words stick in my throat.
I want her to look at me like I’m the reason she smiles. I want her to stop pulling away every time I get too close. I want her to let me in — really let me in — and not shut me out the second it starts to feel real.
I want her.
But all I say is, "I don’t know."
Nate groans and throws his hands up. "Unbelievable. You’ve got the girl — shy, gorgeous, clearly into you — and you’re over here acting like it’s rocket science."
"It’s not that simple," I snap.
"Why?" Nate shoots back. "Because she’s quiet? Because she’s not throwing herself at you? Maybe she’s not like the other women you’ve dated. So what? She’s better."
That hits a little too close, and I look down at the table.
Bryan stays quiet a beat longer before chiming in. "Maybe she’s been through something you don’t know about. People don’t shut down for no reason, Liam. You can’t just bulldoze your way through with her. You’ve got to be patient. Let her come to you."
I glance up at him, and his eyes are steady. Bryan’s always been the practical one of us three. He’s not wrong.
Nate, predictably, rolls his eyes. "Sure. Be patient. But don’t be a coward either. Don’t wait so long she thinks you don’t care."
I let out a humorless laugh. "You two make it sound so easy."
Bryan shrugs. "It’s not easy. But it’s worth it."
Nate smirks, leaning back in his chair. "Besides, it’s fun watching you fall on your face. Never thought I’d see the day Liam West, king of Ocean Bay, got tripped up by a girl who works the front desk at an animal clinic."
"Shut up," I mutter, but there’s no heat behind it.
Bryan chuckles and gives me a knowing look. "Time will tell, West. You can keep pretending it’s nothing if you want. But we all see it. You’re already gone for her."
I rub my hands over my face, groaning. "She just… she pulls away. Every time I think we’re getting somewhere, she puts up another wall. And I don’t know what on earth to do with that."
Bryan leans back now, watching me like he’s already figured me out. "Do nothing. Let her see you’re not going anywhere. That’s all you can do. Be steady. Be there. The rest? That’s on her."
I sit there, staring at the vase of flowers in the corner of the office, white lilies and pale roses, almost like the ones I brought her.
Maybe you’re right. Maybe it’s not about fixing her. Maybe it’s just about showing her I’m here.
Nate claps me on the back as he stands. "There’s the man I know. You’ll figure it out. Just don’t screw it up, yeah? We’ve got a reputation to uphold."
I roll my eyes as they both head out of the office, but Bryan lingers by the door.
"West," he says, his voice quieter now.
I look up.
"You deserve this too. Don’t forget that."
And then he’s gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I lean back in my chair, staring at the ceiling.
Do I deserve her?
I don't even know. But I know one thing.
I want to deserve her.
The rest of the afternoon is a blur. Meetings. Emails. Calls. But my mind keeps drifting back to her. To the way her lips felt against mine. To the way she wouldn’t meet my eyes after.
By the time I leave the office, the sky over Ocean Bay is painted in streaks of gold and pink. The air smells like saltwater and possibility.
I get in my car, but I don’t start it right away.
I reach for my phone instead.
Her name is right there at the top of my messages.
I type something. Delete it. Type again. Delete.
Finally, I just put the phone down and start the engine.
Because Bryan’s right.
I can’t force her to let me in.
All I can do is show up … and hope that someday, she decides to open the door.
I’ll wait for her. As long as it takes.
***
"I've had enough of this."
The words come out of my mouth before I even know I’ve thought them.
I’m standing in my kitchen, the morning sun spilling through the window, painting the counters in soft gold. I’ve been staring into a cup of black coffee for twenty minutes. Didn’t sleep last night. Didn’t sleep the night before that, either.
Two whole nights without her. And for what?
To give her space? To pretend the kiss didn't happen.
Yeah, no. I'm not doing that anymore.
I set the mug down, grab my keys off the hook, and head for the door.
Because if I have to sit through one more hour wondering what’s going on in her head, I’ll lose my damn mind.
The drive to the clinic is quick this time. Ocean Bay is quiet this early — gulls circling, boardwalk just starting to wake up. But my chest is tight the whole way.
I stop at a little shop near the harbor first, pick up the package that came in this morning. The clerk smiles when she hands it to me, a little curious no doubt, but I don’t stop to explain. Just thank her and leave.
I remember the way her eyes lit up when she mentioned it at dinner. Said she used to have it all the time when she was little, but you can’t get it around here. Said she tried ordering it and they told her it’d take at least a month to come.
Well. Not if you know the right people.
I walk into Gracie’s Animal Haven feeling more nervous than I expected. The smell of disinfectant and pet shampoo hits me immediately. Somewhere in the back, I can hear the low rumble of dogs barking, cats mewling.
And then I see her.
Lucy.
She’s at the front desk; her head bent over some paperwork. One of the ferrets Pip or Nibbs, I can't tell which one is which… is draped over her shoulder like a living scarf.
My chest squeezes.
"Good morning," I say.
She looks up, startled. And then her eyes widen.
"Liam, what are you doing here?" she breathes.
I hold up the little box, and for the first time in days, I see her face soften.
"I brought this for you," I say, setting it down on the counter.
She blinks. "What is it?"
"Open it."
Her fingers tremble slightly as she unties the ribbon and lifts the lid.
Inside is a pint of Belgian chocolate gelato. Her favorite. The exact brand she said she hadn’t had in years.
I watch her stare at it, and something in her eyes shifts — something unguarded and vulnerable and so damn beautiful I can barely stand it.
Her voice is quiet. "But… how? They told me it would take weeks."
I shrug, leaning casually against the counter even though my heart is hammering. "I have my ways."
She shakes her head slowly, a breathless little laugh escaping her. "Of course you do."
Her smile real, warm, wide almost knocks me over.
"You like it?" I ask, softer now.
She finally looks up at me, really looks. And she melts, just for a second. "I love it," she whispers.
Good. That’s all I needed.
It takes her a minute to get her bearings again. But when she does, she glances toward the back and then back at me, nervous now.
"Do you… want to talk? Alone?"
I ask and she nods. "Yeah."
She gestures for me to follow her, and we duck into a little break room just off the hallway. It smells faintly of coffee and dog treats, and the tension between us is so thick I can barely breathe.
We stand there for a second, both of us fidgeting, neither of us quite knowing where to start.
And then —
"I just—"
She stops. So do I.
We both spoke at the same time.
We freeze, staring at each other.
"Go ahead," I say, forcing a little smile.
But she shakes her head quickly. "No. You first."
I arch a brow. "Ladies first."
Her lips press into a thin line, and she hesitates. Then she takes a deep breath and blurts it out.
"I just wanted to say… about the kiss. The other night."
I swallow hard, my chest tightening.
She won’t look at me.
"It was just… a thing of the moment," she continues, her voice almost a whisper now. "And I don’t… I don’t want it to mess up our friendship. I really value having you as a friend, Liam. And I just… I don’t think it should change anything between us."
I don’t move. Don’t speak.
Because for a second — just a second — it feels like someone stuck a knife in my ribs and twisted.
That kiss was everything to me.
But not to her. Or maybe she just won’t let herself admit it.
I force a smile, though every muscle in my body feels like it’s made of stone.
"Yeah," I say, finally. My voice is even. Calm. "You’re right. It doesn’t have to change anything."
She lets out a breath, shoulders sagging a little, and something in me aches at how relieved she looks.
"Good," she says softly. "I thought it would be harder than this."
I nod, even though her words hit harder than they should.
I’ve been here before. Goodness, I’ve been here my whole damn life, wanting someone who keeps their walls up so high you can barely see over them.
But this time feels different. This time… I want to climb them.
"Hey," I say, keeping my tone light. "We can just… go with the flow, yeah?"
Her eyes flick up to mine, cautious but grateful. "Yeah. That sounds good."
I smile. Not because it’s good. But because it’s what she needs to hear.
For now.
I don’t want to leave it like this, though. Before I go, I turn back to her.
"Listen," I say casually. "There’s the Ocean Bay Festival this weekend. Thought maybe you’d want to come with me. I could show you around, show you what this town’s really like."
Her eyes widen slightly, and for the first time all morning, she looks genuinely excited.
"The festival?" she echoes.
"Yeah."
A shy little smile creeps across her face. "Everyone’s been telling me how beautiful it is."
I grin. "Well. Guess you’ll have to see for yourself."
She hesitates, then nods. "Okay. I’d love to."
Something loosens in my chest.
"Good," I say, and I mean it.
As I walk back to my car, I feel lighter than I have in days.
Lighter, but cautious,
Because she’s letting me in, even if just a little at a time.
And I’ll take it.
Whatever it takes to bring those walls down.
One brick at a time.