Chapter Twenty-Six
Kat’s To-Do List
Prep for design meeting with Liam
Collect paint samples & fabrics
Call Mum back
Do not get attached
‘Twenty-two thousand pounds?’ I choked, coughing.
My eyes shifted to the designs on the screen of EH Kitchen and Bathrooms. Liam’s hand came up and gently patted my back.
The shop was brightly lit, the light bouncing off the white quartz countertops they had on display.
At the desk, Andrea, the designer, thrummed her pink acrylic nails against her desk as she bit her lip.
We had spent the past hour designing the new bathroom and kitchen at Liam’s favourite shop, EH Kitchen and Bathrooms.
‘It’s owned by a local couple, Andrea and Ron,’ he explained on the journey while his large hand rested on my thigh. ‘They are the only place I go for fittings ’cos I know they’ll be the best.’
I’d walked in, excited about the show bathroom on display with a huge roll-top bath. Liam was welcomed like a hero returning from war. Hugs and slaps on the back. I shrunk back a little. It was yet another place where everyone knew everyone. It was like overhearing people speak another language.
‘I know, it’s dear,’ Andrea said, glancing up from the screen, ‘the fixtures you picked are top of the range, you see.’
My eyes flicked to Liam. He rubbed his hands across his jaw.
The long stubble was turning into a beard, and it annoyingly suited him more.
It seemed to bring out his brown eyes. I was worried he wasn’t shaving because he seemed to spend every hour at my house these days.
We’d had a burst pipe, which caused a leak in the bathroom.
Then, the next week, he found rotten floorboards that needed replacing in the kitchen, too. Yet, none of it fazed him.
I’d been the one to panic. But he told me in reassuring tones and soft caresses that it was fine. He repeated that they were minor hiccups and they were still running to the timetable.
Liam frowned at me, quizzical.
What?
I shook my head.
Nothing.
God, the navy T-shirt he was wearing today made him seem so…
fuckable. It made his arms look delicious.
After our public rendezvous at the house, I had managed to sneak out without seeing Danny’s amused face and with my dignity intact – barely.
In an act of revenge, I teased Liam on the way home, palming him while I whispered exactly what I would do to him once I got my hands on him.
He turned to me, his eyes blazing. ‘Wanna put your money where your mouth is?’ His eyes flickered down to my lips.
I grinned and checked my wrist. ‘I believe you are late for the Joneses.’
He swore filthily, sporting a huge erection, and pulled off the drive while I giggled my way into the house for a nap.
Since then, we hadn’t spent any time alone.
Abigail had the flu, so I volunteered to stay home with her when Liam was forced to firefight problems with the Joneses’ extension.
Liam had wanted to stay with her, and I could see it was eating him up.
He asked if I was sure about fifty times.
Once I convinced him, he made Abigail’s favourite chicken soup, and I finally shoved him out the door.
Abi and I played Animal Crossing all morning.
Then, I drafted the rebrand for HBC while Abi slept, her cheeks pink with fever.
When Liam returned, smelling of sweat and rain, Abigail announced she had had a great day and wanted to stay with us for the rest of the week.
As much as I wanted some alone time with Liam, I couldn’t help but bask in the glory of her words.
It was fucking hard to get a pre-teen to like you.
They had a discerning taste, but I had passed the test. Plus, it was nice having her around.
Liam was playful and light when she was around.
It was like Abigail lifted his mood like no one else could – not even me.
Abigail got away with murder. Liam let her paint his nails.
I finally got to braid his hair, making Abigail snort Coke out of her nose at the sight.
‘I could see if we could bring down the price, maybe,’ Andrea replied, her eyes scanning the 3D renderings of the designs.
I felt stupid. I proudly showed Andrea my plans, gushing over the dark blue cabinet doors, the herringbone tiles, and the fluted glass cabinets, even though I knew the latter might not be the most practical choice.
The finger smudges would be a bitch. My eyes lit up when Andrea mentioned a wine fridge, and I couldn’t help but hurl a yes and immediately ask where we could fit it.
Liam sat beside me, his lips twitching at my excitement.
For the bathroom, I picked a big roll-top bath with simple white tiles on the floor but accented with a half wall of green tiles on the walls. Liam and I argued over the old mid-century dresser I wanted to source and turn into a double sink with a round mirror and wall lights on either side.
Liam shook his head. ‘The vanity unit will be a nightmare.’
‘What do you mean?’ I recoiled.
‘The wood. It’s not good in bathrooms. It warps easily and gets watermarks. It’s not practical.’
‘But it’s beautiful. And I can repurpose an old dresser. It will probably be cheaper.’
‘Cheaper, apart from all the hours it will take me to fit the sink.’
I leaned in. ‘If you can’t do it, maybe Danny could help,’ I said sweetly.
Liam’s eyes jumped to mine, a challenge in them that made my blood hum.
Eventually, I won.
Liam sighed. ‘I’ll do it, but I warned you. Don’t complain when the thing is covered in water stains.’
I grinned. ‘Thank you.’
And now, all my hard work convincing him was pointless – there was no way I could afford this design.
I’d got so caught up that I’d forgotten to mention the budget.
Even Liam was animated, chipping in to recommend particular appliances he’d fitted before and rated.
I imagined him behind the huge range oven and flinched.
Throughout all of this, I wasn’t picturing an imaginary family at the kitchen island or kicking off their shoes to sit on the sofa. They didn’t have blank faces.
I was imagining Liam and me.
I imagined him standing at that oven, which sparkled silver, with that beautiful, determined look when he was cooking something new. I imagined us dancing in the kitchen to Glenn Miller like we had at the club. I was imagining a life with him.
I swallowed hard.
This was not happening. It couldn’t happen. There were no strings attached. It was casual.
But as I glanced at Liam, I realised he was watching me, his eyebrows drawn together. His hand came down on my thigh and squeezed.
‘You okay?’ My heart fluttered. Stupid heart.
‘There’s no chance I can afford this,’ I said, keeping my voice low so Andrea couldn’t overhear.
‘Andrea.’ Liam glanced up, a stubborn angle to his jaw. ‘Do you think you could sharpen your pencil on this?’
My head whipped to him. ‘What are you doing?’ I whispered.
‘Trying to get you a better deal,’ he whispered back.
‘Oh.’
Andrea clicked her teeth. ‘I can try, Liam. But it’s tricky with customs. You and Kat have picked out some of our more expensive European fittings – the bath and shower.’
‘If you can do anything, I’d appreciate it,’ Liam said, and Andrea nodded, rising out of her office chair and said she’d call the company and see if any of the prices had come down in the last few months.
‘I can’t believe you just did that,’ I said, flushed.
‘What? You never haggled before?’
‘No.’ I’d never had anything to haggle for.
Liam tutted. God, I wish he’d stop doing that. ‘You shouldn’t accept the price the first time. There’s always some wiggle room somewhere.’
‘No.’ I shook my head. ‘I couldn’t do that. It’s too embarrassing.’
He chuckled. ‘Andrea is used to it. Besides, I bring them a lot of business.’
‘Don’t you think a lot of yourself?’ I teased.
Liam smirked. ‘I’m just telling the truth, Red.
’ He leaned forward, brushing his thumb across my lips.
Blood rushed to my cheeks. ‘Did I tell you how beautiful you look when you’re excited about something?
Your eyes light up, a bright blue. For the past hour, I’ve wanted to take you home and see how I can make you look at me like that. ’
‘Yeah?’
‘Yeah.’
Liam’s eyes were like soft brown sugar, flitting from my eyes to my lips.
‘If you want the designs, we can make it happen. You just tell me, and I’ll fit whatever you want. As long as that look stays on your face, I’ll move mountains.’
Air whooshed out of my lungs.
I jumped when Andrea’s voice shouted through the shop. ‘Fifteen per cent discount, not including sale items.’
She shuffled back to her seat, the noise creaking. ‘Brings it down to… about nineteen grand.’ She glanced up. ‘Or we can redesign something more cost-effective.’
Cheaper. Simple.
I refused to make the house one of those soulless grey temples that landlords charge a million pounds a month to rent.
But it didn’t mean I couldn’t make the fittings cheaper.
The designs were more extravagant than they needed to be, that was certain.
I’d picked the gold fittings in the bathroom to complement the dark green tiles.
Those cost more than standard chrome, I was sure.
I bit my lip.
‘Hey,’ Liam said, his eyes meeting mine. ‘Whatever you want.’
He meant it. Liam would do whatever I asked. He would fit whatever I wanted. And I had a sneaky feeling he would accept whatever I wanted when it came to us, too. He was solid and reliable, like the foundations of a house.
And I was not.
I was flighty and chaotic, and I always changed my mind.
I would mess him around and leave a path of destruction in my wake.
I knew it. I mean, even Mum didn’t believe in me and she was supposed to love me unconditionally.
I needed to nip this whole fluttering heart situation in the bud. This was supposed to be a bit of fun.
I faced Andrea. ‘Let’s go with the cheaper option.’
*
Liam and I walked across the grey car park to his van. Over the past half hour, Andrea clicked ‘empty basket’ on my entire design, and I felt like I’d drooped like a tulip out of water.
‘Kat,’ Liam said from the driver’s seat, the grey sky flickering past us. Even the weather knew it was a miserable day. ‘You’re killing me here.’
‘Sorry,’ I said, sitting up straight and smiling. ‘I’m fine.’
‘No, you’re not.’ Liam’s lips were in a fine line. ‘Come on, let it out.’
I inhaled and, on the exhale, blurted out, ‘I just had this vision, and now I realise how stupid and naive it was to get attached. The whole time, this was about profit. Nothing more. But those designs we picked after’ – I laughed – ‘I hate that I had to choose the cheaper kitchen, not just because it’s ugly, but because I know it won’t last very long.
It will get worn down and look tired in a couple of years. It’s not going to last.’
Liam nodded, his hand coming over to my thigh. ‘I’m sorry, sweetheart.’
‘It’s okay, really.’ I sighed. ‘I think I’m just feeling a bit homesick, maybe –’ I thought about London and my mum and work. And I didn’t feel anything, really. Some residual guilt over lying to my mum for so long and dodging her calls. I thought about Willa – ‘I think I miss Willa.’
‘Your friend?’
‘My best friend.’
‘How did you meet?’
‘We met at uni years ago. Wills turned up to lectures fifteen minutes early with perfectly blow-dried hair and matching stationery. She was sat at the end of a row, so when I turned up late, having slept through my alarm, I sat myself in the closest seat, next to her.’ I smiled at the memory of us – eighteen, young and clueless, with so much ahead of us.
‘We clicked. It’s thanks to Willa that I have a degree.
She helped keep me organised and offered to body double with me at the library. ’
Liam frowned. ‘Body double? Is that like… sexual –’
I laughed. ‘No. I can concentrate better when someone is working beside me. I suppose it’s like I mimic them.’
‘Right. And you miss Willa, being up here?’
‘This is the longest we’ve not seen each other’ – I racked my brain – ‘probably since uni.’
‘Wow.’
‘Yup.’
‘I haven’t seen my mates in six months.’
‘Oh my god.’ I shake my head. ‘You should text them and arrange something! One of you is probably waiting for the other to do it first. Typical men.’
Liam shrugged. ‘Never thought about it, I suppose.’ We fell silent as we flitted through traffic and headed to the house.
Liam broke the silence. ‘Why not just have what you want?’ Liam’s eyes flickered between mine and the traffic ahead. ‘It’s your life.’
He made it sound so simple.
‘I need to be sensible,’ I said. ‘I’m not living there. It’s just to make sure that I make a bit of profit. Whoever buys it will probably hate the designs anyway.’ I shrugged. ‘It’s better this way.’
Liam frowned. ‘They’d have no choice but to love it.’
I gave a small smile. ‘Thanks. But it’s pointless anyway.’
Liam swerved into a road on the left. My hands hit the dash. I swear I felt the tyres lift off the tarmac.
‘Liam! What the hell?’ I turned to find a manic grin on his face.
Liam’s smile widened. ‘I know the perfect thing to cheer you up.’