Chapter 12
12
Liam
L iam couldn’t keep his eyes off Margot. If he thought she was beautiful before, she was even more so now. They’d found a little spot surrounded by trees so they wouldn’t be interrupted.
He’d brought them a blanket to sit on, along with some good picnic food. There was fruit, veggies, and a couple sandwiches.
Margot was leaning back on her hands, her face turned toward the sky with her eyes shut. “You know what the best part of coming back to Copper Creek is?”
“What’s that?” Liam said.
She turned her head and grinned at him. “This.”
He didn’t know if she was talking about the nature that surrounded them, the sun that shone down on them, or if she liked the company. Ideally, she’d be talking about that last one, but he wasn’t willing to risk making a fool of himself by asking her to clarify. All Liam could do was smile back.
Margot closed her eyes once more, her smile just as serene as ever. “In New York, you can’t get this kind of experience even in the big parks. Out here, it’s like the world can stretch on forever.
He swallowed back his disappointment. She wasn’t talking about him. She liked being out here in nature. It wasn’t bad. He liked it, too. But he also wanted someone to share it with. Not just anyone. No matter how much he had tried to put her from his mind, Liam couldn’t shake the feeling that Margot was the one for him. When she opened up to him, it was like they had a connection that couldn’t be ignored.
She peeked at him out of the corner of her eye and let out a laugh. “You really should be careful with that smile of yours. It could get you in trouble.”
Liam chuckled. “I don’t know what you’re referring to.”
Margot rolled over onto her side and rested her head in her hand as she leaned on her elbow. “Oh, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s that charming smile you give all the girls—the one that makes them fall in love with you.”
His smile faded slightly. “I smile because I’m happy.”
She studied him, looking at him in a way she’d never done before. It was strange, and it filled him with sensations he’d been failing miserably to keep buried. “Why is that?” she asked quietly.
“Why is what?”
“Why are you so happy? I remember us as children. I remember what it was like when we were teens. For the most part, your family was…” Her voice trailed off and she flushed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t make assumptions.”
“It’s fine. What were you going to say?” He didn’t need to ask. He already knew what was on her mind. How could he be so happy when his life had started out so hard? He’d gone through so much as a child and even more as they’d gotten older.
There was some hesitation on her part, but Margot had never been one not to speak her mind. She sat up straighter. “Well… it’s just that… everything that happened to you when you were a kid—your parents…” She pressed her lips together firmly, then pulled in a deep breath before she let it out harshly. “I guess I figured that people who go through what your family did, we tend to expect them to turn out… mean .”
He laughed. “You think I should have turned out mean? What would that entail, exactly?”
She lifted a shoulder, her eyes dancing with mischief. “I suppose you make a good point. I don’t think you would be capable of hurting a fly. But that doesn’t mean I’m not curious. You could have turned out so much differently.”
“I almost did,” he said.
“What?”
He shook his head, flashing her a smile. “I suppose I’m just one of those lucky ones that ended up with the good crowd.”
“Everyone breaks,” she said pointedly. “At one point or another, we all do. It’s just a matter of knowing how to put yourself together. If you didn’t break as a kid, you will later. I’m a firm believer in that.”
“Well, that’s a little dismal, isn’t it?” His brows pulled together with concentration. “You can’t seriously believe that.”
“I do. We all go through trials, right? It’s what we’re on this earth for. We falter, and then we get stronger for it.” She said it with such a matter-of-fact tone that he almost believed her. A few strands of her hair came loose with the appearance of a gentle breeze.
Liam reached out and tucked the hair behind her ear. His fingertips grazed her skin, and for a moment the world was still. He met her gaze, his voice quiet. “You make it sound like you’ve been through some trials of your own.”
Her lashes fluttered. The color in her cheeks intensified. She exhaled with a shudder, then looked away. “My mother passed away, which you know. And then there was everything that happened in New York. I wouldn’t say I had it easy, either.”
“And yet… look how you turned out,” Liam whispered. He brushed his fingertips along her jawline. Tension continued to build between them—everything unspoken appearing to finally rise to the forefront of their minds. She hadn’t technically admitted that she wanted anything to do with him romantically. All he was going off of was the way she was looking at him. Could she be stringing him along? Sure. But he had to believe that something bigger was developing between them.
Margot leaned into his touch, her eyes closing. Her chin lifted a fraction—welcoming, inviting him to do more than just caress her skin. He’d kissed her before, but that felt like a lifetime ago. They’d had their fling when they were younger.
This was different. He didn’t want a fling. He needed more. He just needed her to confirm that she was interested in the same thing. Liam’s head dipped closer, inch by inch. Now was his moment.
“Liam! Are you out here? I can see your horse—” Caleb cut himself off as he appeared in the clearing. His eyes bounced from Liam to Margot, then back. There was no excuse Liam could make to his brother. This was an intimate moment between two people. Caleb’s veiled judgment wasn’t hard to miss either. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be a reason for Margot to put distance between them.
Liam got to his feet and stared hard at his brother. “Is there something you need? We were… having a picnic.”
“Oh, I know what you guys were doing.” Caleb smirked. He looked once more toward Margot. “Mr. Bennet is looking for her. I said I’d try to track her down. Why aren’t you guys answering your phones? You know what? It doesn’t matter. I’ll head back and let him know that you’re coming. Thankfully, you didn’t go too far.”
Margot stood. “Did he say what he wanted?”
Caleb arched a brow. “He just wanted to find you. I don’t make it my business to dig into what other people are doing.”
“ Caleb ,” Liam warned.
Margot touched Liam’s arm. “It’s no big deal. I’ll ask him what he needs. He probably just got worried when I didn’t answer my phone.” She gave him a reassuring smile. “Even when we’re mad at each other, I don’t ignore his calls.” Her hand slipped down his arm until she reached his hand. She gave it a gentle squeeze, then pulled away from him. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
He nodded, speechless. That was a sign. It had to be. She was giving him exactly what he’d been hoping for.
Margot’s laugh was something Liam couldn’t get enough of. The way she threw her head back and let loose was something he’d noticed in high school. She’d been more carefree back then compared to when she’d returned to Copper Creek.
Now, he was seeing more of that old Margot coming back. She seemed lighter.
“You’re lying,” she laughed. “I don’t believe a word you’re saying.”
“I’m serious. Prada wouldn’t let anyone take her out. That new guy had it coming. Everyone warned him that she would drag him through the mud—literally. Honestly, I’m impressed that he stuck around after that.”
She shook her head, her smile still wide as she gave Prada what she probably thought was a stern look. “You wouldn’t do something like that, would you?”
Prada snorted.
“That horse definitely has favorites,” Liam said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her as happy as she is when you’re around.”
Margot leaned her cheek against Prada’s face. “Well, she likes you. So, I guess that just means she’s a good judge of character.”
It was hard not to be flattered by her words. Moments like this one were becoming more frequent. Margot would meet his gaze and that electrifying pulse would bounce between them. When he told himself it was all in his head, she’d do something like brush up against him or smile at him in that special way that was impossible to ignore.
There was only one problem. He was terrified of taking that next step. He’d already told her he had feelings for her. She’d turned him down—successfully shattering any desire to do it again. If she wanted something to start between them, then she’d have to make the first move.
Liam nodded toward the brush in Margot’s hand. “When you’re done giving her a good brushing, I’m going to show you how to trim her hooves. Cleaning out her stall is good to prevent bacteria growth, but her hooves need to be maintained if you don’t want her to get distortion problems or fungal infections.”
Her smile softened a little and she moved back to her task, her eyes darting over her shoulder at him. “You’re really good at this, you know?”
“What? Taking care of horses?”
She turned her focus to the horse, and her brows pinched. “And me.” It was said so quietly that he might not have heard it if he wasn’t close enough. Before he could comment, she continued. “You’re a good teacher, Liam. I could see you doing that… instructing others on how to care for their horses. I bet you could get a good little school going.”
“Nah, I’m content with where I’m at. Zeke Callahan is a really good boss. And you know as well as I do that working for him will open a lot of doors for me in the future.”
She peered at him. “Doors for what? Seems to me, if you’re content… then you’re not trying to move forward. You don’t want to be a wrangler for the rest of your life, do you?”
He shrugged. “I don’t feel like I need any more. Maybe one day.”
“You should really think about it. You have a talent that shouldn’t be wasted.”
Liam nearly told her the same about her talents, but he held back. They were getting on so well. She had started to notice him, and it was more than just the way a friend would pay attention. “I will, thanks.” It was time to change the subject. “What did your dad want the other day when he called?”
Margot glanced at him briefly. “It’s nothing. Just the usual stuff. He wanted to know where I was, and he got worried when I didn’t answer the phone.”
“He must really care about you.”
“Yeah, I suppose he does… in his own way.” Her smile returned. “Now, you go get the tools we need for her pedicure while I finish this up. I’m ready to learn how to pamper my girl.”