Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Liam
Strolling up the walkway to Audrey’s parents’ home, I can already hear the hum of chatter from inside, the smell of bacon and coffee wafting out to greet us. Audrey grips my hand a little tighter as we step into the fray, her palm slick with nervous sweat. It’s like walking onto the stage at a surprise party—except the surprise is on us.
“Liam. Audrey.” One of her aunts hugs us, her embrace tight and suffocating. I can feel Audrey’s body tense beside me, her smile strained as she returns the hug. By the time we reach the breakfast nook, my own smile feels stapled on, and Audrey’s squeezing my hand so hard I’m worried about circulation.
“Hey, what’s with the death grip?” I murmur, leaning in close so only she can hear. The scent of her perfume, light and floral, fills my nostrils, and I have to resist the urge to bury my face in her hair.
Audrey’s floral perfume brings back vivid memories of last night. Her soft moans and gasps of pleasure as I brought her to ecstasy with my mouth. The way she arched into me, fingers tangled in my hair, giving herself over fully.
But even better was after, falling asleep with her curled against me. Her steady breaths lulling me, her warm skin pressed to mine.
“Sorry,” she whispers back, her gaze darting around the room like a cornered animal. “Do you notice anything weird?”
I take a moment to survey the scene, my eyes narrowing as I pick up on the subtle shifts in the atmosphere. “Besides our entire family acting like we’re the main event at a circus?” I say, trying to inject some levity into the situation. But she’s right; there’s an undercurrent of whispers, glances shot our way like we’re a riddle they’re all trying to solve.
We spot Mrs. McCallister in the breakfast nook, pouring herself a cup of coffee. Audrey makes a beeline for her, her grip on my hand tightening with each step. “Mom,” she asks, her voice tight with anxiety. “What’s going on?”
Mrs. McCallister doesn’t miss a beat, leaning in close. Her voice is conspiratorial, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of concern and curiosity. “The family’s been talking since you left last night. They’ve cooked up this idea that maybe you two got engaged so quickly because . . .” Her eyes flick to Audrey’s belly, then away, the implication clear.
“Because I’m pregnant?” Audrey finishes for her, her voice rising in pitch. I can feel the anger and frustration rolling off her in waves, her body trembling with barely suppressed rage.
“Are they fucking kidding me? I already told them via text that I’m not,” she hisses, her eyes flashing with indignation.
“Great,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair in exasperation. “Just great. One more thing we need to clarify. Can’t they just be happy because we found love?”
“Are you sure?” Her mom asks, examining her daughter for maybe the third time. Totally ignoring what I just said—stick to one thing, lady. She’s engaged and in love. Let her be.
“Of course I’m not,” Audrey says, a little too loudly, and a ripple of silence spreads through the room. All eyes are on us now, the weight of their stares heavy and oppressive.
I can feel the tension in the air, the unspoken questions and judgments that hang between us. I have to take a deep breath to calm my rage. Why are people so fucking judgmental? What bothers me the most is that they’re upsetting my woman.
Fuck off and focus on your own lives, people.
This is not how I imagined our morning going, and I can see the toll it’s taking on Audrey, the way her shoulders slump and her eyes filled with frustration.
Okay, if they don’t back off she might crack. And though it worries me that my parents will know this engagement isn’t real. It concerns me more what the lie will create between Mrs. McCallister and Audrey.
“I just can’t understand why everyone is talking about me. So what if I’m engaged?” Audrey demands, her voice wavering slightly. She looks at her mom, her expression a mix of hurt and confusion.
“Maybe because you hid your relationship from us,” her mom replies, her tone gentle but firm. “ We’re your family, Audrey. We just want to be a part of your life. Maybe now that the two of you are together, you both can come back and live near us.”
Oh fuck no, I hope they don’t repeat that in front of my mother. The last thing I want is for her to get the idea of me coming back home. I love my parents but I like them more from afar.
“We didn’t know where this was going, Mom. If it didn’t work out, it would have been awkward,” Audrey explains, her voice strained with anger, and I wouldn’t blame her if it’s directed at me.
After all, I put her in this position. Maybe I should just let her go right now, free her from this charade before it’s too late. My heart clenches at the thought, a dull ache spreading through my chest. And the worst part is that I don’t know if it’s because telling the truth will break my grandmother’s heart or because doing so will lose me the right to be so close to Audrey.
I don’t want to lose that. In fact, I’m trying to figure out how we can continue this . . . Whatever it is that’s starting to grow between us.
“But he proposed to you four months ago,” her mom insists, pulling me from my own thoughts. “You could’ve told me, but you haven’t even come to visit us. Everything is more important than seeing your family. I still don’t understand why you kept him a secret. We’ve always liked him.”
“Two. It was only two months ago,” I correct her, not sure why I feel as if it’s important to keep the facts we’ve been giving them straight. “And as she said, we wanted this to be in person. Well, it was mainly me who wanted to wait. I apologize for not thinking about the consequences of my actions.”
Audrey shoots me a grateful look, her hand finding mine.
“Yes, and it’s been hard not to tell you. But you need to understand this is news you share in person. It’s not just me anymore. I have to coordinate schedules with Liam. We were too busy to come sooner, so we decided to do it after your party,” Audrey explains.
“And yet, Susie learned about it first.” Her mom’s voice is laced with hurt, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, but I can hear the reproach between the lines.
I flinch because I didn’t think that Mom learning about the news would be a problem—fuck I didn’t think of much when I came up with the lie. “Again, my fault. After learning about Grandma . . .” I trail off, throwing an arm around Audrey’s shoulders. We exchange a look, but I can’t understand what she’s saying. Does she want me to come clean?”
“She’ll be fine. Grandma Cohen will be fine,” Mrs. McCallister says, her voice filled with hope. “We’re going to pray for her and she’ll go to treatments.” She reaches out, patting my hand in a gesture of comfort.
“Let’s just eat breakfast,” Audrey suggests, steering us toward the safety of eggs, pancakes, and syrup. “We have to pick your grandparents up after we eat.”
We settle into our seats, the clinking of silverware and the hum of conversation filling the air. Audrey loads her plate with a mountain of food, her movements quick and efficient. I can’t help but admire her determination, the way she refuses to let the whispers and speculation get to her.
“Nothing like mimosas to kick things off,” she adds with enthusiasm that borders on theatrical, raising her glass in a mock toast.
“Make sure it has no alcohol,” Max chimes in.
“Don’t start on her,” I warn him.
He glares at me, and I can practically hear the cogs turning in his head. He’s onto me, and thank fuck we’re dodging that bullet all day.I don’t want to keep pretending that she doesn’t mean anything to me .
We wrap up breakfast way too soon. I don’t blame Aud for wanting to leave the place so fast.
As we stand to leave, I wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her close. “You’re amazing, you know that?” I murmur, my lips brushing against her ear. She shivers, leaning into me, and for a moment, I forget about the lie, about the pressure and the expectations. This is just me, doing what I feel in the moment. Her in my arms, as if it’s the most natural thing.
“Too much fucking PDA.” Max glares at me.
I smirk.
“Fuck off, Maximilian,” Audrey says. “And if I find out you were the one who started the preggo rumor I’m going to kill you.”
“This time I won’t stop her.” I smirk.
And with that, we leave hoping that by the time we’re back the pregnancy rumors are put to rest.