Chapter 48
LONDON
Three hours on a plane next to Liam, and I’d managed to avoid spontaneously kissing him. I was proud of myself for that. His lips had been so close to my face so many times, but he wasn’t mine, and despite Lori’s pep talk, I still wasn’t sure he ever would or should be.
The muscles in his forearms worked as he heaved my suitcase off the carousel, and he pretended to wipe sweat from his brow when he set it down beside him with a heavy thud. “Whew. Almost broke my back on that one. What the heck have you got in there?”
“Some bricks. A small country. You never know when you’re going to need a chainsaw either.”
He chuckled, those eyes lighting up as they looked into mine. “Well, I can’t argue with that. Good thinking.”
All morning, he’d been in a stupidly good mood, but his gaze also softened whenever it met mine. I doubted he was even aware of it, but yep.
Blurry lines. Blurry, blurry lines. So blurry that every now and then, it feels like there are no lines.
“Are you going to be okay with that, getting it into Liv’s truck?” he asked as he wrapped his fingers around his handle of his suitcase. “I don’t mind staying to help you load it before I leave. Otherwise, you might need a forklift.”
“No, we’ll be alright. Maybe you just need to hit the gym more.” I cleared my throat and turned to the doors, seeing Olivia waiting for me just past baggage claim.
He sputtered. “How dare you?!”
I ignored him. After moving to Houston, meeting, and falling in love with Charlie, my sister was the same as she’d always been, but she was also so, so different. Lori’s words about how love would change me too echoed through my mind.
I wasn’t so sure I wanted to be changed even more than I already had, but looking at my sisters’ lives right now made it difficult to be as vehemently opposed as I once might’ve been.
Both of them had gotten with the loves of their lives in the last couple years and even I could admit that they were both better for it.
Their careers had both rocketed to all new heights despite—or maybe even partially because of—the men in their lives.
They were both going from strength to strength at work and at home, and more importantly, they were both happier than they’d ever been before.
Even if Olivia’s primary choice of footwear these days was her well-worn cowboy boots and she was almost always in jeans, as she was now.
My sister’s dirty blonde hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, her gaze skimming across the crowd.
When she saw me, she grinned and I broke into a run, weaving through the bodies of the other travelers between us.
When I finally reached her, I slammed into her for a hug.
She laughed as her arms closed around me.
“Oof, that was hard, but I missed you too, London.” She squeezed me tight, but her chin lifted from my shoulder and I knew she was smiling at Liam. “Hey, you. Welcome home.”
“Thanks, Liv,” he drawled behind me, his accent somehow stronger now that his feet were back on Texan ground. “How’re you doing?”
“So good now that you two are back in town.” She released me and flashed him a smile before pulling him into her arms next. “Have you got a ride?”
He nodded, grinning, and hugged her before motioning to Zach and Bryce, who were loitering near the exit. “Those two knuckleheads over there are here for me. I’ll see you guys.”
Stepping away from her, he swung his gaze my way and held up his phone. “Text me. Bye, Walker.”
“See you.” I lifted my hand in a wave, seriously unprepared for how hard it was to say goodbye after spending this much time together.
Liam didn’t offer me a hug or even a handshake, just smiling and tipping an imaginary hat at me before he turned and walked away. Those blue Levi’s hugged his ass and his shirt stretched in such a sexy way across his shoulders that I sighed softly as I watched him leave.
Olivia bumped her hip into mine, her eyes narrowing with curiosity when I finally tore my gaze away from his broad back to look at her. She arched both eyebrows at me and reached for my suitcase. “Come on. I’ll buy you brunch and we can talk while we wait for Abi’s flight to get in.”
“Only if it’s a bacon cheeseburger. I’m starving. Liam woke me up way too early this morning and we only had a couple of pastries before we took off. And some snacks on the plane. Oh, and breakfast.”
“Is that all?” She chuckled and wrapped her free hand around my arm, then wheeled my suitcase behind us on the way to a restaurant on the other side of the terminal. “I honestly don’t know how you look like this when you eat like a racehorse.”
I batted my eyelashes at her. “Genetics. I got all the metabolism in the family.”
She laughed. “You also got all the sass and all the attitude. Where does that leave Abi and me?”
“With the brains and the beauty.” I grinned at her. “She got the brains.”
Olivia laughed again and shook her head, a soft, happy light in her eyes as she squeezed my arm. “Boy, it’s good to have you back. How are you? You scared me half to death when you said you were in trouble. What happened?”
We sat down at a little table and I sighed but gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s nothing dangerous or bad, I promise. I just got myself into a situation that I don’t know how to get out of, but I’ll tell you about it when Abi gets here. I really don’t want to have to go through it twice.”
She frowned but nodded, then picked up a menu.
I did the same. When our waitress arrived, she placed an order for a burger and coffee.
I went for the bacon burger, double cheese.
Then we were alone again. Well, as alone as we were going to get in a building with thousands of other people coming and going.
“Okay,” she said. “Well, I won’t make you repeat yourself. Are you sure you’re okay, though? You sounded wobbly on our call the other night.”
“That’s because I’ve been wobblier than ever,” I admitted. “But I am okay. I just have some things to figure out and I don’t even know where to start. I also don’t know if I want to start, but again, the humiliation will kill me if I have to talk about all this over and over again.”
Olivia giggled. “Always with the dramatics. God, I missed you. Catch me up on all the non-humiliating things you’ve been up to, then. How’s the branch? How’s the house? How’s living with Liam?”
“The branch is better than you might be expecting. We’re off to an incredible start.
It seems there was some buzz around the fact that we were coming to town and we’re signing clients faster than we can keep up with.
” I stuck with the easy things first. “The house is really freaking incredible. Just wait until you see it. You’ll be begging me to swap with you and to build out the Miami branch instead of being stuck in boring old Houston. ”
She smiled. “Well, it’s great to hear that you like it so much and we’ll definitely come visit soon, but unfortunately, ranches are pretty hard to pick up and move. I’m stuck here and I’m not mad about it at all.”
I sighed. “I think Charlie’s cows would love it on the beach, but fine. I’ll just stay in paradise all by myself, then.”
“Except that you’re not all by yourself.” She tilted her head and stared at me like she already knew I’d been avoiding this particular question. “You’ve been living with Liam and you haven’t told me yet how that’s been going.”
Olivia, as the oldest sister, had always kept me under her wing. All three of us were super close, but I’d always felt like I could tell her anything. Liv listened without judgment or immediate panic. Abi didn’t judge either, but she did worry.
“Let’s just say that he loves blasting his music at all hours and he keeps calling me the creature from the kitchen, but outside of that, it hasn’t been all bad.”
In fact, it had actually been pretty darn good. Toe-curlingly, mindblowingly good, which was the problem.
Thankfully, our waitress arrived with our coffees and Liv looked at me like she knew there was more to the story, but she didn’t push me for answers. We got caught up over our burgers instead, talking about everything and nothing until Abi finally arrived.
Olivia and I both shot out of our seats to launch ourselves at her, throwing our arms around her for a group hug. She laughed into our hair, embracing us both for a long minute before she took a step back and grinned.
“Man, it’s good to see you guys. Are you still eating, or are we leaving? I could use a coffee, but I might prefer to just have it at the ranch.”
“Let’s have it at the ranch.” I left money on our table and the three of us made our way to Liv’s massive new truck. “How was your flight?”
Abi grimaced. “We had the most terrible turbulence. For a few minutes there, I thought it was the end. Seriously.”
I slung my arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “I’m glad you didn’t die, sis.”
“Thank you.” She laughed and gave me a sideways hug before eyeing my suitcase. “I might still if we have to load that thing up by ourselves. What the heck did you pack?”
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” I rolled my eyes and set my feet a few inches apart before I rubbed my hands together. “Behold, the power of a woman determined.”
I grabbed the handles and lifted, but the thing really was damn heavy. Eventually, Olivia stuck her hands underneath it and together we managed to get it onto the bed. She smirked as she pretended to dust off her palms.
“I think what you meant to say was, behold the power of a mother who doubles as a farm hand sometimes while holding a baby.”
I rocked my head from side to side but finally inclined my chin. “You’re right. That’s exactly what I meant to say. How is our little nugget anyway? I was hoping you would bring her with you?”
My sister smiled softly. “It was nap time, so June is watching her for me. I can’t even begin to tell you how convenient it’s been having a grandma right on the ranch with us.”
After picking up some toys, blankets, and a few other pieces of baby paraphernalia off the backseat, I hopped into the truck. Olivia and Abigail got in the front, and then we were on our way to the ranch.
I’d considered staying at my house while I was here and I would definitely go check on it, but ultimately, this weekend was about spending time with my sisters and the best way to make the most of it was to stay on the ranch with them.
Olivia told us more about motherhood and her married life before Abi got us all caught up on all things her and Simon.
I kept my ears open for any sign that he was up to his old tricks, which had involved endlessly hurting my sister, but it seemed like it might really finally be time to let go of the last of the grudge I’d been holding against him.
It sounded like he’d put her on a pedestal and was still worshiping the ground she walked on. Good. I really will shiv him if he even thinks about hurting her again.
Once we were out of the city, Liv glanced at me in the rearview. “So, are you finally going to tell us your news? What’s this trouble you’re in?”
“Yeah, are you pregnant?” Abi asked. “Secretly married? Oh, my god. Did you elope?”
I laughed. “No to all the above. It’s much, much worse than all that.”
“Worse than excluding us from your secret wedding?” Abigail twisted in the passenger seat to look at me. “I don’t think so.”
“No, it really is.” I paused, half for dramatic effect and half to gather the courage to say what I needed to say. “I’ve found myself wrapped up in Liam Jones, ladies. In all the ways you can possibly think of and I can’t seem to stop myself from wanting to be wrapped up even tighter.”
Shock crossed my sisters’ faces, followed by shouts of laughter and Abi yelling, “I knew it! Tell us everything. I can’t believe this is finally happening. I’m so excited for you, except, why did you say that it meant you were in trouble?”