16
Layla
It’s the day of the date, and I’m sitting around starting to feel anxious. And excited. This morning I slept in, had several helpings of piping hot espresso, and lounged around until the afternoon, finishing my book. Mom would have loved this one; we always had similar taste in books, especially as I got older. Dad used to laugh at us when we’d discuss our stories in front of him. He didn’t get it.
Liam sent me a message earlier, saying he’d be by around three and to come hungry. It seemed like an odd time for a meal, but I responded with an “okay.” If he wants it to be a surprise, then I’ll go along with it.
I curl my long, dark hair that almost reaches my hips and apply some light makeup. I never like to wear too much. Then, I rifle through my wardrobe, trying to find the right outfit. After trying on five different combinations, I finally settle on a dark blue corduroy skirt, thick black leggings, a heavy black sweater, and knee-high boots with a low heel. There’s a bit of snow on the ground today, and I may be brave but I’m not reckless.
A knock sounds at the door five minutes before three. I had a feeling he’d be the punctual type. I grab my bag and coat, then go to meet him at the door.
“Hey,” I say, taking in all six feet and however many inches of him. I try to subtly peek around him, looking for any signs of Big J. Seeing none, I smile even bigger, and suddenly, my stomach flips, thinking of the possibilities of tonight.
“Hey,” he says, returning my grin. “You look…absolutely beautiful.” He slowly scans me up and down, and the look on his face makes my toes curl. Now that we’re finally alone, his gaze and words seem more charged. Or maybe that’s just me. Either way, I’m in trouble.
“Thank you.”
We step down a few porch stairs and he places a gentle hand on my lower back. The subtle gesture somehow feels incredibly intimate. After trudging through an inch of snow to get to his truck, he opens the door and helps me in.
As soon as he gets into the driver’s seat, he turns on the seat warmers and cranks up the heat in the cab. I look over at him, grateful. Those thirty seconds spent outside already had me shivering. We haven’t said a word since we left my porch, so I decide to break the silence.
“So, no Jackson today?”
He smiles, looking ahead as he pulls out onto the road. “Not tonight. Is that okay?” he asks, glancing at me for a moment.
“Of course. I was just getting used to the little guy.”
“He’s at his grandparents’ for the evening.”
“Ahh. I see…”
As if reading my mind, he comments, “Jackson’s parents aren’t in the picture anymore. I’m his legal guardian.”
“Oh. I thought…I thought maybe he was just staying for a visit or something. Wow.” A part of me had a feeling, but a bigger part assumed he was simply visiting his uncle. So, it’s Liam and Jackson. In his parents’ old house. I wonder about the rest of the story, but I think he’ll tell me when he’s ready.
“He’s a great kid,” Liam says with a small smile, though his eyes hold a touch of sadness.
“He seems like it,” I agree.
“You’re good with him,” Liam remarks.
“Well, I always liked kids. Maybe because I was an only child, and I never got to be around them much. I don’t have much family around…”
“Well, I can tell he really likes you. He doesn’t always take to people that well, you know…”
“Jackson? No way.”
“Yeah. It’s true. He’s been through a lot. But he’s a tough kid. Thank you for being so great. I know we’ve kind of inserted ourselves into your vacation…”
“I’m glad you did.” Our gazes lock, and I smile, heat radiating through me that has nothing to do with the seat warmers.
He glances away as he pulls into a parking lot, and I take in our surroundings. We’re right by the shore and he’s pulling up behind a cute little restaurant with large windows across the entire front, looking out over the water.
“Early dinner?” I ask.
He grins like he’s holding in a secret. “Have to for the view. The sun sets before five. Best view in town.”
He hops out and sprints around to my side before I can even get out, taking my hand to help me down.
He leads me inside and we’re seated right in front of the window, which I’m sure he planned. We’re here for the view, after all.
The young hostess drops off menus and leaves to get us waters. Liam watches me the whole time. His constant gaze can be unnerving, but only because I’m so insanely attracted to him that when he looks at me like that, I turn to a blubbering pile of mush inside. Hopefully, it doesn’t show on the outside.
I try to meet his gaze confidently, taking him in now that he’s sitting in front of me. He has that messy dark hair look that somehow still looks perfectly styled, and his face is freshly shaved, which accentuates his angular jaw even more. The sleeves of his black button-down shirt are rolled up, showing off his strong, tattooed forearms. He’s really pulling off his clean-cut mountain man look.
“So, this is your spot, huh? I feel like such a lucky girl.”
He laughs, shaking his head. “It’s not usually where I take dates, if that’s what you’re implying.”
“No? Why not?”
He shrugs, looking away toward the gently rippling water. There’s a far-off look in his eyes. “It’s my spot. A friend of mine actually owns it. If I get a break now and then, I might come down here and have a drink or a bite to eat, enjoy the ambiance. You should see it in the summer. I could sit out on that patio all night, listening to the sounds, taking in the view, just enjoying being in the moment.”
I look out onto the snow-covered trees surrounding the vast lake as he describes his perfect night. I can picture it—a beautiful summer night out there spent with friends or family, a hint of a chill in the air but also the warmth of a fire pit. The looming mountains in the distance. It sounds perfect.
“I can see it,” I say simply, still gazing at the lake.
“Hey, Liam, how’s it going?” Our waitress finally arrives, and it’s clear she knows Liam. She looks a little older than him, maybe thirty, with a natural kind of beauty.
“Hey, Carly. It’s going good.” I notice how he flashes her a polite smile, then turns to me with a bigger one. “Just showing the place to my friend Layla here.”
If I had blinked, I’d have missed the brief flicker in her smile, but I catch it. She turns to me with a polite greeting on her face.
“Oh, hi,” she says in a kind manner. “Are you from out of town?”
“Hi,” I say with a smile. “Yes, I’m here visiting for a few weeks.”
“Oh. Well, I hope you’re enjoying the town! You’re lucky the winter is mild so far this year. Sometimes we get hit with so much snow that you can be stranded all day! Even in November, though it’s not so common.”
“I am enjoying it, thank you!”
She quickly takes our order and then leaves the table, casting one last look at Liam as she walks away. He doesn’t seem to notice, though; he’s watching me with a thoughtful expression.
“What?” I tease.
“Nothing. I just…like how much you enjoy it here.”
“I do.” I nod.
He smiles.
We order an appetizer to share, which is incredible. Then we start chatting about work. I tell him that I recently quit my job, and that I also recently applied for what might be my dream position. As it turns out, he did end up working in computer technology, despite dropping out of college his senior year. He and a friend developed medical software they later sold, and now he works on a solo project in his spare time, but mostly focuses on raising Jackson. So the brainiac thing was true. I tell him more about the job I recently left—how it wasn’t bad, just not the right fit for me.
“You hated it,” he states.
“No, I didn’t…it was a good job. It was flexible. Suzanne in accounting was really lovely…” I trail off.
“Hated it,” he states again. So confident.
My shoulders slump as I let out a sigh. “Fine. Yes, I absolutely hated it. That’s why I quit. I would rather spend my day watching Jackson’s favorite movie ten times in a row than do that job. Are you happy now, sir?” I joke.
He laughs. “I think I can arrange that. I know a guy.”
“Perfect. Sign me up.”
“You know, it’s actually not so bad,” Liam says.
“The movie?”
“Yeah. The movie.”
“Right. I’ll take your word for it.”
“You better be careful. Jackson has taken a liking to you. Your next invitation that he manages to weasel you into might just be movie night.”
I pause, and our eyes lock. “Doesn’t sound so bad.”
“No, it doesn’t.” He smirks, and my body warms.
He then proceeds to tell me more details about the software he created, and I try to follow along as best I can, but he must notice how lost I am by the look on my face.
“I’m boring you, I’m sorry,” he laughs, not looking offended at all.
“No, you’re not! I’m just not great with technology. I’m quite bad at it, actually,” I admit.
“It’s really okay. Most people don’t know what I’m talking about when I go off about it. Thank you for pretending to follow along anyway,” he grins.
“Anytime,” I reply with a smile.
“Liam! You sneaky little shit!” a man’s voice sounds from behind me, growing louder.
Liam looks past me, then rolls his eyes and tilts his head back. His exposed neck and jaw look entirely too sexy when he does it. I need to keep it together.
“What are you doing here?” Liam asks the man who is now standing over us in front of our table, hands on his hips.
“I own this place!” The man yells, but there’s a massive smile plastered on his face, like he’s in on some joke that I’m not.
“I know that. You said you weren’t going to be here tonight.” Liam replies. Why would he not want the owner—who he said is his friend—to be here when he brought me?
“Well, I decided to come anyway. What are you gonna do? Try to fight me like that one year in fifth grade? When I whooped you?”
“First of all, I did not try to fight you. A rogue basketball hit the back of your head, and you thought I did it on purpose. Huge misunderstanding. Second, you did not whoop me, we wrestled in the grass for five seconds before you tapped out.”
“That’s not what happened at all,” the guy says, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at him.
“Well, we can argue about it next time. I’m kind of busy at the moment,” Liam gestures over to me. “This is Layla.”
His friend looks at me, a huge grin returning to his face once again. “Layla!” he says with delight. “I’m Dex.”
Dex. Wasn’t that the name of Liam’s friend that night, all those years ago? It’s been so long, I can’t fully recall his face. But he does look very familiar. My mind focused so much on the memory of Liam afterward that the memory of his friends faded. But this must be him. The guy standing in front of me looks like he could kill someone with a single punch. His muscles, deeply tan skin, and the unique style of tattoos make him look like he came straight from some beautiful island paradise, even though he apparently grew up here.
“Nice to meet you…Dex,” I say slowly, my thoughts churning. Liam watches me for a moment, then stands up and puts his large hand on Dex’s back, looking at him like he’s a dad about to scold his child in private.
“Layla, I’ll be right back. I need to talk to my friend here for a quick second. I’m sorry,” and then he nudges Dex away as Dex smiles at me and waves.