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“Can you do me one favor, please?”

“Sure.”

“Can we share this last meal together and watch the sunset? Afterward, I promise I’ll take you home.”

I felt sick hearing the lack of fight in him. I would have given anything for the anger he’d shown me earlier, or even the day he walked into the consignment shop. But now, he was merely apathetic. And I couldn’t deny what that meant.

He might have loved me once. He might have even believed he did as recently as last night. But it wasn’t there any longer.

Maybe Liam hadn’t moved on all these years, because he didn’t know the truth. Now that he did, maybe he’d be able to heal.

It pained me to give him what he wanted, but I’d already caused him enough heartache. If he wanted one last meal with me while we watched the sunset, I’d give it to him.

“Sure, Liam. I can do that.”

We held each other’s gazes for a few heavy beats. Then we picked up our sandwiches and ate in silence beneath the orange glow of the setting sun.

21

LIAM

As I walkedto the front entrance of the building that housed the Westwood’s offices, I did my best to take in the peace and quiet surrounding me. It was only a matter of minutes before things would turn chaotic.

Because Wyatt scheduled a meeting. That meeting would consist of at least four people—Wyatt, Tate, Cooper, and myself—with the possibility of our parents joining us. My sisters rarely joined the meetings unless there was something that pertained to them and the work they did here.

I had no clue what today’s meeting was about beyond Wyatt claiming that he and Tate had a new project they wanted to discuss. Since Cooper and I had been called into the meeting, I could be reasonably confident this wasn’t going to be a discussion about the newest marketing tactic.

The only thing I could be certain of is that thismeeting was likely going to be about a project that involved some level of handiwork or construction. Truthfully, I didn’t care much about that. I’d do what I always did by attending, listening, and eventually leaving when it was over.

I let out a deep sigh as I yanked the front door open and stepped into the building. Cooper was bound to be in a foul mood this morning, because he truly despised meetings. I’d grown accustomed to it—we all had—but I wasn’t quite sure I’d be able to tolerate it today.

It was safe to say I’d been irritable for the past two weeks or so.

That’s how long it had been since I last saw Layla, since she’d finally shared the truth with me about why she’d rejected my proposal and left me eight years ago.

I hated it.

I hated her reasons. Was offended by them, really. And I couldn’t pretend she hadn’t admitted where she stood now.

No matter how eager I’d been to prove to her just how much I loved her, it wouldn’t mean anything if she wasn’t prepared to accept it, if she couldn’t trust and believe in it. So, I’d made the decision to walk away and give her what she wanted.

Ever since, I’d been miserable, avoiding everyone outside of those I needed to see and speak with specifically for work purposes.

And while I loved my brothers dearly, if Cooper came in and bitched about anything today, I was convinced I’d lose my mind. Cooper could hate attendingmeetings all he wanted. Unfortunately, they were necessary in some cases, and Cooper had nothing to be upset about. Not a thing.

I rode the elevator alone, soaking up the last bits of silence. Not even the soft elevator music could penetrate the wall I’d put up. When the doors opened, I stepped off and strode down the hall toward the conference room that Wyatt had mentioned we’d be meeting in.

I was about twenty feet away when the sound of their voices hit my ears. I clenched my jaw and attempted to take a few deep breaths. What I was feeling wasn’t their fault. I needed to try to remind myself of that fact.

When I stepped into the room, their eyes landed on me. “Sorry, I’m late.”

“It’s okay, Liam,” Tate insisted. “Wyatt and Cooper were just exchanging horror stories from this morning.”

My brows shot up. “Horror stories? What happened?”

Wyatt was the first to respond. “Rhea had been feeling great with the pregnancy until last week.”

Suddenly, I wondered if I’d been so caught up in the distress that I felt over my situation with Layla that I’d missed news about Rhea’s pregnancy. “Is something wrong with the baby?”