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I want to roll my eyes, yet I can’t help but smile a little. He may be the head of the mafia, but he acts like a baby sometimes.
I feel a little awful for having him wait so long, but as he eats my food like it’s the finest meal he’s ever had, I remember that it’s worth it.
“F**k. You made all of my favourite food.”
I watch him eat with such excitement. Even if what we’re doing right now is basic, it makes my heart feel something. Just seeing him pleased makes my heart race with joy.
Now I know that seeing Liam happy makes me more happier. I don’t know why it’s so essential to me. Maybe it’s because he’s been through a lot and I always think he deserves better in life.
I haven’t even touched my food since I’ve been so focused on watching him eat. I clear my throat because I’m embarrassed of myself. My cheeks go hot, and I’m glad he can’t see it.
He remarks, “You know, you didn’t have to do that,” as I’m eating quietly.
I look up from my plate and notice him looking at me.
He adds, “You can cook whatever you want, and I’ll eat it anyway.” “Whatever you cook, I love it.”
His words break my heart.
Liam has been quite pleasant lately, and sometimes it still surprises me because of how he used to be when we first met.
“I wanted to,” I respond honestly, and his eyes soften.
Liam relaxes back in his chair since he is done eating. He seems like he wants something, and I can almost feel the inquiry on my mouth.
“Did you and your family spend a lot of time on this patio?” I enquire.
I used to be afraid to enquire about his family because of the scar that never went away in his heart. Now, though, we can talk about it without any problems. It helps me believe that Liam is getting better. He doesn’t get mad all the time anymore. He still is sometimes, but not all the time.
I hope he understands that not all of the weak sentiments he gets are unpleasant, like when I invite him to dance in the rain. He still hurts from losing his family, but he should hold on to the memories of them instead of trying to forget them.
Liam eventually adds, “Yes, we did spend a lot of time on this patio.” “During the day, we would have an afternoon tea together. My parents would ask us what we had learnt that day. Sometimes, Ethan liked to show off the new martial arts move he had just learnt, and I would challenge him because I couldn’t help being a cocky bastard. My parents would watch us with amusement, sitting together exactly where we are now, while Sophie was busy making a necklace of flowers on the ground.”
I pay close attention to everything he says, and I can see that his grey eyes light up as he talks about the wonderful moments.
He explains, “My dad was busy, but when we were here, he always made sure to pay attention to us.” “Later that night, when it was time for us to go to bed, he would ask my mum to dance on this patio. I saw them dance a few times, but they were so into it that they didn’t even notice me coming.”
I grin because I like his narrative.
He says, “When I was a kid, I always thought I would never ask a girl to dance because it looked too personal.” “I didn’t think it was cool. It’s too girly.”
I lift my eyebrows in disbelief. “Wasn’t it cool?”
He shakes his head. “No, it wasn’t.”
“It’s too girly?”
“It was,” he says, raising an eyebrow. “I would have felt less manly.”
I fake to gasp and say, “Emasculated?”
“Yes.” His eyes sparkle with amusement. “Do you want me to spell it out for you?”
I laugh out loud, which surprises me, because I like the fighting.
“Oh my God,” I say. “You asked me to dance in your room once. Did you forget?”
He squints at me and seems like he doesn’t understand. “I’m not sure about that. I think you were the one who asked me to dance with you.”
Oh, God. At this time, we’re not doing this.
I’m going to disagree with what he said, but then I remember that I’m not sure what we spoke about back then.
I say, “It doesn’t matter now,” but then I bend over the table and rest my face on my palms as I stare at him playfully. “Please dance with me.”
Liam licks his lips. His face shows greater amusement. His eyes are happy.
“What now?” he wonders.
“Yeah.”
“Without music?” he asks.
I huff and throw my phone on the table. I look for the same song that was playing in his room when we slow danced earlier. The music fills the air soon, and I wait for him.
Liam gets up from his chair and holds out his hand to me. “May I?” he says nicely.
I can’t stop laughing. “You’re welcome,” I mumble as he pulls me up to my feet.
We get into the basic position, and I taunt, “What were you saying?”
He laughs. “Come on. I was a kid then.”
I lift my eyebrows. “And now?”
He pulls me closer by the waist, and I hit his chest. “I’m a man.”
We start to dance with one hand on his shoulder and the other in his hand.
“You’ve learnt that I’m a terrible dancer,” Liam says near to my ear, making me shudder. “I’m not going to give you a heads up.”
I chuckle again and fling my head back. “Don’t worry. I won’t let you fall.”
We move slowly while we dance. Just like last time, I show him how to do the steps, and Liam is already better than he was last time.
My lips curl into a happy smile. I lay my head on his chest and breathe in his manly aroma, which makes me feel relaxed.
We keep moving back and forth. I close my eyes and wonder whether I can stay in this bubble of happiness forever. That’s when I hear him whisper.
“But I already did.”
Liam adds in an annoyed voice, “It’s supposed to be around here somewhere.”
We’re planning to spend some time on the hammock in the woods today. We’ve been walking for a long time, but we still can’t find it.
“I think it’s not that far,” he says, and I can only sigh.
It’s been a long time since he went to that hammock, and the last time he did, he could still see, so I get why he can’t find his way back right away. But, as always, Liam is being too hard on himself.
“It’s okay,” I mutter. “I’m really enjoying walking in these woods.”
I move my gaze throughout the forest, looking at the lovely redwoods and trunks that are the colour of rust. The leaves make a rustling sound when the afternoon air blows gently.
We could spend our time in the hammock with Liam until supper time at the cottage later that night.
I immediately see it as my eyes move around the room. I shout, “Over there!” as I see the green hammock hanging from the trees. “We found it, Liam. We did it.”
Liam lets out a breath of relief, and I automatically tighten my hold on the straps of my rucksack with eagerness. I’ve gotten our beverages and other things ready.
so we could rest in the hammock. This does seem like the perfect place to go away.
When we go to the hammock, I set my backpack down and kneel down to check our things. But when I can’t find the books we’re going to read together, my heart drops.