Trusting Liam(41)

“That’s the Kennedy I’ve come to know,” Liam said in amusement. “Let’s grab a drink, walk around the beach for a bit, and then we’ll get out of here. Okay? Rob won’t even notice we’re gone.”

As soon as my margarita and Liam’s bottle of water were brought to us, we took off for one of the paths leading down to the sand, and I couldn’t believe how much easier it was to breathe once we were away from everyone.

After a few minutes walking along the beach, Liam pulled me to a stop and looked at me in confusion. I immediately stopped laughing at what we’d just been talking about and asked, “What?”

“I just don’t understand why you had to get away from all of them to be yourself. I thought you were supposed to be this tough girl who didn’t take shit from anyone. Even your uncle said you couldn’t be around people for long before letting them know what you thought of them.”

I laughed again, and shook my head once before looking up at the mansion. “There were a lot of them, and they all looked the exact same. It was hard walking through that while they were all staring me down.” Before Liam could respond, I said, “It would be like showing up to a black-tie party wearing a cow costume because you thought it was that kind of dressing up.”

Liam laughed loudly and eyed me. “A cow costume? Really, of everything you could have said, you came up with cow costume?”

“Shut up! I used to wear one while we were in college. I’d randomly walk around campus with it on during finals week, and Kira would wear her pig one. It eased the tension on campus and made people laugh.”

Liam was still laughing, but now he was bending over so his hands were on his knees. “You’re comparing tonight to your cow costume at a black tie?”

“Shut up,” I mumbled again, and pushed him so he stumbled backward. “It was really that awkward!”

“I’m just trying to picture you in a cow outfit. Did it have the face and everything?”

I rolled my eyes and started walking away. “Yes, it did. It even had a ribbon with a bell on it.”

“Was it named Bessie?”

I laughed and pushed at his chest, but he caught my wrist and held me close.

“Come on, it’s a fair question.”

“No! She didn’t have a name,” I said through my laughter, and a look of horror crossed his face, making me laugh harder.

“How could you not name her? That’s like not naming your car!”

“Because it was an outfit.”

Liam raised one eyebrow in a look that clearly said he was trying to picture me in the costume, and his eyes traveled down my body for a second before he asked, “Did it have the udders too?”

“Yes, Liam, it had the udders. There was a tail too, if you were wondering.”

“I was, actually. But what I really want to know is if I can call you Bessie when you wear it again.”

This time when I shoved him, he stumbled back again. “No, you cannot! And I didn’t even bring it to California.”

“You’re telling me that you’re going to tell me about this, and then deprive me of seeing Bessie?”

“Yes, that is exactly what I’m saying!”

“Whoa, whoa, wait!” he said suddenly with a serious look on his face, and my laughs stopped while I waited for whatever he was about to say. “Is that why you have the crescent-moon tattoo?”

“What?”

“Because the cow jumped over the moon. You have the cow, you needed the moon to complete it.”

“Oh my God, how did you even put those two things together? You’re so weird!” I called out as I walked away from him.

“But it’s perfect! I already call you Moon, now I get to call you Bessie too!”

“I will never speak to you again if you do!”

“Aw, come on, Bessie.”

“I hate you,” I said through more laughs and tears. “Seriously, this is not okay.”

“It’ll be fine, Bess. I’m sure of it. I promise to only say it in public if—”

His words cut off when I turned and dumped the rest of my margarita over his head, and now I wasn’t breathing because of how hard I was laughing.

Liam was staring at me with wide, shock-filled eyes as the icy drink dripped down his face, and in that moment, nothing could have looked better. “Now, that is perfect.”

With a deep breath in, he said, “That wasn’t nice, Bessie.”

Before I could tell him I didn’t agree, he lunged forward and grabbed the back of my thighs before lifting me up over his shoulder. “Oh my God! Put me down!”

Liam didn’t say a word as he began walking, and I slapped at his back.