Trusting Liam(77)

I stood, but Brian’s voice stopped me from leaving.

“Not that I know much about anything. But it’s Saturday.”

“Yeah,” I said a little breathless. I was anxious to get to Liam, and the anxiety had my heart racing. “And?”

“And, dude number one, all I know is that every Saturday my boy comes to see me and feed me after he gets done sparring with his daddy-o. So if I’m not as high as I think I am . . . he’s at the gym, or he’s on his way there.”

I barreled forward and wrapped my arms around Brian’s neck. “Thank you. And don’t tell your wife that you got two cheat meals in one day!”

“Who’s tellin?” he called out as I raced toward the door to leave. “Go get him, dude!”





17



December 5

Liam

“I FIGURED IT out,” I said in way of announcing myself.

Dad turned around from where he’d been talking to Kristi at the drink bar with his brow pinched together. “Figured out what?”

“Kennedy, and what I need to do.”

A smile crossed his face, and he folded his arms across his chest. “Really? Well, let’s hear it.”

“I’m you and Chase. And my entire relationship with Kennedy has been what Mom went through with both of you.”

Both of his eyebrows rose, and he nodded. “Explain.”

“At first, I pushed for a relationship that she tried to stay out of because she’d been married before. Granted, I didn’t know, but I kept pushing until she was mine. When I found out about Rhys, I thought there was no way that she would end up choosing me, which is why I wanted to step back. I did it for her, but I knew I had to start protecting myself from what I thought was coming, so in a way it was also for me. So that’s Chase, right?”

“Right,” he said with an amused grin. “I feel like I know where this is about to go.”

“I gave her time, but I can’t keep staying away. I can’t sit still without feeling like I’m losing my mind. I need to be working, surfing, running . . . anything so I don’t think about her. And if I sit there for any amount of time, I get up and grab my keys. But I only ever make it to my car before I talk myself out of it, and I don’t want to keep talking myself out of it. I want to be there. I want to show her what we had, and to fight for my chance even though I may not get it again.”

“And that’s me,” he assumed.

“Yeah,” I said on a breath. “That’s you. Looks like I got the best of both of you.”

Dad’s smile changed into something softer, and for a second, his eyes welled up before he was able to blink the tears away. “That has to be the best thing I’ve ever heard come from you, Liam.” Clearing his throat, he took a deep breath and studied me for a second. “I guess that means we’re not sparring tonight?”

“Hell no. I need to go to her.” I heard a voice call my name, but before I turned to look, I grabbed my dad in a quick hug. “Thanks for everything, old man.”

Dad pushed me back and took a few steps away. “I don’t think you’re about to get your chance to—”

“Liam!”

I didn’t hear the rest of what my dad was saying as a wall slammed into me from behind and almost knocked me over. I stumbled forward a few steps, and quickly understood why my dad had backed up. A pair of slender, tattooed arms crossed in front of my chest, and long legs wrapped around my waist.

Grabbing on to the arms I knew so well, I helped her slide down, and turned to face my girl standing there with the widest smile and brightest eyes.

“Kennedy—”

“I’m in love with you!” she blurted out, and her smile seemed to widen.

I shook my head and leaned closer. “What?” I asked, knowing I hadn’t heard her correctly.

“I love you!” Her chest fell and rose with her heavy breaths, and she seemed to bounce even though her feet were firmly on the ground. “I love you, and I’m sorry I never told you that before. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it, and I’m so damn sorry I didn’t tell you about—”

I cut her off by crushing my mouth to hers and pulling her into my arms. “Fucking hell, Kennedy, tell me I didn’t just dream this,” I begged against her lips before kissing her again.

She laughed and pressed her hands against my chest so she could lean back. “Not a dream. I love you, Liam Taylor.”

“Thank God,” I growled as I captured her mouth. “Rhys?”

“I still need to talk to him. I’ve known what my decision would be for a couple weeks now—well, I’ve known since you walked out of my condo that last time—but I just started trying to get to know Rhys again so I could give him a chance in the last couple weeks. I was so worried that I would do something wrong that I hadn’t been able to voice my choice, but now I know who I want and what is right for me.”