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Returning to Annie, Sadie shrugged. “Tyler was the only other guy I’ve ever been with besides Liam. Maybe I’ve never really known what my type is?”
As soon as the words came out of her mouth, there was a knock on her classroom door. Both she and Annie looked up just as Liam pushed the door open.
His eyes went wide when he saw Annie sitting next to Sadie, and he started to back away. “Oh, sorry,” he said distantly. “I didn’t know you were here, Annie. I just came to talk to Sa—Ms. Sullivan—about the play.”
Annie held up her hand to motion him forward as she rose from her chair. “I need to get home anyway. And I know you andMs. Sullivanhave a lot to talk about.” Her eyebrows shot up her forehead as she said the words. She walked to stand in front of him where he had stepped more fully into the room. “Planning the play and all,” she clarified innocently before her eyes narrowed in on him.
Liam’s eyes shifted nervously as Annie stared him down for a good five seconds before she turned to Sadie with a smile.
“I’ll clean up the snowman stuff, Sadie, and see you tomorrow?”
Sadie nodded from her fluffy chair with a grateful smile. “Thanks, Annie. See you tomorrow.”
With one final interrogating glare in Liam’s direction, Annie left the room, closing the door firmly behind her.
Liam stood frozen for a second, staring at the closed door, before looking over at Sadie anxiously. “That was weird.”
Sadie waved off his concern as she walked over to stand in front of him. “I told her,” she admitted timidly. “About us.”
“You did?” Liam asked, his face freezing.
“Yeah, I just…'' Sadie started, confused about the best way to explain herself. She probably should have talked tohimabout these things before blabbing them to their mutual friend. “I needed to talk to someone about it. It probably should have beenyou, though. I’m sorry.”
Liam’s features softened as he took a step toward her, wrapping his arms around her back. Sadie sighed, relaxing into his embrace. With her head resting on his shoulder, feeling the weight and warmth of him through his dress shirt, she felt immediately at ease.
“I don't mind that Annie knows,” he admitted. Sadie felt the vibrations of his deep voice where she leaned against his chest. She closed her eyes and leaned deeply into him, happy warmth pulsing through her veins. “We probably should’ve already talked about this,” he continued. “Therearelogistics to consider.”
Sadie pulled back a couple of inches and looked at him with faux seriousness. “Logistics?”
“Yeah,” he glanced down at her before looking around her classroom searchingly. “Like if we keep doing this … will we ever watch a show together that isn’tFriends?”
Sadie giggled playfully and pulled back to swat him lightly on the chest. It had become a running joke between them over the past two weeks that 1990s sitcoms with laugh tracks weren’t Liam’s first choice in entertainment. He’d put up a good front, though, snuggling close together on the couch for more episodes ofFriendsthan he would usually choose to watch.
“I hate to break it to you,” she responded. “But we’re still on season one. The snow’s going to melt before we finish.”
Liam grimaced good-humoredly. “Maybe next we can watchBreaking Bador something?”
Sadie scrunched up her nose and shook her head back and forth quickly.
Liam sighed in resignation, a smile tugging on his lips, before his expression turned serious. “I take it Annie wasn’t pleased?”
“No,” Sadie answered. “She’s worried about how this will look for work, which … is a valid concern, I guess.”
Sadie’s heart thumped wildly in her chest as she looked up, waiting for Liam to respond. Part of the reason that she hadn’t wanted to talk to him about their budding relationship was because she worried he would decide it wasn’t worth the trouble—thatshewasn’t worth the trouble—they would get in if they didn’t go about this in the right way.
“It is a valid concern,” he finally admitted before pausing again. “But … I really like you, Sadie. I don’t want to stop doing what we’re doing.”
The words came out choppy and awkward as an angry blush grew on Liam’s cheeks. Sadie felt her heart burst a little bit at his shyness and uncertainty. After spending so much time with him lately, she knew how difficult it was for him to admit something like that. “I really like you, too, Liam.”
“You do?” His voice was low, and he said the words like he didn’t believe her.
“Of course. I’ve liked you since I met you last summer, and the last couple of weeks … they’ve been amazing.”
His brown eyes sparked as he looked down at her with a half-smile, his dimples popping as he considered her for a beat. “The play’s in a week and half. Let’s just get through that,” he suggested. “And maybe figure things out during winter break? You’re going home to Antelope Grove?”
Sadie’s head came up with a start. Had she told him she was from Antelope Grove? Or just Sacramento? She must have at some point—the past couple weeks had become kind of a blur.
Shaking off the thought, she smiled up at him, nodding her head. “The day after the play. Are you going home to Sac, too?”
