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I start to type out that I’m hoping she’ll be naked when she opens the door but I delete it. Fucking baby steps, Salinger.
Don’t scare her now.
I start again.
I’ll be there by eight. No need to cook if you don’t want to. I can bring something, or eat on the plane. – Liam x
Don’t be silly. You’ll be tired. I’d like to cook for you. I owe you one after all. ;) – Sophie.
Are we still talking about dinner? – Liam. x
Maybe… – Sophie.
A soppy grin pulls at my mouth.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
SOPHIE
There’s half an hour until Liam’s due to arrive at my apartment, and there’s something I need to do that I’ve been putting off all afternoon. So I pull up my contacts and scroll down to the S section. I’m surprised at just how many Salingers I have in there now, as I click the one that I need to speak to.
Liam’s mom answers within two rings.
“Sophie, how lovely to hear from you.” That’s the thing about Linda Salinger. She always makes you feel like you’re the person she’s been dying to talk to all day. Ava always says Myles gets his charisma from his dad, but as far as I’m concerned his mom is pretty charming, too. “How are you?” she asks.
“I’m good, and you?”
“Oh you know, busy.” She laughs. “But then what woman isn’t busy? And it’s all self-imposed. Are you still able to come to the party next Saturday?”
“Of course. I’m looking forward to it,” I tell her. “Thank you again for the invitation.”
“Are you driving over with Ava and Myles?” she asks. And again it feels like she genuinely wants to know. Maybe I have a mom fixation.
“No, I think they’re planning to stay. I’ll drive over on Saturday afternoon then home that evening.” I wrinkle my nose. It’s a hell of a drive from here. Maybe I should look at booking a hotel room and stay the night.
“It’s such a long drive. I’ll be worried about you on those country roads late at night.”
“Honestly, I’ll be fine. I’m used to driving at night. I’ll make sure I’m safe.” And then I swallow because there’s some news I need to share. “Also, um, there might be some rain next Saturday. We’re monitoring a storm system, and it’s too early to say if it’ll hit or not, but I wanted you to be aware.” I don’t try to explain that it’s a mesoscale storm that we noticed forming in the radars today. Most people get bored when I try to get technical. But if we’re right it’s a series of thunderstorms that could last up to six hours if it hits badly.
I’m hoping we’re wrong though.
“Oh dear.” Her voice lowers. “Do you know how much rain?”
“Not yet. It’s looking like a summer thunderstorm,” I try to reassure her. “One of those that passes on after a few hours. I’m so sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I can’t give you an accurate time estimate yet, but we’ll be keeping a close eye on it over the next week.”
“Oh sweetie, don’t sound so sad,” Linda says. “The weather isn’t your fault. And it’s better to be forewarned, right? I’ll make sure that we have a contingency to move inside if the weather doesn’t hold.”
“Thank you for being so understanding.”
“Thank you for giving me the heads up,” she says. “And if there’s a possibility of rain, then that settles it. You’ll have to stay with us at the house overnight. I’m not having you drive home in a storm.”
“It might not even happen,” I tell her. “And if it does there’s every likelihood it will pass over by evening. It shouldn’t cause any problems with my drive home.”
“Nonsense, I won’t hear of it. Even if there’s a possibility of bad weather you shouldn’t drive alone at night. Please stay, I insist.”
I need to talk to Liam about this. I don’t want him thinking… I’ve no idea what I don’t want him thinking. But it feels like I’m getting cozy with his family when he might not like that. “Let me just check my plans,” I tell her.
“Of course. But there’s a room for you if you need one.”
