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“You’re going make it worse.”
Liam ignored my protests and made quick work of removing my scarf.
I pulled in a breath, then skirted around him to hang it up. Liam did a one-eighty so I remained in his line of vision. Like he didn’t want me to leave his sight.
That’d surely tell Dad something.Isn’t that what you want?
I wasn’t sure anymore.
I hugged my arms around myself, trying to get my shivering under control.
“God, Ava.” Liam pulled close. He planted his hands on my arms. “Get it together.”
I’m scared.
His eyes softened. “It’ll be okay.”
He rocked forward like he wanted to hold me. I wanted it, too. I started to drift toward him.
“What are you two doing standing there?”
Liam’s hands fell from my arms like I was burning him.
Dad hadn’t noticed. Or if he did, he didn’t care. That’s how much he trusted us.
“Come on, come on!” He waved us in. “The food’s not going to eat itself.”
I pushed myself forward despite the tightness in my chest.
Dad set out the dishes on the dinner table. This was the part I always helped him with. Maybe sticking to our routine would ground me.
I picked up a place setting and started to lay it on the table.
“So, what have you been up to?”
My heart flew into my mouth and the plate slipped from my hand and slammed against the table.
“Ava?” Dad’s brows knitted.
“Uh, nothing. Much.”
His frown didn’t ease. “I think you should sit.”
“I think so, too.” I took a seat.
I was still trying to pull in a calming breath when I felt a presence next to me. I turned and found Liam lowering himself into the chair beside me.
“What are you doing?” I whispered.
“Sitting.”
“Don’t—”
Dad returned with a pan of focaccia bread. “You won’t guess what happened.”
Liam and I didn’t say a word.
“I got the delivery of the swiss cheese I’d been expecting for months. And it cleared out within three days. Can you believe it?”
