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“Oh, you’re sooo funny.”
“I’m being completely serious.”
“Are you two coming?” Anna asked outside the igloo, stalling Avril’s guaranteed rebuttal.
Grinning, Avril flicked him on the chest and swished her hips seductively as she began crawling out. By the time Liam exited the igloo, however, she’d already booked it back inside.
As he and Anna walked after her, he glanced only once toward the igloo before making it back into the warmth of Tess’s home.
See you soon,he promised it.
Chapter Twenty-Four
And Then There Were Three
Astonishingly, Avril was the first among them to mention the prospect of heading home. At only a little after nine, she broached the topic with Anna, who responded by wearing said astonishment openly. Near enough to overhear her, Tess raised an eyebrow.
“I hope this doesn’t mean that you’ve found my party to be a bit too boring for your tastes,” she said, walking over.
“Nope, I loved it.” Avril falsified a yawn, batting at it with her hand. “Just, I’ve got to be up early tomorrow, and I’ll be cranky if I have to spend all day with my family on just a few hours of sleep. Crankier, really.”
Beside her, at this reminder of familial gatherings on Christmas morning, Anna’s mood plummeted. Avril wasn’t alone in not looking forward to tomorrow’s choice of company, and Liam couldn’t blame her. He still vividly remembered Anna’s tear-stained face following a phone call she’d received from her father.
“Well, I’m glad you both could attend,” Tess said, equally aware of Anna’s barely concealed dismay. “You’re both welcome here any time. If we don’t see each other before then, I’ll see you both next week.”
“And you’ll get to see Liam sooner than that,” Avril said, rubbing Anna’s back as a form of stress relief. “Pick him out something handsome, alright?”
Steadying herself with a deep breath, Anna nodded and looked his way. “I’ll be available throughout most of the week. So, whatever fits your schedule.”
“It’s the same for me, so I’m sure we’ll find a good day for it.”
She nodded once more. The whole party shifted toward the front door as Anna and Avril collected their things and prepared to depart. Near the entrance, hugs and goodbyes were plentifully shared. Almost shockingly, Avril didn’t mention the mistletoe hanging over them.
“I’ll see you soon,” he told Anna once their brief embrace ended.
“Yes,” she said, smiling and backing away.
“Make sure you bring your A game,” Avril said as she threw her arms around him in a friendly hug.
To everyone else, it must have seemed she was referring to next week’s visit to the “Ashgrove Casino.” Liam wasn’t so sure. She might have been referring to his shopping trip with Anna and her hopes that he could accomplish something there. Or it might have had something to do with Tess, now that he only needed to wait for Victoria to depart before their night could evolve into one of intimacy.
It could have been one, two, or even all three. He never knew with Avril Knight. What he did know, however, was that he’d bring his best for all three.
Chapter Twenty-Five
His Gift
Once Avril’s car vanished into the night, all that remained between Liam and his time alone with Tess stood in the guise of a tall, buxom, olive-complexioned professor. When they’d seen Avril and Anna off, he’d quietly hoped she might also decide to head home. Unfortunately, she didn’t seem ready to hit the road just yet.
At the same time, while he didn’t think it’d be that odd if he stuck around a little longer himself, he had no way of knowing how long wastoolong. The last thing he wanted was for Victoria to wonder why he was so intent on being the last of Tess’s guests to depart. It was only a little past nine, so he figured he had some breathing room before that became something he needed to consider. However, he still decided that now would be the perfect time to build a safeguard or two against Victoria’s discerning suspicion.
“I think I’ll head out too,” he said about ten minutes after the three of them had returned to the living room. The conversation had reached a brief lull, and he figured that this was the most natural time for a college student to leave the college professors to their evening chatter.
Tess immediately recognized his ploy. Her radiant blue eyes gleamed with approval as she nodded and stood.
“All right. Let me see you out.”
At the door, they were both on their best behavior. Victoria had stayed in the living room after wishing him a good night, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t get up and check on them if they ended up twining their lips together before it was entirely safe.
