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Mary gets on her feet and I stand as well, shaking her hand. “I’ll be in touch soon, I just need to set up some paperwork, but then we’re good to go.” She gives me a friendly smile. “Welcome to the company, Eva.”
I can barely contain myself when I walk out, convinced I look like an idiot grinning from ear to ear. I send Liam a text to let him know I’m done, and as soon as I’m out on the street I let out a little whoop, and an old lady turns to give me a look of disapproval. I don’t care. I got the job. I’m no longer going to be hauling around bags of dog food, and I won’t have to deal with Bob any more. I’ll hand in my notice first thing tomorrow morning, and a few weeks from now my new life will start. Finally.
I spot Liam’s bike and wave like a crazy person, my wide grin still firmly in place. I run to him and pull him to kiss his delicious lips, and I feel him laughing against my miuth.
“I take it things went well,” Liam says when I let go of him.
“I got the job!” I squeal. “She hired me on the spot.”
“Eva, that’s so great.” He pulls me in for a hug, bumping the horn with his elbow in the process, making us both jump. “Oh, shit. We should probably get out of the way, I can’t really park here.” He turns to me as he starts the bike. “You want to get something to eat? We need to celebrate.”
I nod, I was too nervous to eat breakfast this morning and my stomach is growling. “Definitely. I need food.”
We find a cute little diner and are seated in one corner of the restaurant, right by a window with a full view of the street outside. People are hurrying past, going about their day, and soon I will be one of them. At least for a few hours a day.
We get our food and I dig into my waffles. Liam sips his coffee, an amused look on his face. I raise an eyebrow at him.
“What?”
“I like seeing you like this,” he says.
“Like what?”
“Happy. Excited. I’m really proud of you for going after this job.”
I put my knife and fork down, not sure what to say. I just look at him, this gorgeous man that has fallen back into my life, just like that.
“You’re proud of me?”
“Of course,” Liam says and reaches for my hand. “You’re one of the most amazing people I know. I love that we get to spend time together again.”
I don’t know why his words make me want to cry. It’s a compliment, dammit. I should just smile and say thank you. I swallow, holding back the tears that threaten to spill over.
“Thanks, Liam. You’re pretty amazing too, you know.”
“Yeah, I know,” he says. “I’m the best.”
I laugh, shaking my head at him. He snickers and returns to his food. We talk about my interview, and I go over what I’m going to be doing in my new role. He asks me questions, and I love that he’s genuinely interested in what I have to say. Talking through it with him makes it seem more real somehow, like I haven’t just made it all up.
“Are you nervous about giving Bob your notice tomorrow? Liam asks. I just shrug.
“I was a little nervous, but now I’m mostly looking forward to it.” I smile, imagining the look on my boss’ face when I tell him I quit. “It’s going to be so freaking great to be free from that place. No more retail!” I say and raise my glass for a toast. Liam raises his as well.
“No more retail!” he echoes and we clink our glasses together.
We decide to spend the day in the city, just walking around and exploring. I’ve been here before, but just to visit some of the larger stores that we don’t have at home. I’ve never really spent any significant amount of time in the downtown area. It’s nice, there’s a different pulse to what I’m used to. I probably wouldn’t want to live there, I wasn’t lying when I said that I love the town where I live. But it’s nice to be surrounded by something different at the same time. With this new job, I get a bit of both worlds.
I cling tight to his massive body on the drive back home. We don’t talk, just enjoying being close to each other. He’s stroking the back of my hand with his thumb, I don’t even think he notices that he’s doing it. I notice though. Two emotions are waging a war in my chest. One is telling me to step back, to not let this get any further before he leaves. The other is screaming at me though. Screaming at me to hold on.
To not let him go this time.
ChapterSix
I try to ignore the looming end date to us being together. Liam is spending most nights at my place, and we spend time together when I’m not at work. He drives me to get my car, all fixed up and ready to be used again, and he holds me close at night. I’m getting used to his warm body next to mine as I sleep. There’s still time, and I don’t want to waste it by worrying about it being over. I knew what I was getting into. I knew Liam was leaving. I just have to be an adult about it, and take it for what it is. Temporary.
Liam invites me over to dinner at his mom’s place one night, and I happily accept. I see his mom, Amelia, around town every now and then. But we haven’t really spoken much since we broke up all those years ago. I guess she must have noticed that we are spending time together again and asked that Liam invite me over. I can’t imagine him involving his mom in a temporary arrangement otherwise.
The house looks exactly the same as it did fifteen years ago, only with a newer TV in the living room. Amelia pulls me in for a hug as soon as I step through the door, her flowery perfume hitting me as I’m surrounded by her.
