Page 74 of The Love Chase

Coming from my mom, who had lost her husband so many years ago and then fought a hard battle with cancer, the words hit their mark. She knew better than anyone what it was like to love and lose someone. The words were firm, but came from a desperation for her daughter to find real love.

Was it possible for Liam and me to have that?

I wanted to tell him. I really did. But it was so easy to let my fear of being rejected by him, being crushed, get in the way of finally being honest.

“It’s worth the risk, Em,” Jameson added. “Even if it’s scary.”

Tears burned in my eyes. They were right. I knew they were right. If both Jameson and my mom had found the courage to tell the ones they loved how they felt, then why couldn’t I?

I just wished it was easier.

“Thanks, guys,” I finally said, swallowing down my tears. I didn’t know what else to say, but the great thing about my family was I didn’t have to say anything at all. They knew I appreciated them. Their words meant everything.

“If you can chase tornadoes, dear, then you can tell Liam that you love him,” Mom said. “You’re brave, Emma. Braver than most.”

“You’ve got this,” Jam-Jam added. “And we’re right here no matter what.”

I swiped at the rogue tear escaping my eye and tried to smile.

“I love you both.”

“And we love you,” Mom replied. “Now go put on your brave tornado chasin’ panties and tell Liam the truth.”

The words were so ridiculous that I burst out laughing. “Tornado chasin’ panties?”

“Well, something has to make you brave enough to go chase after those terrifying things. I just figured it was your underwear.”

I couldn’t stop the laughter bubbling out of me. Even Jameson chuckled at Mom’s ridiculousness.

“All right, Mom. I’ll put on my chasing panties and try to be honest with Liam.”

Mom’s smile was brighter than the sun. “That’s my girl.”

Liam

Ihad just finished buttoning up my blue shirt when my phone buzzed on the bathroom counter. I tried to ignore it, but a moment later Bridget’s ringtone, the dramatic theme to Phantom of the Opera, started blasting, echoing in the small space.

Mentally bracing myself, I grabbed it and hit the green button.

“Yeah?” I didn’t have time for pleasantries. I had left Emma downstairs after that disaster of a run-in with the paparazzi in town, even though I knew I shouldn’t have. But I’d needed a minute to collect myself, to calm down.

I was no stranger to the paparazzi, but the questions they were pelting us—me—with were too much, especially when I was frazzled by that kiss. I couldn’t think straight, couldn’t remember what to do. I hated that the person who meant the most to me in the entire world was being dragged into my world of chaos, rumors, and disgusting, stalkerish paparazzi.

“Where are you?” Bridget barked, and I had to pull the phone away from my ear at her harsh tone.

A flood of steam erupted as I opened the bathroom door, crossing the room to search for a pair of socks in the dresser. The faint scent of Emma’s perfume hung in the air, and it immediately soothed me.

“At home,” I said through clenched teeth, shoving one sock on my foot, then the other. As I stood, the ticket Emma had given me slipped out of my back pocket and onto the floor. Bridget said something, or should I say yelled something, but it was lost in the background as I stooped to pick up the ticket. I smiled in spite of myself.

As much as going to a weather convention wasn’t my thing—at all—I was surprisingly excited to go with her. It would keep me at Emma’s side which was where I found myself wanting to be more often lately.

“Hellooo, earth to Liam!”

The anger in Bridget’s voice snapped my attention back to her.

“What?” I snapped back, mimicking her tone.

“What in the world are you doing at home?”

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