Page 96 of Something Forever

“Liam, are you sure you don’t need help?” Abbi asks, calling out to me.

I finish slicing the turkey and bring the remainder of the dishes out to the group with an accommodating smile. “No, I’ve got it.” I set everything down and step back with a smile. “That’s everything. Whitney cooked, so I claim no credit.”

“That’s not true. You did the turkey,” Whitney argues with a grin.

I shake my head. “We did it together,” I concede.

“Well, I don’t care who cooked it, it looks amazing,” Abbi says.

We eat quietly, everyone too busy stuffing their faces to engage in polite conversation. When everyone is finished and picking at bits left over, Lauryn, Shatar, and Whitney talk about All Rhodes while Abbi tries to grill me about my five-year plan.

“What are you guys doing for the holidays?” Shatar asks.

“We’re going to London to visit Liam’s mom and stepdad,” Whitney says before I can answer.

Abbi raises her eyebrows, shock coloring her expression, but nobody seems to notice besides me. Lauryn and Shatar are fawning over the announcement and listing off must-sees in London, a few a bit touristy for my liking, but if Whitney wants to see Big Ben and ride a double decker, we’ll do it.

I glance again at Abbi’s concerned expression, but she quickly schools it into one of excitement as she lays her hand over Whitney’s with a soft smile. “That’ll be fun. I’ll miss you.”

“You have to take a million pics and send them to us,” Shatar announces. “We’ll make a group chat.”

“Do you get to visit home often, Liam?” Lauryn asks.

I shake my head. “Not really. Bit far.”

Lauryn nods and the group settles into an awkward silence.

Nerves spiking, I grab my plate and reach for Whitney’s. “What do we think? Dessert time?” I reach for Abbi’s plate. “I’ll wash up and put the pie in the oven.”

Whitney pulls on my sleeve, her brow furrowed. “Leave them. I’ll do them.”

Without thinking, I press a soft kiss to the top of her head. “Hang with your friends. I got it.” Carrying the rest of the dishes into the kitchen, I take a deep breath. I try not to eavesdrop as the group moves to the couch, but I definitely hear my name once or twice. Once I’m finished cleaning, I take the apple pie out of the oven. When I get to the living room, Shatar and Lauryn are chatting on the couch.

“Where’s Whitney and Abbi?” I ask, setting the plates down.

Shatar shrugs. “I think Whitney went to her room. Abbi’s in the bathroom.”

“This looks so good,” Lauryn says, grabbing a plate.

I slip down the hallway towards our bedrooms, finding Whitney’s door ajar. Knocking lightly, I press the door open, finding Whitney and Abbi standing near the bed, hugging. Their heads snap up at the knock and immediately, I notice that moisture is glistening on Whitney’s eyes. I’m hit with a jolt of panic.

Abbi steps back. “I’ll give you two a minute,” she whispers to Whitney, squeezing her arm. As she brushes past me, her gaze flickers to mine, a hint of warning in her expression.

Shaking it off, I cross the room to Whitney, lowering myself to wrap my arms around her. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

She shakes her head, wiping at her eyes. “Nothing.”

She tries to pull back from my hold, but I don’t let her. “Tell me?—”

“Liam,” she mutters. “I’m fine, really. It was just… the stuff with my mom. It’s still weighing on me.”

I don’t know how I can tell, but she’s lying. I guess after months of living together, I’ve come to know her well enough to know that something in the tone of her voice rings false.

“Baby,” I whisper, the endearment tumbling from my lips. I brush my thumbs under her eyes, wiping at a stray tear. “Can’t you tell me?”

She stares back at me, her brown eyes filled with so much anguish that it takes my breath away. I feel like I’ve been kicked in the gut. My grip on her tightens, another wave of panic rolling through me.

“The tulips…” she trails off on a whisper, her gaze studying mine.

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