Page 102 of Something Forever

Silence settles in the aftermath of her words, a knot forming in my stomach. The idea that Liam and I will be together for long enough that we can read each other’s mind fills me with a hopeful warmth. I feel Liam shift, and I want so badly to turn and meet his expression. To know what he’s thinking.

We play a few more rounds, and Charlotte and Simon wipe the floor with us. All Liam and I can do is laugh at how competitive they are — that and how utterly terrible at this game we are. Then, just as I’m thinking things can’t possibly get more ridiculous, it’s Simon’s turn again; he moves his hips, shoulders, pelvis — everything. It’s like he’s trying to run and have sex at the same time.

Liam’s face is a picture of horror while Charlotte yells maniacally.

“Running… you’re running. Oh, Blade Runner! Secretariat!”

“My God,” Liam says, grimacing, “this is painful.”

“What am I watching?” I say into his ear in sheer disbelief, too stunned to laugh.

As Simon continues his bizarrely erotic movements with more intensity, Liam leans into me and groans, nuzzling his face into my shoulder. “Nothing that we can unsee.”

“Forrest Gump! Back to the Future!”

Liam nuzzles closer. “Oh, God… ”

Finally, even Charlotte is stumped, opening and closing her mouth as ideas come and go.

Then it hits me.

“Oh my God,” I say, totally entertained. “Oh my God, I’ve got it. It’s Baywatch!”

“Yes!”

I squeal, jumping up to give Simon a high five.

“That was brilliant, darling,” Charlotte says. “I don’t know how I missed that. It was so obviously Baywatch.”

Liam looks around the room like he’s looking for signs of intelligent life. “In what world was that obvious?” he says, his voice high pitched and frantic. “I almost called an ambulance.”

For a moment, we all look at each other in silence. Then, we fall into a pit of hysterics.

Best night ever.

“Well, I think I sufficiently entertained our guests,” Simon says, placing a kiss on Charlotte’s head. “I’ll get dinner ready now.”

“Entertained, scarred…” Liam mutters.

Simon slips out of the room, and the three of us expel the last of our giggles as we settle back on the sofa, Liam placing his warm hand back on my thigh.

I have no plans to move it anytime soon.

Charlotte turns to us, leaning forward. “So, Liam. Why did you drop out of school?”

“Jesus, Mum.” Liam stiffens beneath me. “Already?”

She shrugs. “I let you have a couple of drinks and some fun first. That should count for something.” She grins a little, but her eyes remain serious. “Now before you say ‘I don’t want to talk about it’, remember that I’m not going to let it go for the next three days if you don’t tell me.”

He sighs from behind me, and I shift my weight.

“Maybe I should let you two talk alone,” I suggest, but Liam clamps his hand down on my thigh, stilling my movements.

He shifts me so that he can look at Charlotte directly. “You know why,” he says in a low voice.

Charlotte blinks into the dim light. “Darling.” She reaches her hand out towards his. “You should talk to somebody. This isn’t the right way to handle things.”

“It is what it is.”

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