Page 81 of Tell Me It’s Right

I frown, and he rolls his eyes with an exaggerated exhale.

“I was in town dropping off lunch for Keava. Thought I’d swing by and let you know we won’t be home until late.”

“Hot date tonight?” says Liam.

“Don’t start with me.”

My gaze bounces between them, and Liam has that same smirk he always wears when he’s giving me a hard time.

“Where are you guys going?” I ask slowly.

Leo sips his coffee and grimaces. “The middle school is putting on a musical tonight. Apparently, a lot of Keava’s students are performing, so…”

“That’s going to be awful.”

Leo gives me a flat look. “Obviously. But she wants to be supportive. It’s sweet.”

Liam muffles a laugh, and Leo’s eyes swing to him. “What happens when Casey grows up and decides he wants to be an actor or something? You’re telling me you’re not going to be in the front row for every damn show?”

Liam shrugs. “Yeah, fair enough.”

Leo’s eyes narrow. “You’re in a good mood today.”

“Should I not be?”

His eyes narrow further.

“Don’t you have work, Leo?” I cut in.

“Oh, sorry, was I interrupting something here?” He says it on a laugh, like the idea is absurd, but I still stiffen in my chair.

Liam checks his watch. “Ah, shit. I do have a client coming in ten. Gracie, can you sanitize station one while I find wherever the hell I put that design?”

“All right. All right. Message received.” Leo raises his palms and turns for the door. “Try not to kill each other while I’m gone!”

Liam and I glance at each other sideways as the door closes with a quiet thud.

“Gracie, come on, let go of the book.”

Liam’s standing on the outskirts of the skatepark, his board in one hand, a helmet in the other. I adjust the strap of my purse over my shoulder and hold my book tighter to my chest. I always take one with me, but this one is a little too thick to fit in my bag and I don’t want to damage it.

He nods at the wooden picnic table behind me. “I’m sure the enemies to lovers or whatever will still be there after one run.” He holds the helmet toward me.

I wouldn’t just need elbow and knee pads for that. It would have to be a full Bubble Wrap body suit. Not to mention my little flowy dress is hardly skateboard-ready attire.

Liam tilts his head to the side and flashes what he probably thinks is a charming smile.

Okay, maybe it is. A little.

“Live a little, Gracie.”

“That’s exactly what I’m trying to do! Live. Something that could very well cease if you put me on that thing.”

He plops the helmet on my head without warning, but I don’t stop him as he adjusts my hair out of the way and secures the clasp beneath my chin.

“Safety first,” he murmurs, then sets the skateboard at my feet. “I’m not going to shove you headfirst into the bowl. Just try standing on it.”

I glance around the rest of the park. The last thing I need is an audience witnessing me fall flat on my ass. But it’s quiet, with only a few other people skating around, none of which are paying attention to us.

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