Page 67 of Until Bax

“Hey, Kourtney,” Liam says distractedly, his attention already focused on Rebecca. “Are you ready?” he asks the woman behind me.

“Yeah, I just need to grab my luggage.”

“Do you want help?” I ask her, not really wanting to leave Liam in the living room with Kourtney, who looks so uncomfortable with people being in her house.

“I got it,” she assures, turning down the hall to my room and coming back less than a minute later, rolling her suitcase with her purse over her shoulder.

Stopping in front of me, she gives me a tight hug. “I love you.”

“Love you too. Call after you get to the airport and are through security.”

“I will.” She lets me go and looks at Kourtney.

“Sorry we didn’t get a chance to visit. Maybe next time.”

“Yeah,” Kourtney says as Liam grabs Rebecca’s bag and wheels it outside.

“Drive safe,” I tell Liam, and he jerks his chin up in my direction but doesn’t say a word. Then again, he hasn’t tried to talk to me since Bax refused to let him speak to me at the bar.

I walk to the door and watch him walk Rebecca to his truck and open the passenger door for her. A couple of minutes later, as Liam starts to back out of the driveway, I wave at Rebecca, then step back into the house and close the door. After looking into the kitchen and the office next to my room for Kourtney, I go to my bedroom and pick up my phone. I told Bax I would stay with him tonight, but with Kourtney now home, I think it might be better if I stay here with her.

After dialing Bax’s number, I put the call on speaker and set it on the bed, listening to it ring as I pick up my laundry basket from the floor and set it on the end of the bed.

“Hey, baby, did Liam pick up Rebecca?”

“Yeah, they just left.” I grab a stack of pajamas and carry them to my dresser.

“Okay, I’ll be over in a minute to walk you over here.”

“I’m not sure I’m coming. Kourtney came home, and I think it might be better if I stay here with her.”

“I thought she was in LA.” He doesn’t even attempt to hide his disappointment.

“She was.” I close the drawer. “But she came home for a couple of days—” The last word ends on a squeak when I turn toward the bed and spot Kourtney standing in my doorway. “Oh my God, you scared me.” I press my hand against my chest.

“Sorry.” She gives me an apologetic smile. “I called out to you when I was in the hallway, but you must not have heard me.”

“I didn’t.” I laugh, then say into the phone, “Hey, I’ll call you back after I talk to Kourtney.”

“Sure, baby. Let me know what the plan is.” He hangs up after saying goodbye, and I focus on Kourtney.

“Who was that?” she asks, and my nose scrunches as a smile I can’t control tips up my lips.

“Bax.”

“Bax? As in the guy who lives next door to me and is also Liam’s best friend?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you hanging out with him?” I nod my head, and she shakes her head in disbelief. “Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “A lot has happened since I’ve been gone.”

“You’re not wrong.” I pick up a pile of my underwear and take it to the dresser. “How long are you home for?”

“Just a couple of days. Hopefully, before I leave, I can have a security system put in, along with a few cameras.”

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