Page 5 of Two Weeks in Tahoe

“Huh?”

I’m lost for words, staring. Our gazes are locked. I could never forget that stare—the alluring hazel eyes that haunted my dreams for many years. That smirk that was always glued to his face with the dimple on one side. It’s not there now, but I know it’s there hiding right beneath the surface. I’d never seriously thought that I’d see him again after all these years. I only dreamed about it. It’s Liam.

He pauses for a moment too, watching me, probably wondering what’s wrong with me or if I bumped my head.

“Are you…alright?” He clears his throat. “We were driving down the hill over there and saw your fall, and then you didn’t get up…”

“Yeah. I wasn’t being careful and slipped. I’m fine.” My cheeks flush in embarrassment.

“Are you sure? Did you hit your head or anything?” he asks, looking me up and down. I shiver under his gaze.

“No. Not at all. My butt might be a little sore tomorrow, but that’s about it.” Why did I say that?

He lets out a deep laugh, and a dimple appears on one side of his cheek. I can’t help but stare as dozens of memories pop into my head. Memories that had been buried deep, deep down.

It’s him. Something flashes in his gaze, and I’m not sure if it’s recognition or something else. Does he remember me? It was so long ago, I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t. Time seems to freeze as we take each other in for what’s only a few seconds, when he finally breaks the silence.

“Are you…from around here?” he asks.

Does he really not remember me? For some reason, a flash of disappointment washes over me. It’s been years since I’ve seen him; why should I expect him to remember me? I decide to follow his lead.

“No. I’m just in town visiting for a little while.”

He opens his mouth to ask more, but a little boy walks up behind him, tugging on his jacket.

“Is the lady okay?” the kid asks, looking back and forth between us.

“Yeah, bud. She’s okay. I’m pretty sure,” he says, quirking a brow and looking me over, double-checking.

I give a reassuring nod. “All good, just a little slip,” I say, smiling at the boy.

The man—who I’m almost positive is Liam—shoves his hands in his pockets, looking down at his feet for a moment. I take the moment to study him further. He’s wearing a black beanie, but I can see a bit of dark hair poking out the side. He has a bit of stubble on his face, and he seems even taller than I remember. The rest of him is covered up in a thick black jacket and pants.

“Uncle Liam,” the kid behind him chimes in again, “do you think she has any kids for me to play with?” His eyes dart past me, looking for evidence of anyone else.

Liam looks back up at me, his eyebrow raised in question. He seems composed again. I can tell he carries himself with confidence. His gaze pierces me as he waits for an answer.

“Nope. Sorry, kiddo. It’s just me, all alone here in this cabin.” I feign disappointment, glancing at the kid. Then I catch Liam’s eye, and he’s still watching me with that intense gaze.

“Well, we should get going, dude. We don’t want to keep her from whatever her plans are,” Liam says to the boy.

“Aww, man.” The kid sighs. He’s adorable. I’d guess he’s around five or six years old.

“Well, it was nice to meet you guys,” I say with some pep, smiling and waving to the kid.

“You too! Maybe we’ll see you around. We live right down there.” The child points down the hill to a cluster of houses too far to make out clearly.

“It was nice to meet you…” Liam trails off.

“Layla,” I respond, watching his eyes for any recognition. He swallows, and his jaw twitches slightly.

“Layla,” he repeats, nodding and giving a closed-mouth smirk as he backs away. “It was nice to meet you, Layla,” he calls as he looks back over his shoulder, walking away toward a snowmobile parked a few dozen yards away.

That man has mischief in his eyes. He might be trouble.

Maybe Daniela was right—a little holiday hookup wouldn’t kill me.

5

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