Page 57 of Made for You

“Are you sure? I could swear these weren’t carved into the wood the other day when I was in here.” I narrow my eyes at him, looking for any indication he’s lying.

“Nope. Always been there. Just waiting for the guys to help me bring it in.” He unloads the bag of food without looking at me, always a tell tale sign that he wasn’t being one hundred percent honest with me.

“I never saw it get delivered,” I push.

“Guess you missed it. Got delivered a couple weeks ago.”

“Okay, if you say so.” I sit at the chairs around the large table and join Liam in eating.

We eat in silence for a few moments before he speaks again.

“Thank you for bringing me breakfast, I really appreciate it.” He scoops up the last of his egg bowl and I feel bad I didn’t bring him more.

“Did you eat anything the last two days?”

“Emma brought me a muffin. And Wyatt brought me Rebels before his shift last night per Emma’s instructions.” He digs into the bagel that I brought, scooping on almost the entire container of cream cheese.

“Do you want me to start bringing you picnic baskets?” I laugh at the ferocity of which he’s eating.

“No, I don’t want to make you do more work. Emma makes sure I get fed, and I pay her so she can worry about that. But I won’t object to surprise visits from you if you have the time.” He winks at me.

He throws his trash into the bin and I follow him tossing my trash behind his back. I keep walking to the back of the barn, but he cuts me off and runs back there first. When I catch up he’s tossing a blanket over something.

“What are you doing back here, Liam Keaton?” I cross my arms across my chest.

“It’s a secret. No one knows but Emma,” he pauses, “And kind of Coop, since it was his idea.”

“No one else knows?”

“Nope.”

“Is it something for fun or for work?” I raise a brow.

“Fun?”

“So it’s not for the inn then?” I inch closer to him.

“Well, yes. No? I don’t know, you’re trying to confuse me so I’ll slip up with your seductive eyes on me.” He furrows his brows and I laugh. “Oh, I do have a secret that Icanshow you. If you’re interested in changing the topic so I don’t slip up.” A secret always does intrigue me.

“Yes please.”

“Follow me, beautiful.”

He walks me over to another part of the barn where he has heat lamps set up, and what looks like an old plastic kiddie pool with blankets.

I peer over the edge and see a black cat with five little kittens, as dark as midnight just like her.

“Oh my gosh! Liam! These babies are so sweet! I didn’t know you had a cat!” I all of a sudden start whisper-shouting to not disturb the sleeping babies.

“I don’t. Midnight is a stray, she comes to hang out with me while I work, and the night after we had dinner together, I came in here on my way home and she was giving birth. I set up a bed for her after some googling and she took care of the rest. I just provided warm clean blankets.” He smiles down at the mama and scratches her ears, she leans into his hand and purrs. I can tell they’ve done this a time or two before. She trusts him.

“Big bad wolf, you better watch out. That sweet side is showing again.” I nudge him with my shoulder. “Can I hold one?”

“Google says no. They should be two weeks old before humans touch them. It’s tempting though.” He hasn’t quit loving on Mama Midnight.

“Well, then you can count on me to be back in two weeks for some kitten love.”

“I hope you’ll come back before that.” He pulls me into his side, wrapping his arm around my waist.

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