Page 53 of Love Me

Liam and I look at each other before losing it completely. He sets Charlie down on the ground, bent over laughing at her absurdity.

“Well, aren’t you three just the cutest family? One of you gonna spill how this finally happened? Cause I’m callin’ horseshit now that I’ve seen it.” Harlow’s voice breaks our fit of laughter. My eyes go wide at my sister, who’s now standing with her arms crossed, leaning against the wall of the kitchen watching us.

“Charlie, why don’t you and Hailey go pick out the best outfit to wear today for your party. You can wear anything you want as long as you feel good in it. I’ll be right there.”

Charlie skips off to her bedroom and I arch a brow at my asshole, skeptical sister.

“Start over,” I tell her with an attitude.

“This”—she waves her hand between Liam and I—“whatever it is between you two, didn’t just happen overnight. So, what gives?”

“You’re right, Lo, it’s been twenty years in the making. You got a problem with it? Or are you still butthurt Dallas is off the market now and you can’t possibly be happy for me?”

“That man is fine as hell, but there is no way I wanted anything more than one night with him. We’re not talking about me though, we’re talking about you, jumping from one relationship to the next, with no time in between to figure your own shit out. You have a daughter to think about.”

I feel Liam stiffen next to me, Hulk hovering right under the surface. I drop my head back and let a deep laugh escape me as his hand rubs my back, letting me know that he’s right there for support.

“Wow. You are so much like Mom it’s like looking directly at her. First off, you have no damn right to come into my home and give me your unsolicited opinion about my life. I juggle every single day by myself with the help of friends. Grandma is too old to be anything but a sounding board for me at this point. I bust my ass to run Bean Haven—by myself, I might add—and raise my daughter without the help of her father or any family around. I’ve been a single mom since the day I got pregnant with her. And as far as jumping from relationship to relationship—Lo, what relationship did I have with Levi? The one where he showed up randomly every few months to get his dick wet and thenbounce? No, you don’t get to judge me. You have no damn idea what’s between me and Liam, and it’s none of your business. So either get out or get on board because I don’t need anyone’s blessing in order to be with him. He’s not going anywhere.”

Liam’s arm wraps around my waist and tugs me into his side, holding me close to him as I work to steady my breathing and not launch myself across the kitchen at the Wicked Witch of the West and claw out her eyes.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I was just trying to look out for you, but I can see how that isn’t what you need or what is helpful. I love you, Han, and I’m sorry.”

I let out a rough exhale, letting the situation defuse and my emotions calm down.

“Thanks for saying that. Just don’t come at me, Lo, it’s not needed. I’m a big girl. Let’s just move on and celebrate Charlie today. She needs a happy mom, I’m playing the role of two parents here, it’s hard enough as it is. Let’s just get through the day and focus on making her feel special.”

With that, I grab Liam’s hand and pull him behind me to my bedroom to decompress for a moment before going downstairs to put the finishing touches on the cupcakes and all the other party prep that needs to be done.

Liam shuts the door behind us and grabs me by the shoulders, pulling me into a tight hug, his huge arms wrapping around me. I relax my head on his chest, hugging him back around his firm waist, filling my lungs with his clean, woodsy smell.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t have to lie to me, you know. I can see right through you. Perks of knowing you our entire lives.”

“She’s such a bitch sometimes. A mini-Cynthia but withclaws. I want to smack the shit out of her smug-ass face sometimes. Ugh!”

“I get it. Why do you think my dad forced the four of us boys to take boxing lessons from a young age? He wanted us to have an outlet to channel all that rage.”

“And now look at you four, still pummeling the shit out of each other on the regular.”

“Yeah, but the love between us is damn strong. I would die for any one of my siblings. Even if I do need to throttle them every once in a while.”

I step back from his hold, sitting on the edge of my bed, lost in my own thoughts, when he drops down in front of me.

“Hey, everything’s going to be okay. I’ve got you. You can handle anything because you’re a badass. So take a minute, but then pull yourself together and let’s get shit done. Today’s not about us, we’ll focus on all the other crap tomorrow.”

I reach out, running my fingers through his messy locks before settling my fingers along the scruff of his jaw. Without thinking, I lean in, pecking him on the corner of his mouth. When I pull back, his lips have turned up into a smile that reaches his eyes, crinkling them slightly.

“What was that for?”

“For always having my back. You and me?”

“You and me.”

After several hours of party prep and two trips back and forth from Bean Haven to Liam’s house right outside the distillery property, it’s party time for my sweet Charlotte. My parents called not long ago to video chat with her, which I appreciated,and so did Charlie. Even if our relationship may be strained, they are good grandparents, and I know they love their granddaughter. How could you not? Unless you’re Levi.

---