‘It’s working.’ Liam let out a deep sigh. ‘I don’t like the idea of him using you.’
‘That’s rich, coming from you.’
He let out a humourless laugh. ‘Okay, I deserved that.’ Swallowing, he shifted on his feet. ‘I also don’t like the idea of him flirting with you.’
Okay, she was going to ignore that little bubble of pleasure. ‘Why? We hooked up, that’s all. No biggie. Well, aside from the small matter of what you didn’t tell me in the second hook-up, but that’s all water under the bridge. Or I guess I should say under the wharf.’
His gaze locked with hers. ‘It doesn’t feel like it’s over.’
‘What, the hook-up? Or me being mad with you?’
‘Both.’
She let out a squeal of frustration. ‘Stop trying to confuse me, okay? We had sex, you were a git, you apologised. Let’s move on.’
‘Move on to what?’
‘A polite, professional relationship.’
‘Fine.’
A few beats of tense silence followed.
‘Was Adam one of those people fourteen-year-old you wanted revenge against?’ Liam rocked back on his heels at her question and she rolled her eyes. ‘I’m crap at maths but even I can do fourteen plus seventeen equals about the right age for you now.’
‘I’d… forgotten I shared that with you. I don’t make a habit of sharing my private thoughts. Especially not with people I only have a polite, professional relationship with,’ he added, mocking her words.
He might have hurt her, yet it was clear he’d also connected with her in a way he didn’t with others. ‘We both shared things that we’ve never shared before.’
He nodded and glanced away. ‘To answer your question, yes.’
‘So you bought the wharf to get back at him?’
‘Them.’
‘The classmates?’ she hazarded. ‘The gang twelve-year-old you wanted to be part of?’
A shadow crossed his face. ‘It wasareason, and yes.’ He exhaled heavily. ‘It sounds petty, I know. Poor kid vows to take revenge on group of entitled rich pricks.’
It wasn’t what he’d said, but what he hadn’t said. This imposing, impressive man had once been bullied. ‘What was the “something” they took away from you?’
‘Somethings.’ He emphasised the plural.
‘Give me an example.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I want to understand why this wharf is so important to you.’
His mouth flattened in a thin smile. ‘There was a small private cove we used to go to every summer. Nobody else used it, just me and my grandma. One day, we turned up to find the path fenced off.’ She watched his Adam’s apple work up and down in his throat as he swallowed. ‘They knew it was our place, and they decided we’d enjoyed it for long enough.’
He only ever mentioned his grandma, she realised. Not his parents. ‘So now they can’t moor their boats to the wharf. How does it feel to get your own back?’
‘On this occasion?’ He exhaled heavily. ‘Not as good as I’d hoped.’
‘Well they say revenge is a dish best served cold, but seventeen years… that’s like being in a deep freeze.’
‘That isn’t the reason…’ He started to pace around the store, as if he couldn’t keep still. ‘I didn’t come here to discuss the past. I came to warn you that the construction team will be here tomorrow to survey the waterfront. They may need access to the shop.’