Page 28 of Falling for Love

He chuckled and stepped back, letting me move past him, but his eyes didn’t leave me. “Let me take it to him.”

“You don’t have to—”

“I want to,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I handed him the tray and watched as he balanced it with care. He flashed me that grin again, the one that made my stomach flutter, before heading into the family room.

“Hey, Buddy,” I heard him say, his voice bright. “Brought you some soup along with your grilled cheese made by yours truly. And don’t worry, I left part of my hand in it for flavor this time, just like last time.”

Hayden’s giggles rang out, pure and unrestrained, and it stopped me in my tracks.

It had been so long since I’d heard him laugh like that—carefree and joyful.

I leaned against the counter, closing my eyes for a moment as the sound of their laughter filled the house.

Liam had a way of fitting into our lives so easily, like he’d always been meant to be here. It scared me how much I liked it.

How much I liked him.

I opened my eyes, staring at the empty kitchen. Could I let someone like Liam in? Could I risk it after everything Hayden and I had been through? My walls were there for a reason, but for the first time in a long time, I wondered if it might be okay to let them down.

Just a little.

The sound of Hayden laughing again reached me, and I couldn’t help but smile.

Chapter Six

Evie

The comforting scent of butter and sugar filled the kitchen as I spooned dollops of cookie dough onto a baking sheet.

The rhythmic sound of Hayden’s laughter filtered down the hall, a welcome melody after the twenty-four hours of worry. I glanced at Liam, leaning against the counter casually, watching me like he was content to stay there forever.

“It’s nice to hear him laughing again,” I said, adjusting the tray before sliding it into the oven. “You bring it out of him.”

Liam nodded, his lips curving into that easy smile of his. “Kids are tough, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one bounce back as quickly as Hayden.”

“He’s resilient,” I said, wiping my hands on a dish towel. “But I kind of think it’s because you’re here.”

His gaze softened, lingering a beat too long, and I felt the warmth rise in my cheeks. “Well, I can see where he gets it.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the smile spreading across my lips. “Are you always this charming, or do you save it for women covered in cookie dough?”

“Only the special ones,” he said, making me laugh.

I turned back to the counter, starting to prep another batch of dough.

“So,” I said, glancing at him, “you mentioned something about starting a cider company once. What’s the story there?”

Liam’s eyebrows lifted, clearly surprised by the question, but then his expression shifted into something thoughtful.

He crossed his arms, leaning against the counter as he considered his answer.

“Red Barn Cider,” he said finally, a touch of pride in his voice. “That’s the dream.”

I tilted my head, curious. “Why cider?”

“Well,” he began, “I’ve always loved the idea of taking something local, something rooted in tradition, and making it into something special. Buttercup Lake has plenty of orchards, and there’s a history here of small-batch production, community markets, that kind of thing. Not to mention, I’ve been dabbling with hard cider recipes long enough to have stumbled on a good one.”

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