Page 96 of Falling for Love

Liam’s hand lingered on mine, and he pulled me closer.

I tried to sort through the storm of emotions swirling in my chest. I blinked quickly, keeping the tears at bay.

I didn’t want to cry. Not here. Not now.

“You’re too good,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He smiled at me, soft and genuine.

“So are you. Don’t forget that.”

I smiled and shook my head. “I mean it about you…”

“I try, but sometimes it’s not enough.” His tone was light, but the weight in his eyes betrayed the humor. “Are you ready to tell me a little about the guy?”

“Are you sure you want to go there?” My brows lifted in uncertainty.

His hands left mine, and he nodded.

“Absolutely.”

“Fine. I married Kyle in my early twenties. I thought he was my first love, but I know better now.”

Liam kept his gaze on mine but didn’t interrupt. He gave me the space I needed to tell what I could of my story.

He filled up my coffee mug, handed it to me, stood in front of me, and waited.

I let out a sigh and shook my head, unsure I wanted to unleash my past, but when his eyes stayed on mine, comfort coated me unlike anything before.

“After we got married, it didn’t take long before I spent many nights alone. He’d go out with the guys and not return until the next day. It didn’t take long to figure out that was his code for you know.”

“Evie, I’m so sorry,” he whispered, shaking his head.

“I wish that were where it ended, but that was only the beginning. It got to the point where I treasured those nights he was away. At first, the belittlement was whispered in passing. My cooking wasn’t to his liking, or the clothes were not folded right.” I shrugged. “All silly stuff, really.”

We stood inches apart as he studied me.

“As the months turned to years, it was yelling at me for not making his favorite food or letting him run out of toothpaste. I’d come home from work, hoping he’d have a boy’s night just so I didn’t have to deal with him.” I hugged myself as the nausea rolled in.

“I’m so sorry, Evie.”

I continued, shaking my head. “How sad is that? I was hoping my husband was out philandering, so I didn’t have to get yelled at.” A shiver ran through me. “I wanted to leave, but I didn’t have enough money, so I saved every penny I could scrape up. He enjoyed controlling me and making me feel bad for wrongs that didn’t exist. I remember being in a grocery store, and he just snapped. Picking up items in the cart and hollering about the brands I bought, and I just took it…as the shoppers stared or flashed sympathetic grins…I just took it.”

“You deserve so much better.” He shook his head. “That was verbal abuse, Evie.”

“I never knowingly would have brought a child into that kind of home, but…it happened.” A chill skated over me. “But Inever once regretted my pregnancy because what it gave me was the strength I needed to leave that situation, whether I could afford to or not. I didn’t come up with any more excuses; I just knew I had to leave when he was born.”

“I had no idea,” Liam’s voice was low and torn.

“Few do…” I sighed. “The sad thing is that I grew up with something a little similar with my dad. Nothing to the same degree, but I recognized the patterns when I got older.” I licked my lips and let out a deep breath. “My dad passed away the month before Hayden was born. He thought I should stick it out with Kyle for Hayden’s sake.”

“Is that when things clicked?” he asked. “You recognized the cycle?”

I nodded. “It’s just…when I say I don’t want to bring you into my mess, I mean my mess. You have such an amazing family and a bright future in front of you. I don’t want to be a part of bringing you down.”

Liam gasped and shook his head. “Evie, stop it. You’ve lifted me up in ways I never knew possible. Being with you and Hayden is a gift. You are a gift. I doubt I would have even pulled the trigger on the Red Barn Cider property if it weren’t for you.” A little smirk surfaced. “I think I want to impress you.”

His words pulled at every cell in my body.

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