Page 128 of Off The Ice
Heck, he’d probably never kick me out of his apartment because he was too much of a nice guy and felt sorry for me. I couldn’t handle it.
“Liam,” I said warningly. “No.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“Because. It’s your family.”
“Yeah, like my sister Maggie, who happens to be your best friend.”
“She doesn’t want me at her family’s Thanksgiving!” I said aghast.
“Like hell she doesn’t.” Liam let out a mixture of a scoff and a laugh.
I shook my head. “No, Liam. I’m not intruding.”
“What are you going to do instead?” he asked.
“I was just going to stay here and—”
Watch movies? Eat Chinese takeout? Cry?
“Yeah, to hell with that. You’re coming with me.”
“No, I can’t.”
“Fine, then I’ll stay here with you.”
“Liam, you have to see your family.”
“I’m not going without you,” he said in a way that let me know this was a hill he was prepared to die on.
I pressed my lips together, wanting to fight him on it but wanting even more to just give in. To finally have a normal holiday for once in my life that wasn’t fueled by alcohol and screaming.
“Geez.” Liam ran a hand through his hair. “You’re acting like it’s the most unappealing offer in the world.”
“No,” I was quick to correct him. “Actually, the opposite.”
He lit up. “So, you’ll come?”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “I’ll come.”
“Great.” He beamed at me as if I’d just gifted him the moon. As ifhewasn’t the one doingmea favor.
I exhaled. Holidays were always a time of tension for me. Even before anything happened, I felt it in my body. The anxiety building. Not knowing what would happen or who would be the first to erupt. Not knowing what was going to send my mom over the edge.
But considering how laid back Maggie and Liam both were, they probably had perfectly normal Hallmark movie holidays. And at least for one holiday, I’d get a glimpse into what a normal family looked like. Even if I would never have it for myself.
“And just so you know,” he added, “if I ever start a conversation the wrong way again, I promise it won’t ever be the kind you were thinking.”
The breakup one?I thought to myself, blushing.
Of course it wouldn’t.
Because we’d never be dating, right? That’s probably what he was trying to say.
It didn’t mean anything more than that.
I felt jittery and on edge, all the time again. It was weird, the codependency I had with my mom, even after all these years of being out of the house.
