Page 57 of Harboring Secrets
Liam put all the postcards back in the box and set it aside to follow me. The bathtub was big enough for both of us, but I preferred to shower most of the time. I started the water and after making sure it was set at a good temperature, I stepped into the spray.
Less than a minute later, Liam was in the shower with me. He stood behind me and pressed his chest against my back. His arms wrapped around me and he buried his face in the curve of my neck. His lips grazed over my skin.
“When do we leave?” I decided to ask about it now while I facing away from him. I still felt foolish about my mini-meltdown.
“Whenever you’re ready,” Liam told me. “I don’t want to rush you, and there’s nothing there that needs my attention that urgently.”
“We should go soon. Get it over with. Plus, you’ve met my family; it’s only fair that I get to meet yours.” I tried to sound nonchalant about it, but Carol sounded like a force of nature and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t slightly intimidated with the prospect of meeting the most important person in Liam’s life. And then there was his best friend, Oren. The sooner I met everyone, the less time I’d have to conjure up doomed scenarios in my head.
“We should go tomorrow. Or the next day. But soon.”
Liam kissed my shoulder. “You don’t have to be nervous; they’ll adore you.”
“I’m going to be nervous anyway.”
“Then I’ll book flights when we’re done in here.” Liam’s hand snaked down my body. I leaned against him and closed my eyes.
“And when might that be?”
Liam chuckled in my ear and kissed water drops off my skin.
“Eventually.”
Chapter 28
Liam
Afterashortflight,Brodie and I piled into the back of a hired car. Our bags were stowed in the trunk for us and I tugged him into my side as we headed into the city.
“I’ve never been to Boston before.” Brodie’s gaze was transfixed out the window as he soaked in all the sights. “We should go on a road trip. Start on the east coast and work our way across to the states.”
“Still getting bit by that travel bug?” I took Brodie’s hand in mine and lifted it. His gaze slid over to mine when I kissed the back of his hand.
“Kieran used to talk about going on road trips. We’d plan where he wanted to go and what he’d stop to see along the way. I think he and Clay should go on one. I think they went on a short one, but he believes we’ll all fall apart if he’s not around to supervise us.”
“Or maybe his dreams changed. That happens too.” I gave Brodie a lingering look. “It happened to me.”
He rolled his eyes, but he pressed himself against my side. “Where are we going first?”
“We’re stopping by my condo to drop off our bags and then we’re meeting Carol at the office.”
“And you’re sure she won’t hate me.” Brodie clutched my hand. “I’ve never met someone’s family before.”
“It’ll be fine. She’ll love you. Besides, if I can handle yours, you can handle mine.”
My comment earned me a laugh. “I’m going to tell them you said that,” he teased.
“I think your mom would agree with me. I had to get the approval of your mom, your two brothers, and their boyfriends. Plus the diner guy, Ethan? If he didn’t approve of me, I’d probably get lousy coffee and burned toast.”
“You exaggerate.” Brodie grinned at me. “Taylor’s the one who makes the food. Ethan might give you old coffee, but he wouldn’t mess with your food or he’d have to face Taylor’s wrath.”
The chatter about his hometown eased some of Brodie’s nerves and by the time we arrived at my condo, he was in full tourist mode again. I loved watching him see new things especially, it turned out, things that weren’t new to me. Watching him see my condo for the first time gave me a way to see the man I used to be through his eyes.
From the outside, the building wasn’t anything special. It was a white building, only eleven stories high. Hardly the tallest building, or the most expensive, but Brodie still gazed up at it with his mouth open.
“You live here?” His voice was full of wonder.
“Lived… and sort of. I wouldn’t call it living, Brodie.”
