Page 110 of The Reno
Liam glanced at me, an expectant look on his face like he wanted to know, too.
“Great,” I said, forcing a smile under the expectation of their gazes on me. “Thanks to Liam. I don’t know what I would have done if he hadn’t taken the job.” I turned to Kevin. “I haven’t had a chance to thank you for letting Liam jump on the project quickly and only charging me for the materials. You have no idea how grateful I am.” I glanced at Liam. “We got off on the wrong foot, Liam and me. So I imagine he wouldn’t have accepted without someone to coerce him.” I smiled and shoved Liam with my shoulder.
Kevin’s heavy brows knitted together. “Coerce—”
“Dad—”
Kevin barked a laugh. “I didn’t have to say anything. He jumped at the chance.” Kevin’s eyes twinkled as he glanced between Liam and me. “And now I can see why. I don’t think Liam could resist helping the pretty girl he was holding a flame for.”
“Dad,” Liam said, as his cheeks flushed.
Kevin continued. “Well, obviously, I’d have always helped you, Kat. But it was our Liam who suggested we absorb the labour costs.”
I turned to Liam, and he was scratching his head, looking anywhere but at me. He couldn’t have known me for more than a week, and he’d missed out on thousands and thousands of pounds to help me out.
Gratitude surged inside my chest, making my eyes burn.
“Especially strange because he’s always on my back for helpingpeople—”
“—Bending over backwards to help people,” Liam inserted.
Lydia leaned on the back of Liam’s shoulders, messing up his hair. “Oh, you mean like not charging customers you fancy?”
Liam went a bit red. He was blushing, and all I could do was stare in amazement.
“Liam—” I started, unsure what I was even going to say.
Thank you.
Let me pay you back.
Liam looked at me and said, “Later.”
“Brian, do you need a hand plating up?”
“No, Sandra. I don’t need a hand. Two hours ago, peeling potatoes, however…” Brian replied, walking over with the huge, puffy Yorkshire puddings.
“Touchy, touchy,” Sandra replied in a sing-song voice, making Lydia and Liam chuckle.
Everyone started picking up plates laden with roast potatoes, leeks and roast chicken that Brian had carved. It was all placed in the centre of the table. Liam and Lydia went to the cupboards to pick out wine glasses. Kevin had his hand on the oven door. Uncle Brian whacked him on the back of the head. “You’ll let the heat out, you twat.”
Everyone seemed to have their role, and I was just standing next to the table, feeling like a lemon.
“Kat—would you grab the knives and forks?” Brian asked, and relief flooded me—something to do. Once everyone sat down, people began helping themselves to the food piled in the centre of the table.
“Potatoes?” Liam asked, leaning into me. I almost jumped a foot.
“Oh. Yeah. Thanks.”
Liam spooned one huge potato onto my plate and then another.
“Two is fine.”
“Humour me,” he said, spooning on one more.
“Such a feeder,” I muttered under my breath.
“Don’t diss my love language, Red,” he said with a smirk.
