Page 77 of Fix Them Up
‘Exactly.’ She nodded solemnly. She shifted in her seat, impatient. ‘So, are you his girlfriend? Because if you are, I need to invite you to my next football match. We’re playing Heath Prep. They think they are so much better than us.’ Abigail rolled her eyes. ‘Snobs.’
I swear, this girl was ten going on twenty-five.
‘Abs, are you ready to go?’ Liam strode into the kitchen, his eyes flickered down my blue jeans and jumper, warming his dark irises. I was relieved to see him, not only because he was wearing a fitted green T-shirt that showed the outline of the chest I had yet to see naked but also so that I could yeet myself out of this conversation about girlfriends.
‘Yep. I was just asking Kat if she would come to my football match now she’s your girlfriend, and you know Kirsty always comes too –’
Liam winced. ‘Abs –’
‘I’ll come.’
‘Are you sure?’ Liam asked. His eyes widened as if to say,You don’t have to.
I turned to Abigail, her face bright and beaming. Who the hell could turn that face down?
‘Are you going to win?’ I asked, giving Abi a conspiratorial grin.
Abigail grinned back. ‘Duh. I’m thebestgoalie. Dad taught me when I was five.’
‘Then, I’ll be there.’
Liam’s face flickered with surprise, shepherding me to the door with a hand at my lower back. Abigail ran to the car, her book bag swinging from her hands.
He leaned in. ‘You look beautiful, by the way. Those jeans –’ His voice lowered.
‘Dad!’ Abigail shouted, making us jump. ‘Hurry, we’re going to be late!’
I laughed as Liam’s eyes closed in a wince at Abigail’s piercing voice. We all piled into Liam’s van and dropped off Abigail at school first. She jumped out of the van, giving a wave.
‘See you later, Kat!’ she shouted and ran off to her gaggle of friends waiting by the school gate.
‘She’s cute,’ I said, turning to Liam.
‘She can be.’ His lips upturned. Proud. That was a proud dad face.
‘You don’t have to come, if you don’t want to,’ Liam said a few moments later. ‘To Abi’s match. Don’t let her twist your arm.’
‘I’d like to,’ I said. Even if it scared the shit out of me and it felt like we were teetering near ‘girlfriend–boyfriend’ territory already. The line that I had set in the sand. ‘If that’s okay with you and Yasmin. I don’t want to overstep –’
Liam glanced at me. ‘If you want to be there, you’re coming.’
‘Yes, boss,’ I said, adding a flirty edge to my tone.
‘Kat,’ Liam warned.
‘What?’ I laughed.
‘It’s been three days. Don’t push me.’
My cheeks burned.
Three days since Liam and I had made our agreement. Three days of missed opportunities. On Monday, Liam had set out earlier than me, flying off in his van to fix some crisis at the Joneses’ extension. On Tuesday, Sandra took me for lunch and then to watch Ray, the high-maintenance jazz performer, at the club. Sandra and I silently elbowed each other, our shoulders shaking with laughter, as Ray’s toupee flipped up as he stormed off in anger at someone talking too loudly during his set.
Then, last night, Liam helped Abigail with her homework and cooked dinner. I wanted to give them some space together, so I read my book in the annexe. Later in the evening, I got a knock at my door – Liam delivering a hot, lingering kiss and a foil-covered meal.
So we certainly hadn’t had time to fully… explore our new agreement. And the tension was painful. It was like I was aware of every breath he took and the moments he was watching me from the corner of his eye, his gaze dragging across my legs ormy breasts. I noticed how easily he lifted shopping bags out of the car, his muscles flexing. I smirked when I saw his eyes lingering on my mouth as I finished my breakfast and at his warning glare when I took a bit longer licking the spoon.
Liam’s van came to a stop. I heard the creak of the brake handle. The click of our seatbelts.
