Page 65 of Lost in You (The Monroes 3)

With a shrug, Brock grabbed another. Macy took a sample bite of hers to see if it was truly edible. Going o

n Brock’s reaction, they were amazing, but teenage boys loved food in general, so that wasn’t the best judge.

“Well?” Liam asked, leaning an elbow on the counter as he waited for her response. “Pretty amazing, right?”

The cheeses literally exploded in her mouth and Macy didn’t even attempt to hide the groan that escaped her, nor did she try to hide the fact she inhaled the rest. Once she finished savoring each flavor, she glanced to Liam, who had a wide smile on his face. He tipped his head, the habit she’d come to just accept where he was concerned.

“And you didn’t think you could cook,” he teased.

“Hey, I did the sliders,” Brock stated. “Can I take some of those with me?”

“Sure, but don’t take all the credit, kid. I smoked the pork yesterday. You put them together and baked them.”

Macy listened to the two bantering back and forth. Liam was so good with Brock. She couldn’t help but wonder if he ever wanted kids. Not a topic they needed to get into.

But did Liam have any aspirations beyond living in Savannah? She knew he wanted his old life back and couldn’t fault him for the need to return to his comfort zone. After all, she’d come right back to hers when life got too hard to handle. But she wondered if he was growing used to being here. The completely selfish side of her wanted him to stay, to see where this was going, because with each day that passed, she grew more and more used to the idea of having him in her life.

And that scared the hell out of her. If Liam ended up leaving, she’d survive. She wouldn’t like it, she’d nurse a broken heart for some time, but she couldn’t keep him here. He had to figure out his own life and what truly made him happy.

“I’m going to go get ready for work.” Brock clutched his to-go plate and grabbed his keys from the counter. “I’ll talk to Zach today about that job.”

Liam slapped a hand on Brock’s shoulder. “I think he’ll surprise you. They want you to be responsible and this is a good way of showing that. They won’t think you’re letting them down, I swear.”

Once Brock let himself out, Liam released a sigh and raked his hands through his hair. Macy adjusted her apron and retied it.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

Liam turned and nodded. “Just teenager issues. He’s such a good kid and he’s so worried about upsetting Zach and Sophie. Part of me thinks he worries if he doesn’t break his back pleasing them that they’ll stop loving him or something.”

Macy reached forward, cupping the unmarred side of Liam’s face. “I’m sure you worried when the Monroes adopted you.”

Liam shrugged. “Somewhat, but I was mostly concerned with watching my back around Zach and Braxton.”

Macy dropped her hand and leaned against the side of the counter. “You guys started fighting off the bat?”

“No.” Liam’s face hardened. “I was just coming off a hellish foster system and needed to be on guard.”

He’d never spoken of the time between when his mother passed and when he’d started living with the Monroes. From the telling statement he’d just delivered, Macy knew he’d endured a period that had scarred him for life.

“Let’s not go backward,” she told him. “For right now, let’s just have fun. Unless you want to talk about it.”

She knew he’d say no even before he shook his head. And that was okay, because she definitely wasn’t ready to dive into her past and give him all the details. He knew enough, more than anyone else she’d ever known.

“What do you say we tackle some jalapeño dip?” Liam suggested. “It’s simple and it’s a nice appetizer that will go a long way.”

Macy shrugged. “You’re the boss. I killed those mac ’n cheese bites, so bring it on.”

Liam laughed. She loved that sound, wished he’d do it more often. Perhaps he was getting accustomed to being back in Haven. He didn’t seem as uptight, as angry as he had when he’d first arrived. There was something to be said about amazing sex.

“What’s that look on your face for?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. “If you think you’re going to use that apron and those boots on me again . . .”

“What?” she asked, laughing.

“You’re absolutely right.”

When he reached for her, Macy jumped out of his way and ran around the island. He swatted at her again, managing only to catch the ties on her apron, jerking it undone. She squealed when he reversed his path and caught up with her.

He had her wedged in the corner with the countertops at her back and his perfect form molding against her in the front. Not a bad place to be.

---