Page 50 of Blakely and Liam

Really, really great

(Blakely)

Liam looked dismayed. I felt dismayed. I didn’t understand why but I felt guilty, like we had been caught naked in a bed instead of simply sharing a meal at the bar, laughing, talking, alone, in his pub — who the fuck was she anyway? Plus I was married. How dare she hold onto him like that in a way insinuating that I was...

My brain went high speed through a hundred different emotions. The worst, most deep of them was simply, oh, as recognition butted into my brain — Liam was spoken for. He hadn’t mentioned it, but why would he?

We were just friends.

I held many confusing emotions, watching this woman hug all over him — Liam met my eyes.

His held the expressions, awkward surprise and dismay. He repeated to the women, “Och, ye hae come so far!” And hugged them both again.

Ugh, this was awkward. I was on a barstool in a dive bar in the woods surrounded by convenience store food, talking to some other girl’s guy, a guy who looked distressed — I wanted to disappear, to gather my bag and sneak out the back door. I could sneak into the bathroom and climb out the window. I decided I was just going to be quiet and pretend like I didn’t know Liam at all, and — my reptilian brain raised its hand, and my dumb-ass mouth said, “Hey...!” It was less upbeat and just kind of weird.

Everyone glanced at me across the pub, Lily raised a hand, faltered, and put it down.

Liam broke their embrace, ran his hand through his hair, “Let me introduce ye tae... um—”

“Blakely!” My smile was too wide, why the fuck was I malfunctioning now?

He said, “I ken... sorry, I was just...” He pulled barstools closer to the bar and in the ensuing taking of seats I shifted down the bar, sitting beside Lily, the other woman sat on my stool.

I leaned on the bar with my hand out. “I’m Blakely, I just hiked the trail—”

Lily shook my hand while Em laughed and flipped her hair. It was the insecure laugh of someone firming up their role in a hierarchy. “Ye hiked a trail? Sounds a bleak way tae spend yer time, daena it, Liam?”

“Aye, I was just tellin’ Blakely m’thoughts on it.” Liam popped the lids off two beers and placed them in front of the women and... he finished the introductions, “This is Em, and this is my little sister, Lily.”

Em shook my hand then instantly turned to Liam and grasped both his hands on the bar. “I’m so glad ye invited me tae come!”

Running through my mind while a smile was plastered on my face: why are you freaking out, Blakely? Who is Liam to you?

Answer: No one. At most, a friend. He gave me a ride. You brought him some food.

But he was paying attention to me, and I had liked it.

He was my emergency contact.

And but... but... you’re married, Blakely, get a grip on yourself. Just because you’re going through some drama, he’s yours?

He’s just a nice guy. A taken-by-someone nice guy.

Not mine. Never said he was mine.

And I needed to grow up.

I glanced at Em, she was holding his hand, while Lily was saying, “...Och ye were right, Wee’am, the pub is shite.”

Liam looked around, “Ye are wrong, Lily, tis much more than that, tis steamin’ stench-filled shite.”

They laughed.

Em batted her eyes. “I canna wait for ye tae come home.”

Liam pulled his hand away to dig through the food. “Ye goin’ tae stay at m’motel?”

Lily said, “If it’s anythin’ like this pub we might keep our rooms at the inn.”

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