Page 46 of Hold

“I don’t want him to get—”

“Thea,” he said, and she clenched her fists against the longing that his use of her name created in her. “I’m sorry, but I think that horse has bolted.”

She closed her eyes and sagged against the frame of the gate.

“What horse?” Kane said. She’d forgotten he was behind Liam.

“Never mind,” she said. “Okay, look.”

“No, you look.” Liam put his hand on her arm. Just a light touch, only enough to keep her in his sights, but he might as well have kissed her. That touch was more intimate and told Kane everything she’d been hiding from the others. “I’m here, okay? I’m not going anywhere.”

“You can’t say that,” she said weakly. “You don’t know—”

“You’re right, I don’t. But I know enough to know I’m not going anywhere.”

Tears came into her eyes. It wasn’t just that he was brave enough to say it and not care who was listening, but it was the sincerity in his voice and the words themselves that he must have known she’d been wanting to hear for fifteen years. If they fell apart now, more than the boys’ hearts would be broken.

Her mom brain kicked in. “I’ll have to get the form filled out for the bus to release him to you. Can you come at six o’clock on Monday night so they can meet you?”

“Sure.”

“All right, then. Thank you.” She hoped her eyes said it the way she meant it.

“You’re welcome, T,” he said. “See you in a couple days.”

And then his hand was gone, and Kane was walking beside him to the blue monster baby.

Chapter 13

He shouldn’t have come. His father would have taken his place. He would love to get his hands on this house, and this would have been the perfect opportunity to ingratiate himself with the Fieldings. Old house, ancient plumbing, deep pockets. Every contractor’s dream. But no. Liam couldn’t resist the chance to see her again, among her family. And Jake had asked for him; if he hadn’t come, Jake might have taken it personally.

He’d been plenty punished for his lack of restraint. First, there was Thea waiting for him but not waiting for him on the driveway. Her swimsuit was black and simple and gave him no chance. A deep V held together with a silver bar that he swore still had droplets of water on it. Her hair was up and wet, and her legs went on for—God, forever. He was surprised he could even talk to Penny in coherent sentences.

That was the next revelation: how Penny could be here. Penny, whom he’d known his whole life. If Penny was mixed up with the Fieldings, that made them… more human, less aloof. More difficult to stereotype as rich kids with trust funds.

The house was just what he’d expected, but it was also messy and lived-in, and the furniture outside the public spaces looked like his. Kane had been warm and friendly, throwing him that Fielding smile—which was a little freaky on a guy, now that he was used to seeing it on Thea—and had laughed at his own lack of home improvement skills. He and his wife weren’t in one of those marriages Liam had seen so often during his apprenticeship: the husband and wife moving in different spheres, the marriage merely for show and to get a tax break. Liam had seen the way Kane looked at Ellen and she at him, even when she was pretending to be mad at him.

No wonder Thea shrank into herself a little around these guys. Liam could bet they judged her decisions worse than she did herself and reinforced her bowed shoulders and apologetic stance. He wanted to take her home right now, strip off that damp swimsuit, and show her just how important she really was.

And then there were the boys. Jake, looking to him for approval. Benji, thrilled to see him, telling him how far down he could swim now, that he’d been playing soccer with the big kids, that he was going horseback riding at camp this week and had Liam ever been on a horse?

Then Benji had said, “Hey, since you’re home early with Jake every day, can I hang out with you guys?” And his brown eyes had formed perfect circles, and he’d said, “Oh! You could pick me up off the bus!” and Liam couldn’t think of a quick enough reason to say no. The worst part was, he didn’t want to.

It was one thing to have a classroom full of teenagers rely on you for their education and, sometimes, validation. It was quite another to have an almost-six-year-old look at you with absolute trust, put his hand in yours and smile and hum as you walked, just because your presence made him feel safe.

He was too far in already. And who knew? Thea had what he’d said he wanted when he married Avery. A home, kids, a regular life. What his parents had had. That was all Liam had ever asked for. Maybe he could convince Thea to try again for that too.

“You should know,” Kane said as Liam opened the truck’s door, “I punched out her last boyfriend, and if I hear you’ve done anything like what he did, I can do it again.”

Liam laughed, but Kane was serious. No five-hundred-watt Fielding smile here. He used his advantage in height to loom over Liam. Liam wasn’t intimidated, but he respected Kane’s concern for his sister. “Must be hard, three sisters.”

“Four. And only one of ’em’s had a guy in her life I remotely like.”

“I’ll remember that.” Respect or no respect, Liam wasn’t about to make promises to Kane he hadn’t yet made to Thea. “Good to meet you,” he said and held out his hand.

Kane was surprised but shook hands. “You too. I think.”

Liam figured it was a start.

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