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“Mrs. Miller,” he nods his head in her direction. I haven’t seen him this relaxed and happy since he’s gotten home. “How are you?”
My mom, to her credit, smiles at him and gets up to give him a hug.
“I’m fine. You look good, Liam. Are you two going out?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I rush to my feet and walk to Liam’s car, feeling ashamed and embarrassed. I hear my mom yell, “Have fun!”
Liam joins me in the car, and my body is stiff as a board.
“Are you okay?” Liam asks, glancing at me with worried eyes.
I quickly glance in his direction with a small smile. “I’m good.” I look toward Tex in the backseat and reach out to pet him.
Tex licks my hand, and I chuckle. “Hey, handsome. Thank you for the kisses.” I feel Liam’s eyes on me during my exchange with Tex, and heat creeps up my face. I shift my body back into my seat and stare out the windshield.
“Where are we going?” I ask, trying to change the subject. And because I’m curious.
Liam rolls his eyes. “Patience, Penny. We’re almost there.”
“Patience? You know that’s my Achilles’ heel.” I pout. “How long until we get there?”
“Not long, Pen.” He slides me a teasing glance. “Just relax and enjoy the ride. It’s beautiful out today.”
I blow out a big breath and look out the window, watching the landscape slide by. Knowing Liam, he’s not going to tell me anymore. I lean back on my headrest and try to do as he suggested.
I sit up in my seat when Liam takes an oddly familiar turn. A rush of memories overcomes me, and I remember the last time I was here. Liam drives through the gates, and I look at him, tears burning the back of my eyes.
“Liam!”
He simply smiles, not taking his eyes off the stretch of road before him. This is where Liam and I became an official couple. We were on a class trip, and he’d taken me off to the side and asked me to be his girlfriend. I can remember the way my heart was pounding and the warmth that spread through me. I couldn’t remember a time that I wasn’t in love with Liam, and I said yes without hesitation. We would come here every so often in high school, but I haven’t been back since.
Liam parks the truck.
“Penny,” he says softly as he puts his finger on my cheek and gently turns me to face him. The soft expression in his eyes makes my breath catch. “I thought it would be nice to visit the place where we officially became us.”
My mouth is hanging open, and I nod, successfully holding back tears. “Liam,” I whisper. “This was a great idea. I’m blown away.”
“Perfect.” A crooked grin crosses his lips. “Mission accomplished.”
The moment is interrupted by Tex, who is scratching at the door impatiently. We look at him and chuckle, then get out of the car to meet the demands of the four legger in the backseat who thinks he’s in charge. He waits for Liam to tell him it’s okay to exit, but once out, he races across the vast expanse of land before circling back to us, his tongue flopping in his mouth and tail wagging happily.
We both laugh. Liam walks to the trunk, and I gasp when he retrieves a picnic mat and a cooler.
“A picnic?” I clap my hands together and bounce up and down. Warmth expands through my body, and a weight is lifted off of me. I can’t remember the last time I felt this calm.
Liam smiles and laughs at me. “Yes. A picnic.”
“Let me help you.” I try to grab the mat from Liam, but he shakes his head. Instead, he entwines our fingers and leads me a short distance to a cluster of trees. He spreads the mat on the soft grass and gestures for me to sit.
“Sit down. I’ll handle the rest. Okay?”
“Okay.” I lower myself onto the mat and watch as Liam makes a trip back to the car to grab the cooler. Tex follows Liam and then runs back to me, his tongue hanging down. I laugh and shake my head at the funny pup before looking back to Liam.
While he’s not looking, I give myself the freedom to fully take him in. His broad back, strong arms, and muscular frame are so different from the younger version of Liam that I remember. When he turns around, I feel a grin creep across my face. I inhale and exhale slowly as he catches my gaze and smiles in return.
He puts down the cooler on the grass and looks toward me.
