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“I don’t.” Liam shifted in his chair. “Today my investor, Stanley, told me not to miss out on life because I was too busy working. And I do wish I could see Grace more, but I also know I’m not equipped to be a good parent to her. My work gives me so much purpose. Seeing what I’ve built, all the people Lilypad has helped… that feels meaningful to me.”
“Don’t you—” Amelia cut herself off mid-sentence. She wanted to say, Don’t you think you’d be a good father to Grace if you’d bothered to meet her before? But it wouldn’t help anything. She wasn’t going to change Liam’s mind, and she wanted to stay here with Grace.
“Don’t I what?” Liam asked.
“No, nothing. Just, don’t you find some other areas of your life as meaningful as work?”
Liam frowned slightly, perhaps in thought. Then he shook his head. “I think we’ve gotten a little off track. We’re supposed to be getting to know each other, not having some philosophical discussion about the meaning of life. Maybe we should switch gears.”
It was a clear dismissal, and it stung a little, but Amelia nodded.
“You’re right. So, you told me before that you don’t have any siblings. How about your parents? Are they around?”
Just then, Liam’s phone buzzed. He answered and Amelia could tell from his side of the conversation that the food was here.
“I can go pick it up,” she said, eager for a chance to step away and gather her thoughts.
“If you’d like. The deliveryman will bring it up in the elevator.”
Amelia got up and hurried out of the room. For a moment, it had felt like she and Liam had been having a real conversation, but, just like during the photography session, he’d cut it off before they could really get anywhere. It was strange.
At the elevator, Amelia accepted the order, thanked the deliveryman, then walked slowly back to Liam’s office. He’d set up a small table for them, so Amelia put the paper delivery bag on the table and began unloading their food.
“This smells amazing.”
“It does.” Liam smiled. “This is one of my favorite restaurants. Perhaps I can say that’s my hobby — trying different restaurants.”
Amelia recognized the olive branch and smiled. “That’s not a bad hobby. What else is good around here?”
“There’s an Indian restaurant with amazing food near my office. I order lunch from there a lot. And another highlight is a classic diner I like to go to on the Bay. They have the most wonderful pancakes.”
“Skillet and Mug?” Amelia asked. Liam nodded, and Amelia smiled. “Oh, my gosh. I love that place! I used to go there late at night when I was working long hours at my old job.”
“Their chocolate-cherry pancakes are fantastic,” Liam continued. “I usually don’t go for such sweet food, but eating those pancakes makes me feel like a kid on Saturday morning.”
“Me too!” Amelia nodded enthusiastically. “And their hash browns are the crispiest around.”
“We should go together sometime.”
The suggestion fitted with the conversation, but it still caught Amelia off guard. She quickly regained her composure and nodded.
“I’d love that. And I bet Grace would, too.”
“I have to ask.” Liam’s handsome features took on a sheepish expression. “How are you getting her to eat so well? I saw her at dinner with that plate of pasta. Before you came, she only wanted ice cream.”
“She still loves ice cream, but I have lots of tricks to make other foods appealing. For instance, she’s more likely to eat food that she helps prepare herself. And she likes something sweet with every meal, even if it’s just a banana or some apple slices. Plus, I always make sure to sit with her and eat something too, so that she feels like we’re in it together.” Amelia wanted to add an invitation for him to join them next time, but held back.
“Clever. You learned all this from your nieces and nephews?”
“Yes, mostly. I’m the youngest of four siblings, plus we have a wide circle of friends and there was always a baby around. And I was always the kid holding a baby, even when I was tiny myself.” Amelia shrugged. “I always liked kids.”
“What was it like having three siblings? It’s hard for me to imagine since I was an only child.”
“Right. Well, it was mostly nice. There was always someone around to help me with my homework or play with me. But there was also always someone around to tease me. What was it like being an only child?”
A shadow passed over Liam’s face. He ran a hand through his hair, making it stand up a little more. The gesture was appealing, despite his grim expression.
“I never knew anything else, so I suppose it seemed normal,” he said, finally. Amelia wanted to ask more questions, but she understood that Liam wasn’t ready to talk more about his childhood. A piece of the puzzle clicked into place for her. Perhaps his childhood had been difficult, which might be one of the reasons he was so distant from his own daughter.
