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But instead of focusing on logistics or child support or any of the things Liam needed to think about, he found his mind wandering to something else. Someone else.
Amelia.
Amelia, sitting on the couch, her big brown eyes wide and worried as she told him she was pregnant. Amelia, Grace in her arms, spinning as the little girl giggled and Amelia’s beautiful blond hair fanned out around her. Amelia, offering Liam a bite of kung pao chicken from her takeout box. Amelia, her brow furrowed and her arms crossed, as she told Liam off for not being around for Grace. Amelia, a newborn baby in her arms that he knew was theirs. Amelia, laughing, blushing, singing. Amelia, beneath him, her pink lips parted as he leaned down to kiss her.
And Grace. Grace, with her chubby limbs and her big smile and her enthusiastic giggles. Grace, with her love of elephants and ice cream. Grace, with her wise blue eyes and her silly grin. Grace, learning to speak better every day, even learning to sing.
And the new baby, too. A child who wasn’t even born yet, who was barely more than a wisp of an idea, but who already had a place in Liam’s heart. Liam could imagine holding that child in his arms and looking down into brown eyes that looked just like Amelia’s. He could imagine pushing the child in a stroller, introducing her (for he was sure it was a her) to sunsets and chocolate and puppies and all that was beautiful in the world.
Liam wanted to solve the problem of Amelia and Grace and the baby like it was a business issue. He wanted to run a SWOT analysis or sketch a flow chart or weigh probabilities. Yet he couldn’t do it, because Amelia and Grace and the baby weren’t a problem. Not at all. They represented an opportunity — an opportunity Liam would only get once.
Finding out about the baby Amelia was carrying had changed everything. Liam knew he couldn’t put aside his feelings any longer. He loved Amelia. He loved Grace. And he loved the new baby, too.
His heart began to ache. He’d pushed Amelia away so much this week, and today, again, he’d hurt her by leaving in the middle of their conversation. But he’d meant what he told her — that there was one more thing he had to do that was more important than anything else. It wasn’t something Liam could do sitting here in his office, lost between the ghosts of his past and the bright glimmers of his future.
Slowly, he got to his feet. He walked down the hallway towards the elevator, and as he did, he looked up at the posters on the walls. All the floors of Lilypad’s offices were lined with advertisements and posters from the educational products they’d released. There was the phonics game Liam had spearheaded. There was the numeracy-skills curriculum they’d debuted last year. As Liam approached the elevator, the products grew to calculus study guides and a world-history trivia game.
Liam had always taken pride in the work he’d done to provide a good educational future for children around the world. Yet now, he had the chance to shape young minds for real — and he’d run away scared again and again.
Liam’s fears weren’t gone. He still didn’t know if he could be the husband Amelia deserved or the father Grace and the new baby needed. But there was one thing Liam did know: he had built his career from scratch. He’d had to learn and grow every day. Maybe, if he were willing to do that again, he could have a shot at the most important job in the world: as a part of a family. His family was more important than any piece of work. He knew that now.
Liam wasn’t sure if Amelia would take him back. She was probably furious, and rightfully so. He had put her to the side for weeks. He’d refused to even let himself think about — much less talk to her about — the feelings he had for her. Well, he would learn from his mistakes. He would do whatever it took to win Amelia back. And he had a plan in mind.
Liam loved Amelia. He loved Grace. He loved the new baby on the way. And he knew, for the first time in his life, that love was enough.
CHAPTER 23
AMELIA
Amelia sat cross-legged on her bed and scrolled through job listings. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes again, but she told herself to be strong. She would try to apply for a few jobs. Maybe she’d find someone who was willing to take on a brokenhearted woman who would soon go on maternity leave.
At that thought, a tear did slide down Amelia’s cheek. She knew she needed to find the strength to move on. She couldn’t stay here in Liam’s house, raising his children, while he put more and more distance between them. It wouldn’t be fair to her, and it wouldn’t be fair to their child to grow up in such a confusing situation.
Amelia’s heart broke at the thought of Grace, though. She loved the little girl like her own, and she didn’t even want to imagine leaving. Liam would find another nanny, perhaps even another fake wife, and life would go on, but it still hurt to think of leaving the little girl. Hopefully, Liam would let Grace see their child. She deserved to know her sibling.
If there was any way she could stay, Amelia would take it. But it wasn’t possible. Liam’s reaction to her pregnancy had been the very last straw. Amelia just couldn’t be here anymore. Liam wasn’t ever going to change. She had to stop hoping that he would.
She clicked on a job similar to the HR work she’d done at Shondyn. Maybe she could go back to that. The thought of giving up all this to resume the kind of soul-crushing work she’d done before was terrible, but at least it was a job she knew how to do.
Amelia was about to upload her résumé when she heard a sound in the apartment. Was it possible that Liam was back? She glanced at the clock on her phone. It was only ten p.m. — he’d been gone for less than two hours.
Amelia bit her lip, then slowly got to her feet. She needed to talk to Liam, whether he wanted to talk to her or not. He needed to understand that he was going to have a child, but that she had no expectations for his involvement. And he needed to know that she was going to leave.
Amelia looked down at her pajamas. The pajama bottoms were printed with elephants and the top had a glittery elephant face on it — Grace had spotted a mother–daughter matching set and had begged Amelia to buy them. In the mirror, Amelia saw that her eyes were slightly red and her hair was messy.
Oh, well. It wasn’t like she was trying to impress Liam. Not anymore. She ran a hand through her hair and stepped out into the hallway. A light was on in the kitchen, so she padded quietly towards the source of the light. When she rounded the doorway into the kitchen, she caught Liam standing behind the counter with a large shopping bag in front of him. He jumped at the sight of her.
“Amelia.”
“Hi.” She stepped into the kitchen and leaned against the counter.
“I didn’t think you’d still be up.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
A cloud crossed Liam’s handsome features. “It isn’t a disappointment. I just… well… I wanted to do this differently.”
Amelia’s heart sank. “If you’re planning to ask me to leave, don’t worry. I’m going to go.”
