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Slowly, I nodded. “Yeah. Like I’d marry her in a week or something stupid if she wanted me to.”
Carol laughed. “How about you just take tonight for what it is? Enjoy your time with her. If it feels intense and big for you, it probably does for her too. She’ll be clear about what she wants because she cares about you, Liam. It’s obvious.”
That hope bled through my throat, down my shoulders, and into my chest again. And for the first time, I wasn’t scared of it.
I nodded. “Thank you,” I told her sincerely.
“You’re welcome.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “Unfortunately, I do have to get some work done before my appointment, but please email me if you want to sit down again. I’ll always make time for you and Zoe if you need my help.”
It was just one appointment.
One date.
But it felt like so much more.
By the time I got home, my steps were light, my heart practically dancing a fucking jig with anticipation. I was smiling when I walked into the kitchen.
Zoe was at the island feeding Mira a late breakfast, and she did a double take when she saw the look on my face. I wanted to lean in and kiss her, but I didn’t.
“Hi,” she said softly, her eyes glowing.
I brushed my hand along her lower back, holding her gaze as I stepped away. “Sleep well, Valentine?”
Her eyebrow arched. “Not particularly.”
I dropped a kiss on Mira’s messy curls and then grinned when I saw the flush in Zoe’s cheeks. As I stripped my shirt off, I locked eyes with her across the island. “You probably won’t tonight either.”
She huffed an incredulous laugh, and I tossed the sweaty shirt in her direction.
“Gonna go take a shower, and yes, my door will be locked for that too.”
“I don’t like this new side of you,” she yelled as I left the room.
“Yeah, you do, Valentine. Yeah, you do.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
ZOE
“You’re sure it’s not too much?”
Rosa leaned back, her discerning eye studying my finished look, from the top of my perfectly tousled sex-hair curls to the tips of my toes.
“Not at all.” Her lips curled in satisfaction. “The plaid skirt is a very particular sort of torture, but I approve.”
I tugged on the hem. “It’s short.”
Martha tapped her walking cane on the floor. “That’s the point, sweet pea. Make him wonder what you’ve got underneath it.”
“I don’t even know where he’s taking me,” I said. Leaning in toward the mirror, I adjusted the deep V neckline of the fitted green tank. My splurge on a new bra was worth every penny because it pushed everything up, giving my usually modest cleavage a spectacular boost. “I could be terribly overdressed.”
“Did you shave ... everywhere?” Phyllis asked.
When they laughed, my cheeks flushed hot. “Yes, Phyllis. All unwanted hairs are gone.”
She winked.
With a shake of my head, I did one last swipe of mascara.
