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Liam’s chin lifted in a sharp jerk. “Remembering something we talked about a long time ago. Before I’d met you, even.” He swallowed. “When I came to your place to apologize, I didn’t ... I wasn’t planning on helping, if I’m being honest.”
“I think wehaveto be honest, if we’re going to do this,” I told him.
“No bullshit. There’s no place for it.”
I picked at one of my nails and nodded in agreement. “No bullshit.”
Liam glanced back into the family room. “Where’s the kid?”
“At my place with Rosa. I wasn’t sure how this first meeting would go, and she’s already been through enough. I don’t want her witnessing any arguments about who’s going to take care of her.”
With fascination, I watched the tips of his cheekbones turn the slightest shade of pink.
Was he embarrassed?
“How’s she doing?” he asked, voice a low, rough rumble. “Does she, you know, ask for them?”
“Sometimes.” I rolled my neck but couldn’t stretch it far enough to feel it pop. Too much tension in my entire body for that. “Less the last couple weeks.”
His face was unreadable. “Suppose that’s good.”
Was it? I rubbed the side of my neck; the muscles underneath my skin were hard as rocks.
“Neck problems?” he asked, his eyes trained on my hand.
“Just a little tense.”
He made a grunting noise. “You should get someone to work on that.”
“That also a team bonding thing?” I asked.
Liam rolled his eyes. “Yes. I give all my teammates massages.”
I laughed.
When I did, his eyes warmed. Just a little. Then he looked away.
“Right,” he said before clearing his throat. “I’ll move in here if you’re okay with it. I’m assuming we need to talk to the lawyer about all this.”
“You’ll sell your house?” I asked.
“It’s just a house. The kid should be able to be here if she wants. This was her home.”
We’d been here only a few times. I took a deep breath. “No bullshit, right?”
“That’s my preference, yeah.”
“She’ll go into their room and look for them,” I told him unflinchingly. “That’s what she does when we come here. She didn’t cry last time, but you should prepare yourself for when it happens.”
His jaw clenched. “Noted.”
“I’m supposed to be gone next weekend. Just for two nights. Rosa was going to watch her for me.”
Liam’s eyebrow arched slowly. “Getaway with the boyfriend?”
My cheeks flushed hot. “My mom is having an outpatient procedure, and I promised I’d be there to drive her home and make sure she’s okay afterward. And ... there’s no more boyfriend, not that it’s any of your business.”
He made a low humming sound that lifted the little hairs on the back of my neck. “He wasn’t around long.”
