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“Yeah, I need to get her into bed anyway.”
The trio stood, complaining of various aches and pains as they did.
“At least your bunion isn’t as big as mine,” Martha said.
Liam pinched the bridge of his nose.
Phyllis peered over the rim of her glasses in his direction. “Be nice to our friend, young man. You might be a football player, but I could shove this cane where the sun don’t shine without blinking.”
He dropped his hand, gaping at her when she gave him a knowing look.
“My God,” he breathed.
I exhaled a laugh. “Nice to know someone’s still looking out for me,” I said.
It was meant to be a breezy statement, but it fell with the weight of a stone into my stomach.
Liam’s gaze tracked briefly down to the waistband of my pants, returning heavily to my face when I passed, and I wished I could take back what I’d said. What I’d worn. Just ... everything.
We walked in silence into the house, and having his big, looming presence behind me as we went up the stairs was more disconcerting than I would’ve liked.
The cropped shirt and low-hanging joggers made me feel a bit ... exposed.
When I cleared the landing of the stairs, I allowed myself a brief glimpse into Chris and Amie’s empty bedroom across the hall.
“You’re sleeping downstairs?” I asked him.
He hummed.
“I’ll take that as a yes, but feel free to use a full sentence next time,” I said.
Mira was sprawled out on the floor, using her duck as a pillow, and a gentle snoring sound came from her button nose.
I had a fleeting thought that she’d done this on purpose, just to see if she could get away with sleeping in the house.
I glanced at Liam. His back was against the wall, his hands tucked into his jogger pockets.
“Why didn’t you carry her over?” I asked.
He glanced down at the floor. “Wasn’t sure what you’d want to do.”
It felt like a cop-out. A flimsy one too. But I decided not to press.
Mira was warm and sleepy and sweet when I gently pulled her into my arms, even though my muscles quivered from picking up her full deadweight.
I kissed her forehead as she snuggled into me. “Let’s get you to bed, okay?”
“I not sleepy,” she mumbled.
Everything inside me trembled under the weight of how much I loved her, and as I glanced outside the room to where Liam watched us with guarded eyes, I tried to remember what Rosa had said.
He was trying.
And for now, it was enough.
“I stay here.”
Behind me, I could practically feel Liam’s long-suffering sigh.
