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My stomach flip-flopped hearing Liam talk about the store and Quinn and Peachtree Grove with his friends. He didn’t sound too excited about running the store; for the first time, I heard true conflict in his voice.
Didn’t exactly leave me with the warm fuzzies, knowing Peachtree Grove was a family obligation. I couldn’t blame him, seeing where he lived, his lifestyle. Why would he want to give all this up to stay in tiny Peachtree Grove, running a family general store? It had to be beyond mundane for him, when he could be working on exciting projects during the week, laying on the warm sand during the weekend, and partying like a rock star all night, every night.
What could Peachtree Grove possibly offer to top all this?
Nothing, a tiny voice in my head chimed in.Absolutely nothing.
I swallowed hard over the lump in my throat, my appetite vanishing.How the hell was this relationship going to work?
Could I really leave Peachtree Grove behind? And what about Everly? Would I move to Malibu for Liam?
At the moment, it seemed like the most practical decision—at least from his vantage point.
“Macy, how are you enjoying California?” Jillian asked, glancing at me over her salad plate.
“It’s been amazing so far. The beaches are fantastic. We hiked the trail by Liam’s house this morning and saw the wildflowers blooming. And the weather! So great. Back home it’s already in the mid-eighties, with a hundred percent humidity. So much nicer here,” I gushed, my voice bright and peppy.
You’re overcompensating,that annoying voice in my head chirped.Calm down.
As if Liam sensed my inner thoughts, he slid his hand onto my lap, finding my thigh and squeezing it. I glanced over, catching his eye, and he winked. My anxiety went from a ten to a three and I relaxed a bit, my stomach unknotting enough to take a tiny bite of food.
Conversation turned to upcoming summer vacation plans, a local baseball team Benji was putting together for fun, and Jillian’s latest online marketing effort. All terrific topics that kept the spotlight off me.
Tap, tap, tap.The gentleman who’d opened the dinner hour stood back on stage, tapping the mic.
“Attention, ladies and gentlemen, attention.” His voice rang out loud and clear, echoing slightly off the travertine tile floor. “I wanted to thank you all for coming and supporting the hard work and research of this wonderful organization.”
Polite applause from the crowd, then he continued with the hardline donation numbers for the year. More applause, pats on the back at all the tables. I sipped my wine, finally feeling a little buzzy from the champagne and the lack of actual eating.
“Without further ado, I’d like to welcome Liam McCauliffe to the stage. Without his generous support, this charity wouldn’t be where it is today. Liam.” The speaker threw his hand out, waving Liam on to the stage.
I froze, staring over at Liam. “You have to give a speech?” I whispered as he stood, buttoning his jacket.
He nodded. “Every year.” He squeezed my hand, then made his way to the stage as my heart pounded in my chest. I had no idea how he could be so calm, what with all these people staring at him. Public speaking was my worst nightmare and Liam hadn’t even practiced. At least not with me.
“Good evening. Thank you all for being here tonight. I know most of you are here for the free drinks and food—” He paused, leaving the perfect amount of time and space for laughter, then went on. “Truthfully, this charity means a lot to me. As some of you may know, my own father’s life was cut tragically short by undetected heart disease. Had this critical research been done at the time of my father’s illness, he’d still be here with us today. I appreciate every person here tonight who’s donated time, money, and energy to this worthy cause. Each of you is making a difference, believe me.”
“And not just in one person’s life, but many. Every heart disease victim has a family. Many have children, grandchildren. One day I hope to have children...” Liam paused, gazing out at the audience, his eyes finding and locking on mine.
In that moment, the people around me faded away. The wait staff, the other guests, everyone. All I saw was Liam—his strength, determination, and desire etched on his incredibly handsome face. The air expanded in my chest and I felt light, lighter than I had in a long while.
“And if I’m lucky enough, blessed enough, to eventually be a father, all I’ll have to show them of my dad is photographs. If I can save even one family from that loss, I’ll sleep better at night, knowing I did a little bit to make someone’s life better, fuller, richer.”
The crowd burst into applause, and several people stood, giving Liam a standing ovation. Benji rose, wolf-whistling Liam, and Gabe punched him in the arm, grinning. Jillian and I both stood, clapping, and then the band started again, and dinner plates were collected. Coffee and dessert were served, lights dimmed even further, and people headed out to the dance floor.
Liam made his way back to the table, slowly, stopped at every other table by various donors congratulating him on the charity and his speech.
Finally, he was back by my side. He leaned over, whispering low so only I could hear. “Did you miss me?”
Chill bumps raced down my arm, his breath warm on my skin, heat pooling in my gut. “I did.”
He trailed a finger down my arm, then took a seat, chatting easily with Gabe and Benji. We all had another round of drinks, then the band started playing a slow song.
“May I have this dance?” Liam asked, leaning in close and offering me his hand.
“Absolutely.”
“Excuse us,” Liam said, rising and pulling me up. He took my hand in his and twirled me out onto the dance floor.
