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He’d already proven what type of guy he was; why couldn’t I just believe him?
“Aren’t you going to say something?” he asked, resting his elbows on the cold metal bar, his brow furrowed, dark shadows under his eyes. He looked like he hadn’t slept in a week.
I chewed at my bottom lip, the dull thudding of the music barely louder than my heartbeat.
I shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, Liam. Whatever the test results, I saw who you are. You were willing to leave Aria alone with a kid. Your kid. That’s a dick move.”
“I know, and I regret that. I wish that hadn’t been my initial instinct...”
“Macy!” One of my regulars signaled to me from the other end of the bar. “One more round!”
“Hang on, I’ll be back,” I said, breaking away from our conversation and grabbing another round of beers from the ice chest.
I took my time with the other customers, chatting and listening to town gossip, taking more orders as I made my way back down the bar. I needed the extra tips tonight to make this now-painful shift worth my while.
“Please welcome Liam to the stage!” The karaoke DJ shouted, a light smattering of applause rising from the crowd.
I whipped my head around, staring at the makeshift stage in horror.
No.
Liam stood in the flood of a small yellow spotlight, squinting a little at the lights in his eyes, as the first notes of Lady A’s hit, “What If I Never Get Over You” played through the speakers.
My head spun and I felt dizzy, barely able to get enough air. I couldn’t fathom Liam was standing on the stage, singing. Never in a million years would I have hopped up there. At first, I could tell he was a little self-conscious, the initial notes wavering. But as the song continued, he grew braver, his voice stronger.
Liam was actually a damn good singer.
His eyes searched the crowd, finding mine and locking in; he never took his gaze off me again, not once the entire song.
What if I never got over him?
So much for making forward progress. His deep voice, that song, cracked my chest wide open again. My eyes stung, tears pricking behind my eyelids. A hot flush washed over me, even as goosebumps rose on my arms.
The song ended and a huge roar broke out, loud clapping and a few whistles, even a shout for an encore. He replaced the mic and walked off the stage, heading straight back to me.
I couldn’t. I didn’t want to stand here, having a calm conversation about what could have been.What should have been...
I turned and walked to the hallway, picking up speed until I was running, my feet flying beneath me. I pushed through the door leading out to the alley and collapsed against the brick wall. I needed air, a cool breeze, anything to stop the world from spinning and crashing down on me.
“Macy! Wait!”
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
“Liam. You have to leave me be. Please,” I said, shaking now. I couldn’t stand here and be calm, pretend like nothing happened between us and my heart wasn’t shattered in a million tiny pieces.
I was tough, but come on...
“Macy.” He jogged to where I stood, reaching for my arm.
I jerked away, wrapping my arms even tighter across my body. As if I could protect myself.
“Don’t,” I said, my voice trembling.
“I’m sorry. Really, really sorry. Is there anything I can do or say that will make this up to you?”
I shuddered, the night air damp and chilly on my heated skin.
“Please, Mace.” He stepped closer to me, and I didn’t move away this time, frozen to the spot on the wall. I felt trapped, as if we were magnets drawn to each other, and I couldn’t break free of him.
