Page 116 of Just Between Us

“Why is someone named Rhonda texting that the kids miss you? Then I google and find this.”

Liam slumps so his head is in his hands. “It’s just something I used to help with. Nothing, really.”

“Liam.” I close my laptop and he straightens to look at me, scrubbing a hand down his face.

“I used to volunteer. Taught some kids guitar, mentored them, whatever they needed. It was good for a while.” He pauses, and I can feel the shame radiating off him before he says the next part. “Then it wasn’t. Back in the fall, you know I was in a bad place.” I nod. “Well, I took it out on the kids. Lost my patience. Snapped at a few. Rhonda asked me to leave.”

“Have you talked to her since?”

Liam shrugs, and takes a deep breath. “She’s texted. That’s about it. Whenever she calls I send her to voicemail.”

Standing, I grab his forearm and pull him up. “I want to see it. Will you take me there?”

“Take you?”

“Yes. This laundry can wait. This Rhonda woman obviously cares about you. By the way you’re acting, this place meant a lot to you. Take me.”

Liam follows me to the bedroom, but hovers in the doorway while I change from my pajamas.

“Are you sure about this?” he asks.

“Of course.”

Liam walks over to the nightstand and unlocks his phoneand grimaces. “I thought we might take the bike since it's so nice out, but the weather app is showing a few patches of rain later on. My truck needs an oil change. Mind if we take the G-wagon?”

Two and a half hours and a fast food stop later, we’re pulling into the parking lot of a warehouse, garage doors painted electric blue. A handful of kids mill about outside and before we’re even across the parking lot I hear drums and the strum of a guitar.

The entire drive, Liam regaled me with stories about kids he’s met over the years. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him lit up with so much pride.

He takes a minute to speak to the kids outside before he opens a metal door and guides me inside with a hand pressed gently to the small on my back.

“Liam!” two boys shout from a worn-out couch. Both of them are holding electric guitars.

When the boys say his name, more heads snap up. Several kids start talking at once surrounding us.

“Liam, where have you been?” a red-haired boy, face covered in freckles, asks. “You’ve been gone forever.”

“Yeah, dude, what’s up with that?” the kid next to him adds, hands up in a question.

“Allie and I decided you joined a cult. Everyone’s joining cults these days,” one girl drawls.

“Yeah, a sexy cult,” the tiny blonde next to her says through a giggle. Her audacity draws a laugh from me.

Liam tries to speak to each one of them, but we’re interrupted when a petite woman with the most beautiful silver pixie cut pushes through and steps right up to Liam punching him on the bicep.

“Damn, Rhonda,” Liam says, rubbing at the spot. “What did you do that for?”

“That was for worrying me.” Then she punches him again, this time lighter than the first one. “And that’s for not returning my phone calls.” Liam rubs at his arm while the woman plants her hands on her hips. “That’s the last one for now.”

I think I’m in love with Rhonda.

The kids have gradually scattered back to what they were working on, leaving Liam and me with Rhonda.

Turning to me, she extends her hand. “Pardon my rudeness. I’m Rhonda Pierce.”

“Cassie,” I say, taking her firm grip in mine.

“Cassie’s my girlfriend,” Liam explains, and the tiny “sexy cult” blonde girl groans audibly.