Page 27 of Just Between Us

“Oh yeah,” he says over his shoulder. “Very exclusive upgrades.”

He grabs the tray of raw steaks from the counter and walks to a set of French doors, where beyond, a large black grill sits on a wooden deck.

“How do you take your steak? The grill should be ready now.”

“Medium rare, please.”

I follow him out, moving to the deck railing where an expansive field stretches out behind his house. Beyond that lies a forest, dense and dark against the fading sky.

Off to my left there’s a trampoline enclosed by a net, and the dog I saw at his parents’ house is now, I kid you not, jumping on it. Mutt takes a running leap from the porch, and across the field, trotting up the wooden ramp someone must have built just for the dogs. When he gets to the opening of the enclosure he sits on his haunches, barking at the other dog. If you’d told me tonight I’d see a dog jumping on a trampoline, I’d check you for a fever. But here we are, nevertheless.

A full laugh rolls out of me, and when Liam spots the dogs, his shoulders shake with silent laughter.

“Poor Mutt is jealous he can’t jump. Now he just terrorizes Lucy while she does it.”

I take one more look at the bouncing dog and settle into anAdirondack chair while Liam plops the steaks on the grill, grease sizzling when they hit the grates.

To my right is a table where an ashtray sits with a half-smoked cigarette perched on the edge. Narrowing my eyes, I give the cigarette my most disapproving glare. Liam turns while I’m still mid-glare and chuckles. Then it hits me what shape the ashtray is in.

“Your ashtray is a dick!” I blurt, laughing. Liam comes to sit in the other chair, picking up the ashtray to examine it.

“My little brother Ryan used to date a ceramicist. He had her make this for me one Christmas. The card saidA dick for a dick.”

My jaw falls open, but Liam just laughs.

“So you have siblings?” I ask, settling into my chair.

Liam holds up two fingers. “Big sister Madison, little brother Ryan.”

“Oh yeah. Makes sense. You’ve got middle child energy.”

Liam opens his mouth to speak, and I quickly backpedal.

“Middle child energy is a good thing!”

He raises one very dubious brow, and I double down.

“It is! Allow me to put on my therapist hat.”

I set my beer bottle next to the ashtray and pretend to place an invisible hat on my head, adjusting it, while Liam watches wearing a bemused expression.

“Middle children are independent, make friends easily.” I tick them off on my fingers one by one. “I bet you adapt to change well and you’re easy going.” When I’m finished I pretend to remove the hat and flash Liam a smile. “Does any of that sound right?”

“Maybe some of it.” Liam runs his knuckles across his stubble, and I can hear the way those tiny hairs scrape against his skin. My mind jumps to images of beard burn between my thighs and—nope!

He looks at me, smiling with his eyes. “Cassie, admit it. You’re obsessed with me.”

I very well might be.

Tucking that thought away, I playfully punch his bicep. “Let’s not get carried away with all that bravado.” I prop my hand under my chin. “So, what did being a middle child in the Davis household look like?”

Liam pauses to think. “Let’s just say, I gave my mom a run for her money. I once laid on the floor in the grocery store and she had to drag me by my little bear backpack leash.”

“No!” I wheeze out. “You were a leash kid?”

Liam nods, solemnly. “Guilty as charged. I’ve mostly learned to manage it as an adult, but as a kid and teenager my ADHD ran the show.”

I’ve counseled plenty of kids with ADHD. Sometimes they bounce off the walls, but they really can’t help it. Their brains just move too quickly. I should have picked up on that with Liam by now. He’s in constant movement, even if it’s just a foot tapping or his fingers drumming a beat.