Page 106 of Miss Understanding

“This is horrible timing with me taking this job and moving to Dubai on Sunday. I wish I was staying.”

It wasn’t as though her brother had left her much of a choice. She was hoping that working overseas would get her family out of the debt he’d put them in. “I know you do. But we each have to do what’s best for us. We’ll keep in touch. And I’ll be okay.”

At least I hoped so.

I went through Friday night mostly numb, wondering what it would be like to see Liam come Sunday night. I’d felt strong on the phone when I couldn’t see his face. In person would be different.

I’d thought I’d been doing a good job of faking my way through things, but by Saturday, Jose took me off guard by taking me to a private room before our shift began. “What’s going on, sweetheart? I’m worried about you. Especially with your girl leaving tomorrow. You okay?”

I shook my head before embarrassingly bursting into tears and told him everything.

At least Jose had been a nice shoulder to cry on. He’d even offered to talk to the manager about other possible positions I could do within the club. As much as I hoped Stephen Walsh might come through with something, he’d yet to reply to my email. Perhaps I could be a hostess or do the books on the side on the weekends.

Finally, after a long shift and then going to a diner for a goodbye breakfast for Chloe, I arrived home, more tired than usual. I’d read online that exhaustion could be expected, especially in the first trimester. Unfortunately, I could hardly chug a Red Bull to get my energy back up.

After showering, I plugged in my phone and was shocked to see a text message from Liam. Was he already home? I didn’t think so. He wasn’t due to fly back until this afternoon. But the text had come in over an hour ago while I’d been finishing up at the diner.

“Are you home from work?”

I was tempted to answer but instead simply went to bed. I couldn’t do this. Couldn’t deal with him yet. I just wasn’t in the right head space at the moment.

By the time I woke up four hours later, I had missed two calls from him, but he’d left no voicemail.

Weird. However, I had no time to think about him because I had to take my best friend to the airport. There were a lot of tears as Chloe and I said goodbye, and we promised to FaceTime. Once home, I simply fell into bed again, intent on shutting out the world temporarily and pretending that everything was fine.

The sound of pounding woke me up. Rolling from the bed, I checked the time. Four o’clock in the afternoon. Was it Liam? I went to check the peephole and sighed. Guess it was time to get this over with.

Chapter Fifty-One

Liam

The need to be with Kendall was so overwhelming I couldn’t wait until Sunday to fly home. Instead, I headed out Saturday afternoon, and drove straight from the airport to the club with the hope of driving her home tonight. That was, if she’d let me. If she’d consider giving me a second chance.

The moment I spotted her working behind the bar, I felt the tension start to ease. She looked so unbelievably beautiful it made me physically ache to be a hundred feet from her. To know I’d hurt her. Not for the first time, I wondered how she was feeling. Did she have morning sickness? Was she scared? Did she plan on keeping the baby? The last thought alone knocked the breath from me. What if she thought I didn’t want it and made a decision based on her false perception? Now more than ever, I needed to talk to her.

I could only hope if I bared everything, she’d take me back. The thought was terrifying. But nothing compared to spending my life without the woman I loved. And fuck, did I love her. The depths of that love— Well, without abusing the word, terrified me, too.

“Mr. Davenport.” A suit with an earpiece came up to me.

“Yes.”

“Chance Maxwell is upstairs. He’s asking for a word.”

As much as I wasn’t in the mood to talk with Chance, doing so would eat up the time until Kendall was off her shift, and I could meet her in the parking lot. I was ushered into the same office as before, only this time Chance had already poured the bourbon.

“You look like shit, my friend, if you don’t mind me saying so.”

I could imagine I did, considering I hadn’t slept or shaved in days. “I’m getting that a lot lately.”

“Word is you and your girl broke up.”

I eyed the man, trying to figure out his agenda. He wasn’t soft-hearted, he wasn’t one to gossip, nor did I believe he gave a shit about my relationship. “It’s temporary.”

“We may not be friends, Liam, but I respect you, and I like you, which is about as close to friendship as I get these days. And that’s why I’ll say I’m happy to hear it.”

“Thanks.”

He assessed me for a moment before pouring, adding two shots of Patron to our tumblers already on the table.