I don’t know if old sparks will reignite.
Maybe he’ll find another seat at a table across the room from her.
The wedding isn’t for another few weeks, so I might not even be a part of his life at that point.
I want to be.
Weaving through the midday pedestrian traffic, I spot the broad shoulders and messy hair of the man I can’t get out of my mind.
Liam is headed right toward me.
I raise a hand to try and grab his attention, but his eyes are buried in his phone.
He’s brave.
I keep my eyes on the people around me whenever I set out down the sidewalk in this city.
Trusting people to look out for you is hard when those you trust most in the world let you down.
“Athena.” My name leaves his lips the moment he looks up and spots me.
I skip around two people walking hand-in-hand, and a woman who has her fingers wound tight around the leash of a very friendly dog.
I pat it on the head before I stalk toward Liam.
“I was coming to see you,” he says as he pockets his phone. “I have something for you.”
My gaze drops to a white paper bag in his hand. “What is it?”
“Toasted sourdough bread, cream cheese, and a container of mixed berries. I threw in a candy bar just like the one you had in your bag, and a bottle of water.”
Wow.
No one, other than Linny or Jeremy, has gone to this much trouble for me. I try to find the right words. “I’m grateful…thank you…you’re kind.”
“I’m selfish.” He shoves the bag into my hand.
Looking down, I ask the obvious question. “Selfish? Why would you say that?”
“I was hoping that bringing you lunch might end with a kiss for me.”
I look up into his beautiful eyes. Memories of what we did two nights ago flash in front of me.
Rising to my tiptoes, I rest a hand on his shoulder and smile. “It deserves more than a kiss.”
“I’ll collect on Friday night,” he says before he presses his lips to mine in a lingering, soft, delicious kiss.
When he pulls back, my knees wobble. I step forward, my boot landing on the toe of his. “That was nice.”
With a brush of a finger over my cheek, he drops his voice to a low tone. “I’m going to count every fucking hour until I see you on Friday, lilac.”
“Me too,” I admit on a sigh.
“I have to get back to work.” He looks up at the sky. “Damn this earning a living thing.”
I let out a laugh. “Thank you again for lunch, Liam.”
“My pleasure.” He tilts his head. “I’m going to sear the memory of what you look like right now into my mind until I see you again.”