Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Really?” he asked, surprise etching his voice. “I didn’t know that.”
His phone went off, and he pulled it out to read a text: “Jake and Opal are heading back to the house with Winnie.”
I stood. “I appreciate you taking the time to come over and tell me all that.”
Liam also stood, and I reached for his hand. “Wait, there is something else I need to talk to you about.”
A look passed over his face, but it was gone before I could read it. When I didn’t say anything, he asked, “What did you need to talk to me about?”
I opened my mouth to say it. To tell him I had deeper feelings for him than friendship, but I couldn’t make the words form. Instead, I took a few steps back and shook my head.
“Nothing. It’s nothing.”
He opened his mouth to speak but quickly closed it. He smiled instead and asked, “Would you like to come over for dinner tomorrow night? We can make homemade pizzas and see what crazy toppings Winnie puts on.”
Laughing, I nodded. “I would love that.”
“Great. Then I’ll see you tomorrow. Stop by anytime.”
He leaned down and kissed my cheek. And I knew it wasn’t my imagination that his lips lingered a bit longer than they should have before he stepped back, turned, and walked away.
I dropped back onto the sofa and stared out at the darkening sky.
“You are a coward, Aurora Banks. A freaking coward.”
Liam
September
“September in Moose Village is one of my favorite times of the year,” Mary said as we walked to the park with Winnie. The leaves were beginning to change and it was hard to believe summer had come and gone so quickly.
“Mine too,” I replied, glancing around the park.
“What’s on your mind, Liam? You don’t seem like you’re present.”
I forced myself to smile. “My mind is just with work, I guess.”
Mary had been Winnie’s full-time nanny since July, and it had worked out perfectly. She had said she would get an apartment in town, but it didn’t make sense to do that when she could just live with Winnie and me. She was worried about what people would think since Hope had been gone a number of months and Mary had moved back. We didn’t have to worry about rumors of anything happening between us for long, though, because Mary had been dating James for the last month and a half.
“How are things going with you and James?”
She smiled. “You’re changing the subject?”
“Am I?”
Laughing, she replied, “Yes, you are. Do you want to talk about what is going on between you and Aurora?”
Looking at her, I asked, “What do you mean? Nothing is going on with us.”
Mary sighed. “Exactly! My gosh, Liam, it is so clear to everyone that you like her and she likes you, and you’re both acting like you don’t, and it’s driving everyone crazy!”
My head snapped to the side. “Who is everyone?”
“Really?” she asked before rolling her eyes. “Everyone! Friends, family. Heck, I’m pretty sure even Winnie knows.”
“Why aren’t you telling Aurora how you feel? Or better yet, admitting to yourself that you have it bad for her.”
The guilt hit me as if I had walked into a brick wall. “You don’t understand, Mary.”
“I don’t? I think you forgot that Hope was my sister. She told me everything, Liam. She told me how you asked for a divorce right before she found out she had cancer. I saw the way she manipulated you during her treatment. Making you think that you were giving more attention to Winnie, then she turned her anger onto Aurora when she noticed you looking at her the way you were.”
I looked at Mary. “What?”
“Everyone else might have been blind, but I saw how you fought your attraction for her when Hope was sick. I heard Hope the night she accused you of having an affair with Aurora. When you denied it and she started crying, she then said she was just upset because Aurora was trying to take her place. And I also heard you tell Aurora the same thing after Hope had died. I wasn’t sure why you told her that, and to be honest, I’m not sure I understand now.”
“I was trying to push her away.”
“Why?”
I sighed. “I don’t know. Everything was raw.”
She looked at me like she knew I wasn’t being honest either with her or myself. It was a little bit of both.
“She was my sister, and I loved her, but she ultimately did you wrong. Liam, you’re only keeping her crazy promises because you feel guilty, but you didn’t give Hope cancer. You aren’t the reason she didn’t survive either. And it’s not your fault if you found yourself attracted to another woman.”
I pushed my hand through my hair. “I know that, Mary.”
“Then why are you living with a ghost?”