Chapter 20
Chapter 19. He likes Mommy!
“You’re looking at my mommy for too long. Sir. Do you like her?” Ryker asked, crossing his arms as he tried to shield me from Liam’s view, though he barely reached my waist.
His tone was devoid of emotion, reminding me of the past. It reminded me of him.
Liam smiled, pushing his sunglasses onto the top of his head, revealing those piercing green eyes.
He was about to respond when Rylie abruptly stood up and tossed the shovel in her hand.
“What are you saying. Ryker Liam doesn’t like Mominy?”
“He does! He’s been looking at her for too long That’s what people do when they like someone, Ryker countered, his little brows furrowed with
certainty
“How could you even tell he’s been looking! He’s wearing sunglasses?”
“He looked at Mommy, dummy!”
Oh, these two. They’re always at it, like Tom and Jerry.
Rylie looked up at me, clutching my hand. “Mommy, Mommy, that’s not true, right? Liam doesn’t like you?” Her innocent eyes stared into mine, her lips pouting as if ready to throw a cantrum ifl gave the wrong answer
“He likes her Yesterday, he was staring at Mommy for too long, too! Ryker declared.
“No, he wasn’t‘ Right, Liam?” Rylie rushed over to Liam and asked.
Liam chuckled softly and gently stroked her hair. His green eyes sparkled with amusement as he looked at her.
“See? He’s not denying it Ryker insisted.
“Baby, what are you saying! Of course not. Not everyone who stares at someone likes them, I said, brushing Ryker’s hair.
“You can’t like my mommy, Liam, You can only like Rylie. After all, Mommy can only like my daddy Rylie
mid
The words hung in the air like an arrow shot straight at Liam The smile on Liam’s lips vanished at Rylie’s words. The amusement in his eyes faded. and I almost wanted to applaud my daughter for the blow she’d unintentionally landed.
“You like me, right?” Kylie asked, oblivious to the tension as she stepped closer to Liam. Her small hands reached up to cup his face.
I swallowed hard, my chest tightening at Rylie’s question.
Liam’s soft gaze returned, his eyes glistening. “I do, sweetheart. Who wouldn’t like you, little miss?” Liam said sweetly, making Rylie giggle with delight.
“I like you, too, Sir Liam!” she squealed, throwing her arms around him, making my heart skip painfully.
Anyone watching from afar would see a picture–perfect moment, a snapshot of a family full of love and connection. But I knew better.
The memory of those words crashed into me like a tidal wave.
Π
wave.
cold and unrelenting
pur on some sunblock so we can swim at the beach” I said, avoiding Liam’s gaze.
I stepped forward and gently pulled Kylie away. “Rylie, let’s go put on s
“Right Right” Well win now! You should join us, Sir Liam?
“You should stop calling me Sir Liam, sweetheart,” Liam said, following us and sitting on the sun lounger beside us.
I poured sunblock onto my hand and began applying in to Kylar’s body.
little girl was
“Oh, what should I call you then? Sweetheart, toor tylie giggled, and I shook my head, amused by how cheeky my
Ryker, sitting cross–legend bude me, let out an exasperated won. Stop it. Ryle. You’re still Mommy’s baby! Besides, you can’t like an older man
11:13 AM σ “
Chapter 20
“Ryker…” I gave h
him a warning glance. “Stop it. Don’t talk to your sister like that. And don’t call Mr. Anderson old. That’s rude.”
Oh, Mia, you deserve applause for this award–winning display of composure
Liam chuckled
suckled softly, unlike the stiff, polite laugh I’d heard. No, this one fell warm, unguarded, and almost inviting
Now, this was new. Liam Anderson smiling and laughing as though it came naturally to him.
“Well, you can call me… Uncle Liam suggested though I detected a hint of bitterness in his tone.
I couldn’t stop Rylie from standing and walking over to Liam after applying sunblock to her,
I avoided looking at them and focused on Ryker, whose face was etched with disapproval.
“Okay, fine. I’ll call you Uncle, like how I call Uncle Travis.”
“Uncle Travic”
“Yes! He’s Mommy’s friend. You’re Mommy’s friend, too, right?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Liam shift his gaze toward me. “Right. I’m her… friend.”
You’re not, and you will never be.
“Let’s swim now! Come with us. Uncle Liam!” Rylie squealed, bouncing excitedly, as she saw I was done purting sunblock on her twin
“Stay put, Rylie. Mommy’s going to put some on herself, too!” Ryker said, annoyed.
After tying my hair into a tight bun, I poured more sunblock onto my hand.
I could feel Liam’s gaze on me again. His intense stare was impossible to ignore, and it made my skin prickle with a mix of irritation and something else I wasn’t ready to name. He was lucky Ryker was busy adjusting Kylie’s Boaters, or there’d be another scene.
“Stop staring. Str. My son might accuse you of liking me again, I teased him.
1 knew this was the beginning of the “game” I’d been planning, a dangerous game, but one I needed to play
He smirked but didn’t say a word. Instead, he stood up and walked over to me, stopping just a breath away. “Need help with that?”
“Definitely not. Sir. I can put sunblock on my mommy’s back,” Ryker, whom I thought was preoccupied, quickly returned to my side, grabbing the sunblock and pouring some onto his little hands before moving to my back.
“I’ll put sunblock on you too, Uncler Rylie, who seemed to like this man, offered eagerly.
“Oh, that would be nice. Thank you, sweetheart”
Then, without hesitation, Liam removed his shirt, revealing a sculpted torso that was impossible to ignore. My gaze betrayed me, wandering over his eight–pack abs before I could stop myself.
“Oh my, what’s this scar, Uncle Liam?” Rylle asked, touching the side of Liam’s waist
1 quickly averted my gaze when Liam glanced at me
“Oh, this! I got
t into an accident a few years back.”
“Awww, did it hurt a lot?” Kylie asked.
“It did, but it’s okay now. Is it ugly? Does it scare you, little miss?”
Ryder shook her brad, pulling Liam back onto the sun lounger. “Not Mommy says scars are reminders of battles we fought and won. They show how brave we are! Mommy has a scar too—
“You’re overharing. Ryle. You really talk a lot.” Ryker snapped at her, and I was glad it made her stop talking
Kylie pouted.
He’s Mommy’s friend What’s
‘s wrong with you?”
“You two, enough. Let’s go swim at the beach
11:13 AM m
Chapter 20
“You go first. Mommy! I’m not done putting sunblock on Uncle’s back. He needs help.
“He’s too big to need help,” Ryker said, his dislike for Liam evident in his tone.
I glanced at Liam, noticing how his expression softened into something almost hurt as he looked at Ryker.
What a show
