Chapter 13

VIVIANNE

After work, I ditch Liam and send him home, telling him not to order dinner because I’m making my momma’s stir-fry.

I make a detour, stopping by the market and loading up on fresh ingredients, hoping to keep my mind off the upcoming weekend.

Three more days until we leave, and I’m actively working on my anger management. Or at least, that’s what I tell myself.

When I get home, Liam is in the study, his laptop on the smooth cherry surface, the door propped open. I can hear him typing away.

“Where’d you disappear to?” he calls out.

“Mind your business,” I tease as I carry the bags to the kitchen.

I hear the laptop click closed before he emerges, eyeing what I’m pulling out.

“You aren’t allergic to anything, are you?”

“Just bees and trees,” he says, still eyeing the groceries.

“You’re so nosy!” I push his arm, making him laugh.

He grabs a cutting board and a knife. “Can I help?”

I nod, handing him some veggies while I heat the pan. We move around each other effortlessly, like we’ve been doing this forever.

“Thanks for helping,” I say, stirring the sizzling ingredients.

He nods, then looks at me. “Viv…” He stops.

I freeze.

“Say it,” I prompt.

“About last night…” He shifts closer, his voice quieter now. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, and I’m sorry.”

I shift awkwardly, my fingers tightening around the spatula before I manage to say something.

“Hey, we made it a whole month, and there are no hard feelings,” I joke, trying to keep it light.

His smile returns. “There aren’t any peas around, right?”

I shoot him a death glare, his vibrant grin catches me off guard, making me smile.

***

“Are you ready?” Liam asks, leaning against my bedroom doorframe.

I sigh, giving my suitcase one last glance. “Yep. Let’s get going. Where is this cabin again?”

“You sure? I think you forgot to pack the sinks in there.”

I roll my eyes. “Oh yeah? Because I need more than a pair of jeans and extra socks?”

He grins. “Hey, at least I don’t need a U-Haul to go on vacation for a few days.”

I fight back a smile. “Let’s just go.”

The drive starts off quiet, the hum of the road filling the space between us. I shift in my seat, trying to get comfortable, but the anticipation of the weekend ahead keeps my mind restless.

“How much longer? My butt’s starting to go numb,” I whine.

“Just another hour.”

“Don’t you normally just fly when it’s this far?”

“Normally, yeah. But I really like the drive.”

“You never told me where it was.”

“North Carolina.”

I perk up. “Wait…are we going to Myrtle Beach?”

“No, Atlantic Beach. But we’ll be about an hour from Myrtle,” he says, yawning big.

I sit back and smile, resting my head against the seat.

Eight hours in the car has my body is screaming for movement. But when we pull up, my exhaustion is replaced by shock.

It’s not a cabin. It’s a miniature mansion.

I gawk at the massive two-story house tucked between towering trees. It’s blue siding and dark window trim make it look like something out of a luxury magazine.

“This is your ‘cabin’?” I let out a laugh.

Liam smirks. “Oh, you mean the ~giant house~ my dad calls his getaway cabin?”

We didn’t have houses like this back home. Of course, that doesn’t mean a whole lot considering the population.

We’re both laughing as we climb out of the car. The warm coastal air smells of salt and blooming flowers.

I stretch, my muscles popping in relief. Liam apparently doesn’t believe in stopping for breaks.

Walking around to the trunk, I find him already pulling out our bags. He slings mine over his shoulder, grabs his own in one hand, and my suitcase in the other—leaving me with nothing.

“Oh, c’mon, I can carry something,” I argue, reaching for my bag,

He dodges me with a grin, quickly heading up the stone pathway. The stones look smooth and sturdy, their edges worn by time.

Small black-framed lanterns line the walkway, their soft glow flickering against the green leaves that rustle lightly in the breeze.

I find myself unsure of where to look, the beauty of this place so captivating.

Liam climbs the four brick steps and knocks lightly, setting the bags at our feet.

The door swings open.

A petite woman with chestnut hair laced with gray stands in the doorway. Her spine is pin-straight, making me instinctively pull my shoulders back.

Her eyes widen when she sees Liam, and she lets out a small squeak before wrapping him in a hug.

He bends slightly, his arms engulfing her as he buries his face in her hair. They stay like that for a long moment before she pulls back, looking him over.

“It’s been too long,” she says, her voice rich like honey.

“I’m sorry,” he replies, guilt lacing his tone. “I couldn’t get away very much this year.”

He grabs our bags and motions for me to follow him inside.

I offer the woman a smile. “I’m Vivianne.” I extend my hand, but she swats it away and pulls me into a hug.

“I’m the maid—used to be the nanny. Call me Nan, sweetie.”

She releases me, then turns back to Liam, giving him a knowing look before chuckling.

“I’m going to head up to my room. I’ll see you at dinner. Love you, Nan,” Liam says, grinning before he starts up the stairs.

I trail behind him, admiring the place.

The walls are painted in neutral tones, the decor providing bright pops of color. It ~looks~ cozy, but there’s a precision to it—like someone wants it to seem homey without actually being warm.

“It’s right around the corner here,” Liam says, glancing back at me.

Something about him feels…different. Less like Mr. ~Boss man~, more like Mr. ~I’m-so-cute-you-can’t-help-but-fall-for-me~.

My heart leaps. I shove the thought down before it gets away from me.

We reach his room, and he pushes the door open. I wait until he drags the bags inside before stepping in.

The walls are a mix of deep peach and jet black. The black wall serves as a backdrop for the bed, flanked by matching nightstands.

All the furniture in the room is black—the dresser, the bedframe, the desk, even the couch. Yet somehow, the warm hues balance it all out.

I’m pleasantly surprised by the decor in his room, even if it is only his vacation home.

It makes me wonder what his actual room looks like, making me blush at the thought.

I drop onto the couch, kicking one foot up so my shoe dangles. Liam unpacks, neatly tucking his clothes into the dresser.

He glances up at me, and I smile. His gaze flickers before he returns to his task.

“How can guys live with only, like, three pairs of pants?” I tease.

He smirks. “We’re simple creatures. What can I say?”

He smiles and stands up, closing the drawers and motioning for me to follow him as he heads toward the double doors across the room.

“Open it,” he says, stepping out of the way.

I grab the handle and pull the doors open. Rows of clothes line the walls on either side of me, drawers under them. Another set of double doors is centered on the opposite wall.

“You have a whole separate wardrobe here?”

“Yeah,” he says, smiling.

“And you gave me grief about bringing a whole suitcase.” I tsk at him, waggling my finger, my smile growing.

He holds up a finger and walks into the closet, motioning at a rack of his clothes.

I watch as he pushes them all closer, and when it doesn’t move as much as he wants, he pulls out an armful of hangers and drags them out of the closet.

“There. Now you have some room too,” he says it so easily.

I think I might be misunderstanding him. Is he implying I’ll come back—that I’ll need a stash of clothes here, too? Tonight’s the first time we’ll sleep in a bed together, and already he’s moving me in?

The thought settles like a stack of bricks.

We’ll be sleeping in the same bed.

I look at him, unsure if I’m overthinking, but he isn’t fazed.

Before I can respond, the sound of footsteps echoes down the hall.

Liam stiffens, his expression unreadable.

“Showtime,” he mutters, heading toward the door.

I swallow hard and start getting ready for the night ahead.