---Later that evening, I was at the garage, helping with some last-minute preparations when Joe wandered in. He was carrying a crumpled sheet of paper, his usual playful grin plastered across his face.“Hey, mama!” he called, waving the paper at me. “Guess what I made!”I smiled at his enthusiasm.
Liam’s POVThe soft hum of the office was all but drowned out by the growing frustration in my head. I tapped my fingers impatiently on the desk, waiting for my assistant to return with any new information.It had been weeks since I first noticed the divorce papers were missing, and no one seemed to
Aria's POVAfter leaving the track, I couldn’t shake the weight of Liam’s question.*Do you regret how things ended between us?* The words echoed in my mind, pulling at something I wasn’t ready to confront. I’d walked away, leaving him standing there, but the truth was, I didn’t have an answer.At
And for a while, it worked.The music, the lights, the crowd—it all blurred together in a haze that dulled the edge of my frustration. Isabella had always been good at pulling me out of my own head, her carefree attitude a welcome distraction.“So,” she said as we clinked glasses, her eyes twinkling
Liam’s POVI paced back and forth in my office, unable to shake the thoughts running through my head. The missing divorce papers haunted me, each unanswered question gnawing at my mind.I hated the idea of suspecting Aria, but as the days passed, the suspicion only grew. Why hadn’t she said anything
Her eyes flared with anger, meeting mine without backing down. “It wasn’t a game, Liam. I wasn’t trying to mess with you. I was hurt.”“Well, congratulations,” I shot back bitterly, “because that’s exactly what you did. You’ve been dragging me along,and when I finally gave in you threw out the very
Liam’s POVI stood outside the office building, my heart hammering in my chest as thick plumes of smoke billowed into the sky.Sirens screamed from all directions, adding to the dizzying chorus of voices and alarms.But none of those faces belonged to Aria.Frantically, I scanned the crowd, searchin
As we drove to the hospital, I sat beside her, clutching her hand. I didn’t care about the ashes smeared across my skin or the sweat that dripped down my face.All I cared about was the rise and fall of her chest—proof that she was still with me.I hadn’t realized how much I needed her until this mo
My brow drew together in confusion. “What happened?”At that moment, Rita returned carrying a fresh cup of coffee, which she set down in front of me.Alistair’s entire demeanor changed once more. Shedding his down-to-business persona, he looked up at her with a bright, friendly, and relaxed expressi
Liam’s POVThe Circle Café was a smaller restaurant, opened only for breakfast and lunch and located in one of the corner buildings in the older part of time. It had an eclectic sort of aesthetic, with the paintings of many local artists on the walls for sale. The booths were all different colors an
Liam’s POV“I have a plan,” I said, which such a blatant lie that I needed to rephrase. “I have the beginnings of a plan…”Jackson crossed his arms. “So you have no idea what you are doing.”God, it really did seem that way, didn’t it? He should have spoken to Aria more at length this morning about
“We don’t lie to each other, remember?” I prompted. “I want the truth, Liam.”“You’re right,” he said and pushed a hand through his hair. “I wasn’t going to lie to you, but I’ve been doing a hell of a job avoiding the truth. I’m sorry, Aria.” He sighed. “The truth is… I got a weird call from one of
Aria’s POVAfter that perfect date with Liam and then the just-as-perfect evening with my family, I awoke feeling more hopeful than I had in a very long time. For the first time since Markus and Joanna entered our lives, I began to look forward to my future as Liam’s wife.It might be callous, I wou
Aria’s POVThe kiss was electric, shooting sparked throughout my entire body, starting with where Liam’s lips were pressed to mine. In a flash, his arms wrapped around me, his head tilted, his lips started to part, coaxing mine open as well.As we kissed, falling so easily back into each other, one
Liam’s POVIn my office later, I spent more time thinking about how to prove my love to Aria than I did actually working. Fortunately, not much was needed from me that day, though Joanna, ever watchful, was quick to call out my distraction.“Maybe you should focus on work instead of thinking about a
Aria’s POVHe loved me. I was the only woman for him.They were pretty words, but when paired with the raw earnestness and love in his eyes, I found I could not disbelieve them.Maybe it was wishful thinking on my part. Maybe I was simply allowing myself to be vulnerable to hurt once more.But, the
Especially while Aria was out there confused and hurting.Ignoring Joanna, I rushed out of the room and then into the stairwell. Reasoning Aria either retreated to her office, the bathroom, or her car, I started to take the stairs down two at a time.Shortly, I spotted her on the landing between flo