Aria’s POV At the office the next morning, I was still reeling from William calling me Mom. It had been such a special moment, I was sure it would stay with me forever, until the day I died. I hoped beyond hope, that he would still consider me his mother, even after he had grown up. At the very
“What is this?” I asked. “Where are the kids?” “The kids are with Isabella,” he said. He was smiling but it seemed shy. He kept dipping his head as if to hide it from me. “I thought we could have an evening to ourselves.” I wasn’t against it, but… “What’s the occasion?” “You’ve forgotten,” he
Aria’s POV We drew so close that I could feel the warmth of Liam’s breath on my lips. Then, just as I felt the phantom touch of his kiss, the front door burst open. “Mom! Dad!” Joe called. Liam and I jumped apart. We were both a little out of breath. My cheeks were burning, and Liam seemed a b
Aria’s POV Before I could get lost in my thoughts overmuch, Liam’s voice sounded out from the living room. “Aria! Come take a look at this.” I looked at Isabella again. “Go on,” she said with a grin. “Have fun. I’ll finish up here and join you guys when I’m done.” “You sure?” We always mad
Liam’s POV That weekend, I stuck to my promise and took Joe and William Christmas shopping. This time of year, the stores were incredibly busy, so I held hands with both Joe and William as we perused the store, looking for the kids’ perfect gifts for Aria. As we walked along a shopping plaza, we
Liam’s POV Aria loved Christmas. She didn’t always show it, sometimes complaining about the crowds and the traffic and the hassle of fixing all the broken lights on the string. But after the work is done, when the lights are twinkling and the cookies are baked, when the gifts are wrapped under the
Aria’s POV Under the mistletoe, Liam moved in and I didn’t move away. Slowly, gently, his lips pressed against my own. I closed my eyes at once, enjoying the warm softness of him. The kiss itself was soft and sweet, not demanding or insisting, more a quiet gift of consent and compromise. I sighe
Liam’s POV The next few days felt like a dream. With the break off of work, Aria and I got to stay home full-time with the kids. In the morning, we woke up around the same time and spent mornings together, sipping coffee in the kitchen. When the kids got up, we worked together to make pancakes and
Aria’s POVWhile Liam went into the kitchen to make his phone calls, I headed upstairs to speak with the kids. As I started up the stair, I heard the telltale pitter-patter of scurrying feet that told me the kids had eavesdropped for a while.I found them both now sitting on the floor in Joe’s room,
Liam’s POVI was afraid to get my hopes up, not wanting to make any assumptions about what Aria was truly implying before she actually said the words. We’d had far too many misunderstandings between us, plenty of which were my fault.From now on, we needed crystal clear communication. No more assump
Liam’s POVI parked out front of the house and then rushed inside. I’d already called the non-emergency police to alert them of the situation. They had promised to send over a few officers to help maintain the peace but they haven’t arrived yet. As such, I felt it was a miracle the reporters did not
Come on, Liam. Figure this out.My next appointment had already canceled, so I had some time to sit there and think. Yet I couldn’t think of one good idea that wouldn’t backfire.Around 3, I thought of Aria and the kids, probably home by now, safe and oblivious to the struggles I was facing here.Th
Liam’s POVAfter receiving Joanna’s message, as well as one from my assistant to tell me most of the other shareholders I had meetings with that day canceled on me, I called Joanna outright.No more games, or passive aggressive messages. If I had to go to the source to stop this madness, then that w
I sat very still for a moment, hating how powerless I was. “Is there no way for me to convince you?”“There isn’t,” Richard said. Glancing at me, he added, “Learn from this, Liam. You are young yet, and you’ll bounce back. When you do, don’t make such stupid mistakes like this again.”“I won’t,” I a
Liam’s POVIn an attempt to stop Joanna’s takeover of the team, I called my assistant and have them make several more appointments that day with various shareholders, starting with those that held the most to those that held the least.I didn’t return to the office, moving instead straight from the
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