Chapter 158
I push him toward the door. “Get out so I can put clothes on.”
“Fine, fine,” he says, holding his hands up in surrender. But he lingers
–
in the doorway, eyes sweeping over me one last time – just to make sure, I think. Just to be sure I’m really okay.
“You good?” he asks again, softer this time.
I nod. “Yeah. Really.”
—
“Good. Because I have something for you. It’s not Seth’s dead body — I′ m still working on that — but I think you’ll like it.”
EMILIA
—
The smile returns, that maddening one that never quite reaches his eyes unless he’s with me. “Good. Because I have something for you. It’s not Seth’s dead body – I’m still working on that – but I think you’ll like it.”
Before I can question him, he grabs my hand and tugs me out of the bathroom. I follow, towel still clutched tight, half–steamed and half- stunned as we step into his room.
—
Most of our stuff is already packed. Liam was determined to leave before noon, much to Veronica’s heartbreak she begged him to stay for her recital, but he was hell–bent on getting us out before Seth woke
- up.
What wasn’t here when I went to shower, however, are the three gift bags now sitting neatly on the bed.
I blink. “You didn’t say this something came in… triplicate.”
He just smiles like a man with secrets. “What colour do you want to start with?”
“At least let me get dressed for this.” Seeing he’s pretending to not hear a word I say, I sigh. “White.”
He hands me the white bag. It’s heavier than expected.
When I peek inside, something catches in my throat.
No way.
the limited edition.
I reach in and slowly pull out a hardcover novel Bonus chapters. Character art. Gilded edges. The kind of cover you touch like it’s holy. It only released last month and costs more than my dignity. I’ve had it bookmarked in every browser tab like a prayer.
And somehow, it’s in my hands.
I don’t even have time to process it before I flip open the front page
and see it.
A handwritten note. Inked in my favourite author’s signature.
Addressed to me. To Emilia. Keep baking. Keep dreaming. You matter more than you think.
My throat closes up. “Liam,” I breathe, because what else is there to say?
It’s the best gift I’ve ever received. And this includes the Shrek swimsuit Tessa gave me last Halloween, which until now was unrivalled.
–
When I look up, Liam’s not smirking anymore. He’s watching me like
- 20%
1756
Chapter 158
1/ 218 /ouchers
he’s not sure if he did too much.
“I noticed you had the full set,” he says quietly, “but the last book didn‘ t match the other covers. It bugged me more than it probably should‘ ve.”
His tone is casual, but I can see the nerves tucked beneath it. He’s not showing off. He’s hoping this matters to me the way it mattered to him.
It does.
More than I can say.
My heart is still somewhere in my throat when Liam tilts his head and gestures at the next gift bag.
“Pink?” he asks, a little hopeful.
I wipe at my eyes before he can see anything suspicious happening there and nod, reaching for it.
The bag’s lighter. Softer. I pull out what looks like a simple hardcover book with a pale pink spine. When I open it, the first page nearly undoes me all over again.
It’s me.
A photo of me at the amusement park from a few weeks ago. I’m biting into cotton candy with a little too much enthusiasm, eyes squinting, nose scrunched. A total mess.
Beneath it is a sticky note in Liam’s handwriting.
You said you never took photos. I decided to fix that.
I blink rapidly and turn the page.
55.02%
1756
Chapter 158
288 Vouchers
Another photo. I’m mid–laugh, probably at one of his bad jokes, hair blowing into my face. The note beside it reads:
You laugh like it surprises you. I hope it always does.
The next one: I’m in bakery, asleep on the counter. A smudge of drool on my cheeks.
You won’t agree when I say you’re always beautiful, but even now, you take my breath away.
―
I flip through more pages me with Tessa’s plushie, me screaming at Lacey in my swimsuit by the pool, me scowling at a rigged game
booth. All tiny moments, all forgotten, except now they’re
immortalised in paper and ink, and every single one has a scribbled thought from Liam, like he was thinking about me even when I wasn’t looking.
By the time I reach the end, I have to close the book for a second. Just to breathe.
“I didn’t think you even liked taking photos,” I say, my voice embarrassingly thin.
80 15%
0.00%
