Chapter 18

Everythingin my world was almost perfect. I lay there with the man I loved and who loved me back in my arms, satisfied because of me. But as much as I was enjoying having him there, I had to think about the reality of the situation. I didn’t know how Annie was going to take the news I was sleeping with her best friend, never mind the fact that we were in love.

I didn’t want to alienate my daughter. I was all she had left. She had already had a hard time of it with her mother walking out. I wished I had been able to tell her her mother’s actions were against me and me alone, that she wouldn’t abandon her. But that wasn’t what Phillipa wanted. She had not only left me, but she had walked away from her child as well. I card at Christmas and on her birthday filled with either a gift card or a cheque was the only contact Annie had with her anymore. My heart broke for my daughter, and I couldn’t bear the thought of breaking her heart more by her finding out what was happening here.

I knew Liam wouldn’t like it, but it was the only thing I could think of for now. Annie didn’t need to know about any of this yet. It would be too much for her. Instead, Liam would have to be my little secret for now. We’d have to keep it just between us.

* * *

Annie textedto say she was on her way home. I still had so much I wanted to talk over with Liam, but we hadn’t had the chance to yet. I wasn’t sure what to say to him. I didn’t want him to feel I was ashamed of what was happening between us, but I also didn’t want to risk hurting Annie even more than she already had been.

Liam was sitting, watching me as I gathered myself together. “I’ve been thinking.”

I stopped and looked at him. He looked so unsure of himself, and my heart skipped a beat, worried about what was coming next. “Have you?” I tried to sound casual.

“It happens every once in a while.” He grinned. “I don’t think Annie’s going to like this. But that doesn’t mean I want this to stop. I just think we need to hold back from telling her for now. She’s my best friend and I need to figure out the best way for her to hear this. I mean, we want to keep seeing each other, don’t we?”

I nodded. I wanted to keep seeing Liam for as long as possible. I thought about what that might mean, and my stomach knotted.

“I think you’re right.” He was saying exactly what I had been thinking. “I don’t want to hurt Annie any more than you do, and I don’t think she’s going to be very happy about this idea. What happens if we break up or something? Do you stop coming around because of that? Does she miss out on her friend over me? I don’t want that, Liam. I can’t do that to her.”

My voice wavered at the thought of doing anything to hurt my daughter, and Liam stood and wrapped his arms around me. “I don’t want to hurt her either. I couldn’t bear to be without my best friend. We will just have to be careful for now. Our little secret.” He pressed his lips against mine, and all my fears disappeared.

It was a catch-22. I didn’t know if I should be feeling like an asshole for agreeing to lie to my daughter, or if I should be grateful that not only did I have Liam in my life, but that he was on the same page as me and he wasn’t willing to hurt Annie either. All I could do was hope everything would work out how we wanted it to.