Chapter 19

A week after his conversation with Claire and her realization that she needed to cut back on clients, Liam was heading out of the BB when Monica called his name.

"Hey, Liam!"

He stopped and glanced around, finding her not in her usual spot behind the front desk, but rather in the front parlor, where she sat with Braden. He crossed the room to join the Watsons.

"Hey, guys," he greeted. "I'm glad you caught me, since I was just headed out to meet you."

This comment was directed at Braden particularly. The two of them were set today for a small job helping an older couple repair their backyard shed after a tree limb had fallen on it.

"Yeah, Mr. Foxworth just called," Braden said, waving the phone that was still in his hand. "They got caught up with something this morning, so we're getting pushed back by about an hour, since we can't get into the backyard until they're home."

"Want to grab a coffee while you wait?" Monica offered. "Hang out for a bit?"

Liam nodded his acceptance before ducking into the kitchen to grab a mug. He'd been at the BB long enough now that he felt less like a guest of the establishment and more like a close friend. He'd long since told Monica and her cook, Maureen, that they didn't need to do a whole breakfast spread if he was the only guest in residence, as sometimes happened on winter weekdays. It had started feeling wasteful, seeing all that effort and food put out for just one guest.

So now, when it was just him, the Watsons, and Maureen for breakfast, they ate in the kitchen, around the small table there. It made him feel welcomed in a way that he was starting to see was part of the ‘Whale Harbor experience.' If there was a more openhearted town anywhere, he'd never heard of it.

When he had a steaming mug doctored just the way he liked it, he returned to the front parlor and took a seat. The crackling fire made the room perfectly cozy, the flames banishing the last of winter's chill. They were coming up on the end of March now, and spring was starting to show itself in earnest, although mornings were often still brisk.

"I'm actually doubly glad to see you this morning," Monica said when he was settled in his chair, "because I wanted to ask you, how are things going with Claire?"

He gave her a teasing look. "Oh, you're extra glad to see me so you can snoop?"

She gave her long, golden ponytail a playful flip. "What you call snooping, I call being a good friend. So, spill the beans, Hiller."

He grinned. "This can't come as any big surprise to you, since you know her, but she's amazing." He felt himself going sappy and considered curbing his display of emotions, then decided against it. After all, everything he knew about these people said that they wouldn't hold with any ‘tough guy' attitudes that said that men shouldn't confess softer feelings. One look at the besotted way Braden gazed at his wife was enough to remind Liam of that much.

"It's not just that she's beautiful and kind and funny, although she's all those things," he went on. "She's also so impressive. Taking on this flower shop project is such a big deal, but she's putting it all on the line to chase her dream." He shot a glance at Monica. "I mean, you know how tough and scary it can be."

"I do," she agreed.

"But Claire's kind of unstoppable. Even when she gets knocked down, she gets back up again." He thought of how she'd rallied in the days after she'd learned of losing her flower contract. "There's still a lot to get done before the big opening, but she's going to do it. I know she is."

He flushed a little when he realized just how much he'd revealed of his feelings, which was quite a bit, judging from the soft, knowing way the Watsons were looking at him.

"You sound like you care about her a lot," Monica said.

"I really do," he admitted.

"Well, I'm glad too," Braden chimed in. "Maybe getting the girl will be enough to make you stick around town for a while." He shot his wife a playful wink. "Sure worked for me."

"I'm still not sure what I plan to do long-term," Liam said. "But… this relationship with Claire is definitely making me feel happier, making me feel better about myself, than anything else has in a long period of time."

Monica had stars in her eyes, and Liam was suddenly put in mind of Dominic telling him that the residents of Whale Harbor loved to matchmake. He wasn't sure that exact designation applied here, since he and Claire had already gone on several dates, but Monica sure looked like she was interested in a scheme of some kind.

Luckily, Braden's phone chimed, disrupting the conversation.

"Shoot," he muttered. "Looks like the Foxworths have a new grandbaby and their daughter needs help, since her other kid is sick. We're gonna have to reschedule their job."

"Shoot?" Monica echoed. "Don't you mean ‘oh, amazing, now my wife and I have the same day off as each other?'"

Braden brightened. "You're right! I did mean that."

"Let's check the surf report," Monica said excitedly. The Watsons were already setting aside their cups of coffee.

"Surfing!" Liam exclaimed. They were going to freeze. "You two are crazy."

He laughed and left them to it though, as they muttered excitedly about wetsuits.

He wondered what he should do with his suddenly free day, when an idea occurred to him. Claire was spending the day first finishing up work for some of the clients she was dropping, then going out to visit another potential flower vendor. She'd anticipated being tired after that, so they weren't meeting up for dinner. She'd just be going home, instead.

Which meant the flower shop would be empty all day…

He grinned as he jogged upstairs to get his keys.

One of the huge remaining tasks in the flower shop was getting the shelving unit that would display premade bouquets installed. It would take up an entire wall of the shop, and when it was full, would make an entire wall of flowers. Claire had recently shown him example photos from other flower shops around the country and the effect had been amazing. The unit had arrived only a few days prior, and it was taking up a ton of space, making it harder to get other, smaller tasks done.

Claire's first full day in the flower shop was scheduled for tomorrow. She was planning on building the unit then; he'd planned to go over and help. But if he buckled down and used his free day, he could surprise her with a completed unit, freeing up her day to tackle the next thing on her list.

He hurried over to the flower shop, letting himself in with the keys Claire had given him. The shelving unit was in about a million pieces, all boxed up and stacked around the retail space. Liam pulled his toolbox from his car, selecting a box cutter to open the first of the many, many boxes.

When he broke for lunch, a few hours later, only the first two pillars were bolted into the walls. He took a step back, pausing the playlist he'd been playing from his phone. This was a bigger task than he realized.

The idea didn't discourage him, however. Instead, it invigorated him. He liked construction work, and he especially liked working with Braden. But it didn't necessarily challenge him in the way firefighting had, and it was only now that he realized that he'd missed that sense of overcoming something that was difficult.

The thought made him grin. He dashed off to the Clown Fish Eatery to grab a sandwich for lunch, ate it quickly, and then returned to the shop.

By the time he finished the display case, it was well past midnight. The shelf looked amazing… from what Liam could tell, given how bleary his eyes were with exhaustion. Despite that though, he felt great; his tiredness was the good kind, the kind that came from accomplishing something monumental.

It was not the kind, however, he realized as he rubbed his eyes, the kind that was safe for driving. He stretched his arms over his head, then settled down in the corner of the store. He'd just take a quick catnap, just long enough to make it safe for him to drive back to the BB…

"Oh my goodness!"

Liam sat upright, disoriented and sore, at the sound of the surprised exclamation. He blinked against the bright light of morning coming in through the shop's glass front windows. Oh, drat, when had it become morning… ?

Claire was standing just inside the door, mouth agape with surprise, glancing between him and the shelf as if she wasn't sure which sight shocked her more.

"Uh, good morning, Claire," he said sheepishly, rising stiffly to his feet. "I can explain."

"Explain?" she echoed, brow furrowing. "You…"

But apparently she was beyond words. Instead, she dropped her purse to the floor and threw herself at him, arms going around his neck. He caught her with a faintly surprised whoof of air, then hugged her back tightly.

"I can't believe you did this," she mumbled into his neck. "You are seriously the most amazing boy—guy I know."

Liam hoped that it wasn't only because he was still waking up that he thought she almost called him her boyfriend. The idea held a lot of appeal.

"I just wanted to do something to help you out," he said modestly.

"This is a huge help," she gushed, pulling back to look at the shelf once more. "And, oh my goodness, it looks amazing." He felt a surge of satisfaction at having been the one to put that look of happiness on her face. "Seriously, thank you. Thank you so, so much."

She turned back to him, bringing in her face for a kiss, but at the last moment he snaked a hand in front of her mouth, stopping her. She looked surprised.

"Sorry," he explained. "It's just… I spent the night sleeping on the floor of the store. I haven't exactly brushed my teeth yet."

"I don't care," she mumbled against his palm. "I want a kiss."

Well, who was he to deny her that? Heart swelling, Liam removed his hand and pressed his mouth to hers, enjoying the feeling of absolute rightness in having a morning with this woman.