Buried Wishes ✔

Chapter 30: Shampoo, Lamb poo

~ [Evelyn] ~

As we made our way into Spring Break, I stayed around to help Liam while he healed. I mean I still had to honor the fairness and hang out with Mason, too, but it was hard to get distracted when all I could think of was whether Liam was okay to take care of himself.

We made a lot of memories at his place, including that first night when I struggled to make soup.

"Okay, what soup do you want? Chicken noodle?" I asked as I got up after sitting at his bedside for a long time. He nodded and I was about to turn around when I felt his hand wrapped around my wrist. I stared at him with wide, questioning eyes.

"With bacon?" he pleaded.

"What? You want bacon in your chicken noodle soup? Why?" My eyes traced his arm down to where his hand connected with mine.

"Who doesn't like bacon?" He tugged at my hand and plotted a kiss on the back of it, making me blush wildly. Worried that he might tease me about my bright red cheeks, I rushed off to make his soup.

It's a strange feeling, to be so blissful, but also carry the guilt knowing that he's hurt because of me. Because he wanted me. And I didn't see why. I didn't know what he saw in me that would make all this pain worth it. I winced every time he groaned when he moved or breathed.

When I was done whipping up his weird ass soup, I brought it into his room, blowing at the surface to cool it down a bit. There was a wide grin on his stupid face as he watched me take careful steps toward his bed.

"Here," I offered him the bowl, but then froze when I looked at him.

He was putting extra effort in making his arms look limp, in addition to the adorable pout he suddenly had on his lips. I tilted my head to give him a curious look before he spoke. "I'm weak, Ev. Come closer and feed me?"

"Don't push it, Saunders," I rolled my eyes at him.

"Aw, Ev, please?" he pleaded, dragging the e in "please".

I groaned, throwing my head, and frowned at him as he grinned at me. Scooting closer, I raise a spoonful up to my mouth and blow gently. My eyes were on the spoon of soup, but I could vaguely see his smile. It was a different smile this time. It wasn't the shit-eating grin or the polite tight-lipped smile. It was the dear-God-I-love-her smile and it made me blush and squirm under his gaze.

Ignoring his sweet but very stupid dazed out expression, I offered the spoon in front of his lips. He sipped it loudly with the corners of his lips lifted, and I rolled my eyes at this obnoxious idiot I've promised to take care of.

The days went by and it became normal for us to hang out daily and then when he rested, I would have to go out on dates with Mason. He was always polite and wonderfully sweet, but my mind was elsewhere. Questions constantly ran across my mind: Has Liam woken up yet? Will he need help getting up to pee? Does he want more soup? Will he be able to reach the kitchen without hurting his stitches?

It was Liam, Liam, Liam all day, everyday.

"So," Mason cleared his throat as he walked me back to my front door, "How's Liam's recovery?"

There it was again. Liam. And while it wasn't me who brought him up, I may as well have since I probably ignored everything Mason had said this entire evening. I just couldn't wait to get home to change and then head over to Liam's and check on him.

"It's going great. His stitches are really healing-" The breath was knocked out of me as he wrapped one arm around my waist and pulled me closer. His eyes were intense, but there was just a hint of some emotion I couldn't decipher. I hadn't noticed his eyes for a while, mostly because they reminded me so much of Liam's and I knew that it was unfair to think that way. It was also wrong of me to know why their eyes were similar, but I had already pushed that to the back of my mind.