The Perfect Lie

Chapter 29

December, 2008, Somewhere outside NYU

Liam wanted to snatch Chanty’s phone away from her hand.

She had been checking the thing every five minutes and the reason behind that was that bastard, Cameron.

If he wanted to come, he would already be here.

“Hey, you want me to bury that phone six feet under the ground?” Angelica asked the question Liam had been trying to keep to himself. “Cameron will come if he can. And by the look of things, he is not. So, get over it, girl, and let’s have a good time.”

They were having a barbecue outside the small cabin Angelica rented for the holiday. Zach and Liam were watching over the meat while Angelica set up the table.

Chanty looked at all of them, their faces expectant. Liam smiled at her warmly to erase whatever feeling Angelica’s words brought to her.

“Come on, Chanty, don’t be such a joy killer. Let’s have a good time here,” Zach called out.

Liam went to the large cooler by the table, opened it, and took out a can of beer. He went to where Chanty was sitting. “Here, drink up. Let’s not think of the people who are not here right now. Let’s just have some fun.”

She hesitated for a moment before she sighed and looked at her phone. “You’re right. Cameron can get lost. I’m turning this thing off.” And she did just that much to Liam’s amazement. He popped the can open for her and she took a big gulp the moment he handed it to her.

“Let’s put on some music,” Angelica said with excitement.

Liam went back to Zach.

“Nice job, man. You’re getting there,” his friend murmured.

Liam did not say anything. He was busy looking at Chanty dancing with Angelica with the beer in her hand. He really hoped this vacation would turn out right. He desperately wanted to get somewhere with Chanty even if it meant making her forget some bastard was waiting for her back in NYU.

 

2013

Chanty’s heart was beating too fast. She almost felt afraid that Cameron, who was sitting right across her table, would see it. She felt a mixture of different feelings woven into one. Her senses were not helping as well. She could feel Liam’s presence right beside her and it was almost tangible. As if a colored gas she could see and feel. It was seeping right through the pores of her skin. She could hear his calm breathing. She could smell his smell--his signature smell that she never smelled from anyone else.

She could see that Cameron was talking by the way his mouth was moving, but she could not clearly hear it. Her hearing was too busy right now with Liam’s breathing and her own blood rushing through her ears.

For a moment, Chanty closed her eyes and tried to calm her nerves. She collected whatever sense she had left and placed them at the proper order. It was not the right time to swoon over Liam’s sudden appearance, obviously to rescue her from the piranhas before her.

When she opened her eyes, she focused on Cameron and Henry’s conversation.

“That’s why I am here,” Henry was saying. “To make sure that you and Ms. Strindberg will not make any decisions that would make things worse. I understand you want to have a DNA test done?”

Cameron nodded, shifting his gaze to Chanty.

“I have something to say before anything else,” she finally said. She looked at Liam and he looked back at her with encouragement. Gone was the flat affect he had been wearing for weeks after he learned of the truth. Right now, he was back to being Liam, the old Liam.