The Coldest Summer✓

Thirteen

"Is that so?"

"Yes." He nods affirmatively. ''Is this worthy enough to have an exchange?"

"Um . . . I guess." I shrug, my lips stretched into a soft smile.

"You guess?" Liam laughs loudly, and I could pluck a star just to hear this splendid melody over and over again.

He's a marvel when he laughs.

"Yeah, and maybe I'm going to be generous as well." I surely hope this moment never ends. It's as if I can talk to him the whole evening if I could.

"Okay, tell me," he urges while clutching his abandoned cup of coffee.

"My reason is simple," I start with a melancholic sigh, my eyes on the scribbled letters engraved on the mug. 'HOME' is what's written in bold red. "I can't get a good sleep at night . . . I just can't, and it's been that way for so long. I'm used to it, I think. Sometimes it gets severe that I have to resort to sleeping pills, but otherwise it's a part of my life and I've come to terms with it." I lift my eyes up at him.

Liam looks at me blankly with his luminous eyes. As always, I can't tell what he's thinking at all. But to my surprise he only tells me, "I understand."

"You do?" My eyes widen, my voice husky.

"Yes, I do." He smiles tenderly, and without another word he drinks his coffee.

Damn, this man! It's as if he understands me more than he should, and I strangely don't mind at all. I take a deep breath as Liam's gaze heads forward, facing the window in front of us.

"Don't you think drinking coffee is a bad idea, though?" I ask after a pause of easy silence. I only want to keep hearing his voice.

"I know it is," Liam replies coolly, "but I can't help it." He glances at me, and we both chuckle.

We stay wordless, watching nothing but the darkness in the backyard through the window. It's so peaceful, and subconsciously this nothingness of the moment is probably the reprieve I need.

"Have you spoken to your mother?" I break the silence once again, glancing up at Liam.

"I did a while ago," he answers. "She sends her regards."

"I really miss her. When is she coming back?"

"In two days, I suppose."

"I see," I mutter casually, followed by another sip of my coffee. "And . . . Malik? Will he be back soon?" I think I'm missing him already.

Liam's eyes darken slightly at the question. Wait, did I say something wrong? I blink, unsure of his sudden shift of demeanor.

"I don't know," regardless, Liam answers crisply, and I squint my eyes. "Didn't he tell you about that?" he asks without looking at me, which is quite a drastic turn. I even detect sarcasm in his tone of voice. Oh boy.

"No, he didn't," I reply carefully.

Sighing, Liam finally looks at me. "I thought you two became close enough to tell each other such details—was I wrong?" His question leaves me speechless.

Why does he sound like my husband accusing me of adultery?

"Yes, and no, at least we haven't reached that part yet," I say. "Does it bother you?

Dang it! I'm really searching for trouble.

"You should go back to your room, it's getting late," Liam tells me casually, ignoring my query.

I hate when he does this.

"What? But I'm not finished with my coffee yet and—''

"Then do it when you're done. Goodnight, Ms. Jones," he practically snaps at me before putting his mug in the sink. Turning around, he grabs his laptop, and leaves toward the door without eyeing back.