I open the door at around five in the evening on Sunday to find Sharon standing excitedly with a lot of stuff in her hand.
"Thank God, you are here," I say with a sigh a relief as she comes in.
"I know. I am so excited to get dressed and all. I feel scrubs are all that suits me now. Show me the ravenous dress I have been hearing about now," she says swaying her shoulders excitedly.
"C'mon upstairs!"
Seth and Liam are supposed to be here by seven o'clock, giving Sharon and me two hours to get ready; not a lot of time between the two of us because we spend most of it just chatting away.
"Oh! I want to hear all about yesterday," Sharon says as we reach the room.
"What about it? Liam just took me shopping, only because Pops asked him to," I say now paying too much attention to the dress avoiding eye contact with Sharon.
"For some reason, I find that hard believe," Sharon smirks as she unzip the cover bag for the gown.
Almost two hours later, when we are almost ready, the doorbell rings.
Right on time!
My cheeks are flushed and I am suddenly excited to see Liam's expression when he sees the dress.
When he sees ME.
God! How does he still make me feel like a high school girl?
"That must be Liam and Seth. I'll go get it," I say as I go downstairs to open the door.
"Make sure you give Liam enough time to swoon over you," she says as I close the door behind mumbling a shut up.
I open the door excited and nervous in anticipation only to find a sympathetic Seth looking at me apologetically with a bouquet of flowers in his hand.
"Liam had to leave urgently to look over some minor details before the announcement tonight. He sent this though," he answers my puzzled face, handing me the bouquet before I could even question him.
"Erm, yeah...okay, cool, it's fine," I say pretending to be casual about the disappointment that has hit me right now.
"You are looking stunning, by the way."
"Thanks"Seth looks around to find Sharon who is now walking down the stairs.
"Hey beautiful!" he says holding her hand to bring her closer to him.
"God! You are so corny" she replies as she kisses him.
I let them be as I look over the flowers to find a small note.
See you soon!' it says making me smile involuntarily.
We reach the Hillsborough Castle at somewhere around eight.
As we enter the ballroom, I am instantly awestruck with preparation. All the dinner tables are meticulously designed, almost as if for a royal event. The long dinner tables lead into the dance floor that separated it from the stage, which I am assuming is for the project announcement today. I try to subtly glance over the entire area to catch a glimpse of Liam.
As I fail to find him, I look at Sharon who is looking at me smirking, "I think he is in the conference room going over the final details, though I am sure he won't want to leave when he sees you in this dress," Sharon whispers as she goes to where Mum and Sam are sitting.
Embarrassed at being caught, I try to keep my cheeks from going red as I follow her.
We settle down at their table as they both compliment Sharon and me for our dresses.
"I just hope everything goes well," Sam says, anxiety visible on her face. Mum tries to assure her as the host comes on the stage, asking everyone to hold their glasses of champagne as they are ready to begin.
In a while, I see Pops and Liam on the stage and Sam goes on to join them.
The project is formally announced and Liam begins telling everyone about the experience building franchise, the company is hoping to establish and how they are ready to own a different form of travel, one that is about memories and not just a place to stay. He owns the room when he talks; I can see everyone listening to what he says so intently. I could see a glimpse of old Liam, the one that could charm any room that he walked into by something as simple as a smile.
"The world is chang-," he stops as he spots me making my eyes go wide. Before anyone could understand, he realizes and continues with his speech, but now glancing at me every now and then.
"Okay, I was sure that you are definitely ogling him more than he will be gawking at you but you literally made him shut up in front of a room full of people in the middle of his speech," Sharon mumbles in my ear.
"Shut up," I tell her," and I wasn't ogling him," I mumble as if convincing myself.
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that darling," Sharon grins mischievously at her successful attempt of taunting me.
I look back at the stage to hear the rest of his speech.
He does look hot, like supermodel, I-know-I-am-hot hot, the tightly fitting tux bringing out his well-defined muscles.
I try to recollect my thoughts as they become increasingly inappropriate to see Liam pass on the microphone to Pops.
"I am proud to announce that the Addford Group is entering this new venture. William and I started this company from a small bed and breakfast never realizing we would turn it into something this big. This particular project was my son's vision and though he is not with us anymore," he says and it looks like he grew older in the moment, "I know he will be proud of his wife and his son who are sole reason this was possible," Pops says as he raises his glass to Liam and Sam now and continues, "I wish William was here for this but that bastard left me to retire peacefully from the world but I still see him when I see his grandson, Luke and his beautiful and smart granddaughter, Kiera, who I hope will very soon become a part of this company," he says now raising his glass to me making me conscious of all the unfamiliar eyes on me.
"Cheers everyone," he ends and I can see everyone flock around him and Liam immediately as they get down from the stage.
I greet the people who are now coming to talk to me after Pops' speech. I glance back to them to find Liam staring at me from afar, now smiling as he catches me looking at him.
"You know he's been gawking at you the entire evening," Sharon says as she comes to sit beside me some time later after a dance with Seth.
I glance at Liam who is laughing at something one of the stockholders said and I know all too well that he did not find whatever they said funny at all.
"He's been busy. It's his moment Sharon. He worked so hard for this,"
"Yeah, otherwise I would have kicked him by now."
"Why?"
"Obviously for cowardly just standing there and being like a super boring person"
"It's work and it's important."
"That's all he has done tonight, hasn't he? Wouldn't hurt to march here and be a gentleman and compliment you, now would it?"
"I am fool, aren't I," I look back to trace the source of sound. Liam is standing behind me with two glasses of champagne.
"You are," Sharon says as she gets up, patting him on the shoulder leaving the two of us alone.
He takes the seat where Sharon was sitting, moving it slightly closer to me, handing me the other glass of champagne.
"Hi," he mumbles looking straight into my eyes, almost apologizing from his expressions.
"Hey," I mumble back smiling at him.
"I am sorry. The investors wanted to go over the proposal a final time before we made it public. The digital announcement has to have the details and they wanted to make sure—" he rambles.
"Liam, it's alright. It's important work, I understand." I say assuring him, holding myself back to put my hand on his.
"Yeah, too much work talk, anyway. Cheers," he says he raises his glass, clinking it slightly to mine.
"Cheers," I mumble back.
"You, erm, look—"
"Liam?" I almost miss Charlotte calling out to him as I see him close his eyes in disappointment anticipating her word.
"Mr Anderson is here. He's been asking for you," she says before eyeing me, almost with a scornful face.
"I—"
"Go, it's important." I purse my lips in an understanding smile.
He smiles back as he stands up, buttoning his tux and turning around to follow Charloette. He suddenly stops and turns back to me, now coming closer making my heart flutter in anticipation. He keeps a hand on the table and the other on the head of the chair as he bends down, his lips so close to me that I could feel his breath on my cheeks, his musk hitting me instantly.
"Not that you need to hear it because I can see almost every guy staring at you, but you look stunningly gorgeous," he whispers and then moves a little away to continue with a smirk, "Seems like the person who picked out the gown knows you very well," he smirks with a wink before walking away leaving my cheeks completely flushed and my lips trying to hold back a smile.
A while after Liam is gone, Seth comes to the table, "You didn't think I was not going to dance with you, tonight did ya?" Seth says as he extends his hand asking for a dance.
"Erm,I—"
"C'mon, let' see how much we piss off Liam this time. He deserves it."
I chuckle slightly as I take his hand and we head to the dance floor.
"Seth?" I say as we are swaying to the tunes playing now.
"Yeah?" he asks twirling me around once.
"Erm, when did Liam start going to the office?"
"Almost two years now."
"Oh! Okay."
"Don't think too much into it. You always knew he wanted to be a part of the family business. Pops' diabetes started acting up and aunty couldn't handle the increased workload, so he started helping until he can join full-time after his Masters'" he says reading my saddened expression.
"Just one more thing to add to the things I don't know," I say as I look down.
"C'mon, don't be like that. Give it time, K. Just give it time," he says as we continue to dance for a while
The rest of the night goes by pretty boringly. Liam was always taken away by some investor or stockholder or someone else before he could even manage to get a sentence out. Pops did come by to say how happy he was that I was here and how he wished Luke could have been here too.
The entire crowd was almost gone now, except for a few people who were also making their way out now. Sharon approaches me asking me if I am ready to leave but I glance at Liam and I don't know if it was the four glasses of champagne or the disappointment that I didn't get to spend any time with him that I tell her that I will catch a ride with Liam.
"Oh! You are still here. I saw Sharon head to the valet spot," I say as I spot Kiera in the now empty ballroom, not prepared for what she said next.
"I told them I will wait for you," she says almost avoiding my gaze.
"You did? I mean, cool, erm, I just need to clear the payments with the organizers before we leave. You don't mind waiting a few moments, do you?" I ask hesitantly hoping she stays.
"I'll wait," she says looking at me assuringly.
I return after a while to find her sitting on one of the party chairs looking at something intently on her phone.
I wish I could have danced with her tonight.
God! I couldn't even talk to her properly.
"Sorry, that took longer than I expected." I say apologizing as I walk towards her.
"It's alright. Shall we?" she says as she gets up and starts walking towards the door.
And then I do something stupid.
VERY STUPID.
"Erm, actually", I continue as she looks at me, "I never got a chance to dance with you tonight. It's a gala after all." I manage to say looking at her expectantly.
She gave me surprised, fleeting look before composing herself.
"It's alright. Some other night maybe", she says as she starts to walk away.
"We are here now." I say without moving from where I stand, expectantly and her expression changes.
She looks more nervous.
"The party is over and it is really late."
"When has that stopped us?"
And something shifts; she waits for a few seconds before turning back around and walking towards me avoiding all eye contact.
Probably the first time, my stupidity has been rewarded.
I play a song on my iPhone and extend my hand asking for a dance.
God! She is so beautiful.
She hesitantly put her hand in mine and I pull her closer, gently holding her waist as I keep looking into her eyes, making me aware of my heart beating. She puts her hand on my shoulder and I try to maintain my calm.
He takes my hand, pulling me closer and I am instantly looking at those familiar brown orbs remembering how one glance at them assured me that everything will be alright and even when it won't be, he'll be there with me.
He twirls me around, somehow closing the distance even more as he pulls me back and he gives one of those lopsided grin reminding me of our dance on the roof of the school at homecoming, away from everyone.
Somehow we manage to always skip the main event.
We sway a little and he twirls me again, taking out his other hand to twirl me behind his back, now pulling me back to him and then we sway, just never breaking eye contact.
I am back to three years ago. I missed his warmth, his comfort, his gorgeous smile and his eyes, which are way more expressive now, making me, feel all the things that I tried bottling inside a long time ago. I wish things were different. I wish we were in a different place, back to all those years ago. Would I have been still friends with him? Maybe Sharon is right, I am just too big a coward to face all the feelings and all that has been right in front.
I don't realize as he moves closer to me, slowly lowering his face closer to me, his mouth closer to my ear,
"You look so beautiful tonight. I wanted to shout every time someone called me in for a boring business talk", he whispers in my ear.
I gulp as I manage to squeak out a feeble why.
He moves back to look me in the eye to smirk and whisper, "Because each second I spent talking to them, I could have spent shamelessly staring at you."
I knew immediately that the old, shameless, flirtatious Liam is back, the one that oozed confident making everyone around him love him.
Her hand is in mine and I don't want to let it go, if only I could freeze this moment and we could dance all night forgetting all the distance that has crept between us. I am unable to break eye contact with her, her eyes for a moment, just for a moment sparks in the same way they did before all this, her lovable stare that I wish is only for me, for ever.
I twirl her around once again and she puts both her arms around my neck now and I am goner. I don't remember for how long we swayed like that before my phone rang interrupting the song and jolting us back to reality. I glance at her, barely paying attention to what Mum is speaking as I see her cheeks now flushed and her gaze that is indirectly still at me. As I hang up, the deafening silence between us is back and we head back to Headington barely getting a word out.
I watch her as she gets out of the car, mumbling me a quick good night before heading to her house. The dance floods my mind and I know I cannot go back. Not now. For the first time in three years, I felt that I could win her back and I am not going to let this chance go, so I get out of the car to follow her.
"Erm..Kiera?" I call out.
She turns around and suddenly the idea of going back to my car seems more appeasing to me.
Pull through Liam!
"Can we talk for a while?"
I could visibly see the change in her expressions, she looks nervous now.
"Can we talk some other time? It's late" she says probably trying to avoid the topic.
"We should have talked a long time ago, K," I say in a sincere tone.
She just looks at me; all that nervousness replaced by pain.
I keep on hurting her.
"Okay," she whispers sighing loudly, as if calming herself, as she sits on the patio.
I sit down right beside her, flashing a smile before averting my gaze.
What now?
"I, erm, you, I mean, we?" I try to speak, still avoiding eye contact but my brain seems to have stopped working.
"Liam, it's okay. I am here." She assures me.
I see him take a deep sigh, turn towards me and hold my hands. He looks at me apologetically, and continues,
"There is so much that has happened that I don't even know where to start. I know things have changed between us and they might never be the way they were but I have been falling apart since that awful night, three years ago," he says his eyes now tearing up, "and I don't know how one can even apologize or rectify what happened, I mean, it's just so screwed up but there has only ever been you, erm, for me and I miss you, I miss my best friend. Today felt so good, normal even and I do not want to revisit the past, I just want to move on but I know I have no right to force this on you and I have hurt you and I understand if you never want to be around me again," he stops for a second as if his words are causing him physical pain, "Say the word and I will leave. But you are my, erm, my best friend and it's been three years. I know there is no going back. But can we at least try to be normal? I mean today, when we were dancing and you were looking so beautiful and I felt like we were back, I just miss that and I am rambling now, aren't I?" He finishes with a sigh with his I-am-so stupid expression.
I comprehend his words.
I need to let go. I need to live again.
I look at him, his eyes are now a little red, this is the first time I have seen him this vulnerable and I don't know how but my heart is breaking seeing him like this. In that moment, I did not know if what I am doing was right or wrong but all I wanted was to stop his pain with whatever I can, so I hug him as assuringly as I could.
Suddenly, I am calm, my breathing is normal and my heart is smiling. I finally felt at peace. Three years and I finally felt at peace.
"I don't know how we move forward Liam, I really don't. I am just as clueless as you are. But I don't want you to leave. EVER. We both lost so much that night. I have tried the past three years trying to move past it and I'll be lying if I say I am over it because I am not but I do want us to mend things. How about we just try and are ourselves. One step at a time, right?" I say as I continue hugging him.
I hear him sigh as I could feel his chest move up and down. He shifts and hugs me tighter, burying his face in my shoulder, none of us wanting to let go. So, for a moment we just sit there trying to make up for the lost memories for these years.
We break up and he looks at me smiling, "So, I will see you tomorrow, right?"
"Right", I say.
"Good night, then"
"Good night"
I watch him go for a moment before I realize something, "Erm, Liam?"
"Yeah?" he says turning around.
"I didn't get a chance to say this the entire evening but, I am incredibly proud of you. I had no idea that you had started going to the office until yesterday and after seeing what you have done with the project, I know uncle would have been so, so proud," I say a tear now trickling down my left eye.
He comes closer now, cupping my face with his right hand, wiping my tear with his thumb with a smile on his face, "Thank you. I just hope I didn't disappoint him," he says now softly running his thumb over my cheek, looking in my eyes.
"You didn't, the project looks incredibly wonderful and I am not saying with any bias. You know I never do that when—"
"It comes to work," he says completing my sentence still stroking my cheek, "I know."
Suddenly, the air between us changes making me breathe rapidly. The silence so much deeper and the air around me filled with his musky cologne, almost making me dizzy. His expression suddenly changes, his eyes longingly sad and I know he is holding back, his pain so palpably existing that I can feel it in his touch. For a second, I tempted to let go of everything that is holding me back and just give in but I can't risk it, especially not when we have started to mend this and this thought brings me to my senses.
"And not that you need to hear it because I could see almost every girl staring at you, but you looked stunningly handsome," I say bringing him to reality too as he chuckles with his head down and moves a step back, making me miss his touch instantly.
"Good night, Kiera," he says smiling at me.
"Good night, Liam," I utter as I watch him go.
**********
Author's Note:
This is a pretty special chapter for me. Do let me know what you think and PLEASE, PLEASE vote if you like.
I tried to embed the song into the story but it kept showing error, hence, I just put up the video link for the song. I hope you all played it as you read forward.
Happy Reading ❤❤