Leila asked eventually. “Why would she hurt us like this?”
Abigail answered for him. “People do hurtful things when they’re hurting. All that matters is you’re loved.”
Liam felt Leila nod against him, and he caught Abigail’s gaze. Thank you , he mouthed. She smiled softly and snuggled further into the hug. For a long time they stayed that way, the three of them, until Armand Van Helden burst onto the stereo.
“Listen, get up,” Abigail insisted. “We have to dance to this.”
Carried away by a level of absolute relief, Liam regressed to his twenty-four-year-old self and popped his limbs in rhythm to the beats. Leila followed his movements, her face glowing with happiness. Abigail’s relief echoed his own as they circled the fire in unison. Unable to help himself, he caught Abigail by the arms and kissed her.
“That’s fast,” Leila murmured. “I only said ask her out.”
“Shush,” he warned. “Carry on dancing.”
Abigail cupped his face for a brief moment and continued the march around the fire. At that moment, he couldn’t have asked for anything more in his life.
Chapter Fifteen
“How’s the single dad dick?” Haillie demanded.
Abigail threw down her cutlery. “Am I just not allowed to eat any more? Why don’t any of you want me to eat?”
Her friend shrugged. “I just want details. You’ve been quiet ever since Laura talked you through your seduction outfit.”
“She told you?”
“She’s having her own dick problems, so I’m focused on yours.”
Abigail couldn’t help the smile that lifted her face. “It’s going really well.”
Haillie’s eyebrows lifted. “I see. Is demon child aware of how well it’s going?”
“It was demon child’s idea.”
“No way!”
“Yes way.” She felt at ease with Liam in a way she never had in her previous relationships. Their routines fell into place and she never felt like an additional babysitter. He never assumed and always made her feel considered. Leila couldn’t be a sweeter, more amusing girl, and without the fear of losing her only parent, she blossomed into sense and capability and intelligence. With her birthday party at stake, Leila worked hard to raise her grades. She excitedly told Abigail how much her class was looking forward to the party. It gave Abigail a spate of ideas and with her liquor licence in place, Abigail had higher revenue and by the same turn more time to have a hand in looking after Leila. As difficult as her friends and to be honest, Abigail herself believed the girl was, Leila required only a few minutes of argument before she did what she was supposed to do. Once her party ended, Abigail didn’t know what she and Liam would bribe her with. Christmas presents?
“The three of us...”
“The what now?”
Abigail put down her knife and fork. “Yes, the three of us. If I like the man, I should like his child. She’s nothing if not a reflection of her father.”
“A devil?” her friend asked.
Abigail gave up. “Meet him.”
Haillie made a face that combined her doubt with her disgust. “Will he have time? Or is he either going to be too busy disciplining his spawn or disciplining your arse?”
She wrinkled her nose. “After he’s finished with both, we can all go out for a drink.”
“You like him that much, you’d subject him to me and Lau?”
Abigail grinned. Haillie’s shock finally spoke volumes. Abigail was serious about Liam and she really did care what happened to Leila. “I do. I really do. When I met him... All I saw was an insanely sexy man who had more problems than I should even think about messing with.”
“And now the dick is too good to give up,” Haillie finished.
Knowing her friend wouldn’t provide even a second of seriousness, Abigail simply agreed.
Taking out her phone, Haillie tapped in some details. “When and where am I allowed to interrogate Single Dad Dick?”
“Nowhere if you keep calling him that.”
***
Liam had the
Abigail answered for him. “People do hurtful things when they’re hurting. All that matters is you’re loved.”
Liam felt Leila nod against him, and he caught Abigail’s gaze. Thank you , he mouthed. She smiled softly and snuggled further into the hug. For a long time they stayed that way, the three of them, until Armand Van Helden burst onto the stereo.
“Listen, get up,” Abigail insisted. “We have to dance to this.”
Carried away by a level of absolute relief, Liam regressed to his twenty-four-year-old self and popped his limbs in rhythm to the beats. Leila followed his movements, her face glowing with happiness. Abigail’s relief echoed his own as they circled the fire in unison. Unable to help himself, he caught Abigail by the arms and kissed her.
“That’s fast,” Leila murmured. “I only said ask her out.”
“Shush,” he warned. “Carry on dancing.”
Abigail cupped his face for a brief moment and continued the march around the fire. At that moment, he couldn’t have asked for anything more in his life.
Chapter Fifteen
“How’s the single dad dick?” Haillie demanded.
Abigail threw down her cutlery. “Am I just not allowed to eat any more? Why don’t any of you want me to eat?”
Her friend shrugged. “I just want details. You’ve been quiet ever since Laura talked you through your seduction outfit.”
“She told you?”
“She’s having her own dick problems, so I’m focused on yours.”
Abigail couldn’t help the smile that lifted her face. “It’s going really well.”
Haillie’s eyebrows lifted. “I see. Is demon child aware of how well it’s going?”
“It was demon child’s idea.”
“No way!”
“Yes way.” She felt at ease with Liam in a way she never had in her previous relationships. Their routines fell into place and she never felt like an additional babysitter. He never assumed and always made her feel considered. Leila couldn’t be a sweeter, more amusing girl, and without the fear of losing her only parent, she blossomed into sense and capability and intelligence. With her birthday party at stake, Leila worked hard to raise her grades. She excitedly told Abigail how much her class was looking forward to the party. It gave Abigail a spate of ideas and with her liquor licence in place, Abigail had higher revenue and by the same turn more time to have a hand in looking after Leila. As difficult as her friends and to be honest, Abigail herself believed the girl was, Leila required only a few minutes of argument before she did what she was supposed to do. Once her party ended, Abigail didn’t know what she and Liam would bribe her with. Christmas presents?
“The three of us...”
“The what now?”
Abigail put down her knife and fork. “Yes, the three of us. If I like the man, I should like his child. She’s nothing if not a reflection of her father.”
“A devil?” her friend asked.
Abigail gave up. “Meet him.”
Haillie made a face that combined her doubt with her disgust. “Will he have time? Or is he either going to be too busy disciplining his spawn or disciplining your arse?”
She wrinkled her nose. “After he’s finished with both, we can all go out for a drink.”
“You like him that much, you’d subject him to me and Lau?”
Abigail grinned. Haillie’s shock finally spoke volumes. Abigail was serious about Liam and she really did care what happened to Leila. “I do. I really do. When I met him... All I saw was an insanely sexy man who had more problems than I should even think about messing with.”
“And now the dick is too good to give up,” Haillie finished.
Knowing her friend wouldn’t provide even a second of seriousness, Abigail simply agreed.
Taking out her phone, Haillie tapped in some details. “When and where am I allowed to interrogate Single Dad Dick?”
“Nowhere if you keep calling him that.”
***
Liam had the
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