She doesn’t realize this isn’t just a date. It’s the moment everything changes.
“No. Tonight, Tessa, I want you drinking champagne.”
Chapter 18
Tessa
There’s a voice in my head, part giddy teenager, part panicked adult. It’s screaming at me as I toss things into a weekender bag like I’m going on a spontaneous honeymoon.
Slow down. Breathe. You’re not being abducted. You’re going on a date … possibly overnight … with Liam. A man you’ve known for half your life. The one that booked a dinner reservation and said the word champagne like it meant something.
And somehow … itdoes.
I shove my phone charger into a side pocket, then dig through the tiny closet for my black strappy heels. Haven’t worn them in a year. Maybe two. It’s amazing I even have them with me. I should feel ridiculous. But I don’t. I feel anxious and very alive.
The dress I choose is one I packedjust in case —a soft, emerald green wrap dress with short capped flutter sleeves and a neckline that knows what it’s doing. I’ve never actually worn it. Bought it in a burst of optimism and then convinced myself I had nowhere to go.
But now, I do.
My fingers fumble a little as I zip up my toiletry bag. Shampoo, moisturizer, deodorant, lip gloss — check. I grab a satin robe for later. Again, not because I expect anything to happen. Just …just in case.
This isn’t about sex.
It’s about being with Liam in this new way that seems to be headed somewhere. It feels like he’s choosing me.
Today, I let him know he has been the male on my mind for years. I don’t know where things will go with us. But, I’m not going to live with the regret of not following this opportunity. It’s right here in front of me.
I pause in the mirror. My face is flushed from the sun, freckles bolder than usual, hair drying in soft waves around my shoulders. I apply a little mascara. A sweep of blush. Nothing too dramatic. I want to look like me — the dressy version ready for a night out.
I do a quick scan of the cabin, mentally ticking things off. Shoes. Clutch. Extra band-aids. (possible blister from heels and Liam’s injury.)
I take a final look around the cabin, heart thudding with that fluttery mix of nerves and excitement. Then I zip the bag, sling it over my shoulder, and head toward the door.
My teen heartthrob just invited me to dinner. No longer am I the girlwho feels he’s out of reach, hoping he might notice me. Tonight, I’m the woman he has his eyes and maybe … his hands on.
♥♥♥
I step outside just as he’s pulling up in his truck. I lock up the cabin and turn noticing the spruced up version of Liam. He’s clean-shaven (mostly) and dressed in dark jeans and a crisp, button-down shirt in a soft gray that makes his eyes look even bluer than usual. His hair is still slightly damp, like he showered just minutes ago, and the top two buttons of his shirt are undone.
It shouldn’t make me feel so much. But it does.
He walks around to open the passenger door for me. “You look…” he trails off, eyes traveling from my heels to my face like he’s still catching up.
My throat goes dry. “So do you.”
He takes my bag from me without asking, slides it behind the seat, and helps me into the truck like it’s second nature. Like this is just what he does. For me.
We drive with the windows partially down, the late-day breeze trailing across my skin. I don’t ask where we’re going. I trust his decision and I want to be surprised.
When we pull up to the gates of the Grand Lodge, my jaw actually drops a little. I am surprised.
“You’re kidding,” I whisper, sitting up straighter as the building comes into view.
Stone and timber rise like a storybook castle against the green of the mountain, every detail polished and perfect. Ivy clings to the walls. Lanterns flicker to life as early dusk is moments away.
“I stayed here the night I arrived,” I say, still in disbelief. “My first night back, when the raccoon disaster happened.”
Liam smiles as he parks. “Figured it made sense to bring youfull circle.”
