A small laugh escaped me at the image of this badass rock star so flustered at the idea that I might think him a showoff. I covered the sound with my hand.
Liam’s eyes shot to mine and held.
I let my hand drop. “I didn’t think you were bragging.”
“I’m glad.” He shuffled his feet. “Do you think we could start over? I feel like I’ve made a really horrible first impression with you, and our friends are basically family, so I think we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other.”
I pressed my lips together, reminding myself that there was a house full of people twenty feet away. People who had never hurt me. In fact, they’d all helped me in one way or another. “I’d like that.” I forced myself to take a step forward. “I’m sorry I overreacted that first day. It had just been a long morning.” It wasn’t a total lie.
Liam studied my face. I fought the urge to squirm. His gaze was curious, calculating in a way that wasn’t malicious, as if he were trying to put together a puzzle but wasn’t sure he had the right pieces.
I cleared my throat, attempting to break his assessment of me. “We should head inside.”
Liam nodded. “Yeah.” He extended an arm. “After you.”
I was careful to keep my distance, never venturing within arm’s length until we were both standing at the front door and there was no other option. Liam reached up to knock, but the door swung open before he could.
Walker stood there, grinning and shaking his head. “Come on in. No knocking required. You know that, Tessa.”
I gave a small nod, holding my breath as I scooted in between him and Liam. Two large men.Just breathe.I almost ran smack into Walker’s grandmother, Irma.
“Well, well,” she began, taking my hand and giving it a gentle pat. “Who do we have here?” Her eyes widened a fraction as her gaze moved from me to Liam and back again. “I like this. My psychic senses are tingling.”
“Grandma…” Walker warned.
Irma just shook her head as though disappointed in him. “You would think you’d have a little more faith in my abilities after I predicted your and Taylor’s match.” She gestured to Liam and me with her head. “And you can’t tell me these two wouldn’t make beautiful babies.”
I felt my cheeks heat and looked anywhere but at Liam. Walker groaned, letting his head tip back as though praying for patience.
“Now, Mom, you’re embarrassing Tessa,” Sarah chided her mother-in-law as she entered the foyer and took my arm.
Irma gave a good-natured harrumph. “Always trying to spoil my fun.”
Sarah shook her head. “Trying to keep you from making trouble is more like it.” She bent her head close to mine. “Sorry about that. Let’s hang up your purse and get you something to drink.”
Sarah lifted the bag from my shoulder and hung it on the coat rack littered with objects. I fought the urge to take it back, cling to it like the lifeline it was. Sarah ushered me towards the living room and kitchen.
Irma followed closely on our heels. “I hope Jensen has my glass poured.”
Sarah eyed Irma. “Only one, Mom.”
“Buzzkill,” Irma called over her shoulder as she bustled past us into the kitchen.
Sarah chuckled. “You’d think it’d be my grandson giving me gray hair, but it’s her.”
“She’s a character.”
Sarah placed a hand on my shoulder as we reached the kitchen where Taylor and Jensen were seated on stools, sipping wine. “Can I get you a glass?”
“I’d just love some water, but I can get it.” I never drank. Didn’t indulge in anything that could impair my judgement or slow my reaction time.
“Nonsense. I’ll get it. You have a seat with the girls.” Sarah went to work taking a glass from the cupboard, and I rounded the counter to pull up a stool.
Taylor shot me a warm smile as I sat. “Hey, Tessa. How are you?”
I slipped onto the empty barstool. “I’m good, how are you guys?”
Taylor took a sip of her wine. “Just drowning in teaching applications, but otherwise good.”
