Introductions were made, and naturally Liem and Delly took a quick liking to each other, especially after he gushed about her scrubs.
“Ready for lunch, Addy?” she asked, her cheeks flushed from the attention. “You’re all welcome to join us. We’re just going to the cafeteria at Zinnia House.”
“A wonderful idea!” Liem exclaimed. Those words saidin that cheery tone by anyone else would’ve seemed mocking, but with his demeanor, they came across as genuine.
The sound of wind chimes punctuated Liem’s enthusiasm, and Ireland pulled her phone from her back pocket and swiped her thumb across it, stopping the sound.
“Well,” she started hesitantly. “I was actually heading that way now, anyway.”
“Lovely,” Liem said, as if Ireland’s response were enthusiastic rather than a reluctant acceptance. He offered Delly his arm, and she took it. “Lead the way?”
Delly giggled and blushed, seeming entirely taken with Liem.
We made a slow caravan down the hallway and back out to the courtyard. I lent half an ear to the easy conversation that flowed among them as I searched for something to say to Ireland, who had fallen into step beside me.
I’d all but forgotten the pain in my ankle with such a distraction.
“Thank you again for the sandwiches,” I said quietly, my eyes on the path. I was determined to not so much as stumble this time.
She glanced up at me but looked away quickly. “And I’m sorry, again. I promise I won’t barge in again like that. You don’t have to keep using Delly’s shower.”
My brows shot up as I moved my eyes from my feet to her face. I was surprised she’d even noticed, being gone so much.
“Okay,” I said once I realized she wasn’t going to say any more about it. “As long as you’re sure.”
She nodded. “I am.”
I wanted to keep the conversation going, to tell her that she didn’t need to avoid the house, but I stopped myself.
Words wouldn’t convince her to be comfortable. Only time could do that.
Lucky for me, I had all summer to make that happen.
Delly buzzed us into Zinnia House, where Ari and Liem had to check in with the desk to get guest passes to the cafeteria.
When we entered the cafeteria, Ireland went straight to Beck, who was sitting alone at the table. They embraced, and my heart warmed seeing them together.
“Delly, do you see Pops?” I asked, stepping up next to my sister.
She released Liem’s arm and frowned as she searched the room. “No. I’ll go ask the nurse on duty where he is.”
Ari had wandered away to a nearby wall and was examining the generic art hung there with a critical eye, which left me alone with Liem by the entryway.
“So, Adair,” he started, raising a pierced brow at me. “Could you perhaps tell me how our dear Ireland is actually doing?”
Our dear Ireland.
Another set of words that would’ve been mocking from anyone else’s mouth but weren’t from his.
“I’m not the one to ask,” I replied honestly. “We’ve really only just met.”
“Oh?” he said, his lips quirking up. “Is that so?”
“Well,” I hedged, rubbing the back of my neck. “As of this weekend, we’re living together.”
His eyebrows bounced up in surprise. “A whirlwind romance?”
I balked. “Ah, no. That wasn’t how I meant to say it. I mean, we’re roommates. The three of us. Delly, Ireland, and me. It was just… circumstances, I guess?”
