“Yes.” I tapped her forehead. “I want to get rid of some of the words you have up here.” At her frown, I added, “Just a few.”
“Okay?” she said, making it sound more like a question.
“Your ex—he called you heavy?”
She swallowed. “Yes.”
“I call you curvy. Perfect.” I paused. “Far better words. And the truth. See? Like that. Hit me with another word he liked to use.”
“Plain.”
“Beautiful.” Emphasizing my reply, I lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles.
“Slow and lazy.”
“Methodical,” I corrected, pressing her hand to my cheek.
“Stupid and boring.”
“Intelligent and cautious,” I insisted, placing a kiss to her palm.
“Gullible.”
“Kindhearted.”
“Weak.”
“Strong. Holy shit, baby, so strong,” I replied steadfastly.
She dragged in a long breath. “Frigid and unresponsive.”
I shook my head furiously. “Passionate and sexy. You walk in the room, I get a boner. Thinking about us together, I get a hard-on in the truck. I swear to God, he’s trying to take the wheel. It’s quite embarrassing.”
Her lips twitched, and I knew she was starting to relax.
“Your ex probably had a dick the size of my thumb,” I added. “And no idea how to use it.”
Her eyes widened, and I saw the flare of amusement in them. I also saw how tired she looked, and I knew I had made my point. But she spoke again.
“Placid,” she said.
“Wrong again. Sweet.” I held up my finger. “Also, a lake in New York. Nice place, I hear. As well as a famous opera singer.” I pursed my lips. “Or maybe that was Plácido. I always get them confused.”
She bit back her smile. “Wan.”
I didn’t even bother to correct that one. “Ah, the beloved ruler of coffee. Wan Valdez. A favorite of mine.”
That did it. She let out a little giggle, the sound making me grin.
“Does this mean we’re done?” she asked.
I met her eyes. “For now. As long as you believe me. He was a walking pack of lies and hate. I want to take every nasty word he said and replace it with a positive one until they’re all gone. I’ve got all night.” I crossed my legs. “Rest of my life, too.”
“You’ve made your point. I do believe you.”
“Then stop letting that voice—his voice—influence you. You are amazing, Paige. If you were any of those things he accused you of being, you would have crumbled. You didn’t. You pushed forward, and you have a wonderful little girl as awesome as you are. Good friends. Someone who is crazy about you and sees everything good and right in you. So does Beth. Ronan. My entire family. Pretty sure that outranks the asshole who walked away from you.”
Her eyes were round. “It does.”
“Let it go. Let everything he said go. Listen to me. Listen to my voice. Don’t disregard my compliments when they’re heartfelt and real. I think you’re so close to perfect, it’s scary.”
A smile played on her lips, the heaviness of the past while starting to lift. It had with every response I had made to her whispered confessions. It was as if I were wiping them away one by one. “Close to?” she teased.
“Well, aside from the snoring and the babbling when nervous.”
That earned me another smile as she recalled her words from the other day.
“A dick the size of your thumb?” She chuckled as I held it up, and she shook her head. “That’s being generous.”
It was my turn to laugh.
“And your cock trying to grab the wheel, Liam? You need to write a country song about that one.”
“A number one hit, I bet.”
She grinned. It was real, warm, and perfectly Paige. I leaned forward and kissed her. “My voice. Listen to my words. Not his.”
“I’ll try.”
“I’ll be around to remind you.”
She cupped my cheek. “I like those words.”
“Oh yeah?” I pulled her onto my lap. “Here are some more. I love you.”
She cuddled close. “Those are the best.” She looked up, her eyes no longer worried but peaceful.
“I love you, Liam.”
She was right. They were the best.
Paige
I hung up from another work call and rolled my shoulders. I glanced at the clock and grimaced. It was barely noon, and I was exhausted. Yesterday’s emotion with Evan then Liam had taken its toll, and although I had slept for over five hours, today, I felt drained.
Liam had left around five, and I had lain in bed, holding the pillow his head had rested on, and thought about his words. He was right—I had to stop hearing and feeling everything with the echo of Alan’s nasty words, his anger. The boy I had fallen in love with wasn’t the man who walked away from me. From Lucy. He was angry and twisted, a shadow of the person I’d thought he was.
He was my past.
Liam was my future.
A knock on the door roused me from my musings. Ronan was on the doorstep, his wide smile greeting me.
“Hi.” I opened the door wider. “Beth isn’t here.”
He stepped in. “I know. I’m not here for her. I’m here for you.”
“Sorry?”
“You need to call in sick for the rest of the afternoon. I have it on good authority that my brother is at his place in Port Albany working for the afternoon. I also know nothing would make him happier than a visit from you. A long, quiet evening with you. He brought Beth to me, so I’m bringing you to him.”
“But Lucy—”
“All arranged. Beth isn’t up to going out tonight with this Evan shit going on. We’ll pick up Lucy and spend the evening. Liam will bring you home in the morning.” He lifted his eyebrows, tapping his foot. “What are you waiting for?”
I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him. “Give me ten minutes.”
“I went to the store and got you the things Beth said to pick up. Liam’s favorite is pot roast, and Beth says yours is awesome.”
My mind spun as I hurried away. “Okay,” I called over my shoulder. They’d thought of everything.
Lucy would have a blast with Ronan, Beth, and Evan. I knew she’d be well cared for. And I got Liam. Alone.
My day just got brighter.
Ronan was fairly quiet on the drive, although his phone was a constant barrage of noise. He got a lot of texts, which he ignored, and the calls were one-sided conversations thanks to the Bluetooth he had in his ear. He was obviously planning something, and when he hung up from the last call, I glanced at him.
“Is all that about Evan?”
“Yeah.”
I didn’t ask any other questions. I knew he’d share when he was ready.
“How was Beth after I left this morning?” he asked.
“She was still upset, but calm. I haven’t spoken to her to see how the meeting with the principal went.”
He grunted. “About how she expected. No one is talking, and the other boys insist Evan fell on his own.” He slammed his hand on the wheel. “I really hate bullies.”