Tell Me It’s Right (Sweetspire #1)

Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

GRACIE

“Nope. No.” Liam steps back from the front desk and crosses his arms over his chest. “Just delete the whole thing.”

I roll my eyes. “Liam, this is a good thing.”

He points at the phone in my hand. “A dozen strangers on the internet commenting Daddy on a video of me is not a good thing.”

I fight to keep a straight face. Especially after hearing him say it. “You’re bound to get some weird comments when something goes viral. That’s just what happens. Did you even read the other comments?”

He covers his eyes with his hand like he physically can’t take any more.

Admittedly, the video did venture into a less-than-ideal demographic for a while. Not that it was entirely surprising. We’ve posted similar videos in the past—basically a before and after, starting with footage of Liam doing the tattoo, then transitioning to the finished piece. I threw a trending sound over the top, so you couldn’t hear the actual conversation going on, but I managed to catch a moment where Liam’s tongue flicked to the corner of his mouth, then he smirked, glanced up at his client, and laughed, and…well, I may have been guilty of watching it several times myself. Not to mention it was golden hour, and the way the light fell on him highlighted his cheekbones, tan skin, and tattoos in a way that was mesmerizing.

Was it a little shameless? Maybe. But watch time matters, especially in those first few hours after you post, and gaining momentum from the wrong demographic helped us get a wide enough reach to find the right people, so that’s all that matters.

“‘I’m visiting the shore next week, where can I book?’ ‘Sick work, man.’ ‘Can’t wait to work with you,’” I read as I scroll, purposefully skipping over the even worse thirsty comments that he thankfully hasn’t seen yet. Not to mention the over-the-line ones I’ve already reported and blocked.

He peeks an eye between his fingers. “Those are just comments. That doesn’t mean?—”

“The shop’s email is blowing up with inquires. Over a hundred people have signed up for the mailing list I set up on the website—and that’s just since last night. You’ve gained over ten thousand followers. Plus, the video itself made a few hundred dollars from the views alone. Liam, this is what you hired me to do. You don’t have to like it, but you do have to trust me.”

His grimace shifts into a smirk. “I like it when you’re bossy.”

I open my mouth, close it. The wider his smirk grows, the hotter my face burns, and I lower my gaze to the black fabric of his T-shirt.

It’s been easy to compartmentalize the other night as long as I stayed focused on work. Well, maybe not easy. My stomach started doing enough somersaults to join the circus the moment I saw him this morning, but I’ve been doing a damn good job of ignoring it.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from him today after my word vomit.

There’s no point in telling Leo, right?

I don’t want to make a big deal out of this.

I wanted to kick myself as soon as I said it, but then he’d agreed, so I obviously couldn’t take it back. Because the fact of the matter is, no amount of keeping this quiet will make this not a big deal for me.

It’s confusing, without a doubt.

Complicated, for sure.

But a small deal it is not.

The way my heart aches as he looks into my eyes makes it very clear this situation has all the potential in the world to break me into a million little pieces.

Because the one thing I said that is true is: I might be leaving soon.

“Don’t flirt with me,” I mumble.

His smirk turns into a grin. One of his breathtaking ones that shows all of his teeth and creases the corners of his eyes. “Go out with me after work.”

I mock gasp as I lose the fight against keeping my smile back. “Stop hitting on me.”

He grabs both arms of the chair and leans until our faces are inches apart and the silver chain around his neck dangles between us. My cheeks burn under the intensity of his gaze, and I can feel my heart in my throat. “Just to the skatepark. I have dutifully done everything you’ve asked for that godforsaken app. Now you’re going to try something for me.”

I balk. “You are not putting me on one of those death traps.”

He nods seriously. “I am.”

“I will die. You get that, don’t you? Actually die.”

“Gracie. I won’t let you fall.”

“When I’m careening to my death at a hundred miles an hour, I don’t think you’d be much help?—”

“I won’t. Let. You. Fall,” he repeats, his voice low.

All possible responses simply evaporate from my mind. The way Liam so calmly holds my gaze, like staring directly into my soul is the most normal thing to do, has me holding my breath. There’s something about the way he looks at me that feels different than anyone else. It feels like so much more. The amusement that was in his expression a moment ago is gone, replaced by a rare softness I don’t think he lets many people see.

The bells above the door startle me out of whatever trance I’d been in.

“Hey, man,” calls Leo’s voice.

That definitely snaps me out of it.

Liam steps back while I sit up straight and turn to the computer.

“Hey, Gracie,” adds Leo as he props his sunglasses on top of his head and steps inside, a Milano’s coffee cup in hand.

His voice sounds…normal. Not suspicious. Like he didn’t just walk in on something weird. I guess he wouldn’t be able to see the desperate desire to pounce on his best friend like a wild animal from the outside.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“You could at least pretend to be happy to see me. We’re family, you know.”

I frown, and he rolls his eyes with an exaggerated exhale.

“I was in town dropping off lunch for Keava. Thought I’d swing by and let you know we won’t be home until late.”

“Hot date tonight?” says Liam.

“Don’t start with me.”

My gaze bounces between them, and Liam has that same smirk he always wears when he’s giving me a hard time.

“Where are you guys going?” I ask slowly.

Leo sips his coffee and grimaces. “The middle school is putting on a musical tonight. Apparently, a lot of Keava’s students are performing, so…”

“That’s going to be awful.”

Leo gives me a flat look. “Obviously. But she wants to be supportive. It’s sweet.”

Liam muffles a laugh, and Leo’s eyes swing to him. “What happens when Casey grows up and decides he wants to be an actor or something? You’re telling me you’re not going to be in the front row for every damn show?”

Liam shrugs. “Yeah, fair enough.”

Leo’s eyes narrow. “You’re in a good mood today.”

“Should I not be?”

His eyes narrow further.

“Don’t you have work, Leo?” I cut in.

“Oh, sorry, was I interrupting something here?” He says it on a laugh, like the idea is absurd, but I still stiffen in my chair.

Liam checks his watch. “Ah, shit. I do have a client coming in ten. Gracie, can you sanitize station one while I find wherever the hell I put that design?”

“All right. All right. Message received.” Leo raises his palms and turns for the door. “Try not to kill each other while I’m gone!”

Liam and I glance at each other sideways as the door closes with a quiet thud.

“Gracie, come on, let go of the book.”

Liam’s standing on the outskirts of the skatepark, his board in one hand, a helmet in the other. I adjust the strap of my purse over my shoulder and hold my book tighter to my chest. I always take one with me, but this one is a little too thick to fit in my bag and I don’t want to damage it.

He nods at the wooden picnic table behind me. “I’m sure the enemies to lovers or whatever will still be there after one run.” He holds the helmet toward me.

I wouldn’t just need elbow and knee pads for that. It would have to be a full Bubble Wrap body suit. Not to mention my little flowy dress is hardly skateboard-ready attire.

Liam tilts his head to the side and flashes what he probably thinks is a charming smile.

Okay, maybe it is. A little.

“Live a little, Gracie.”

“That’s exactly what I’m trying to do! Live. Something that could very well cease if you put me on that thing.”

He plops the helmet on my head without warning, but I don’t stop him as he adjusts my hair out of the way and secures the clasp beneath my chin.

“Safety first,” he murmurs, then sets the skateboard at my feet. “I’m not going to shove you headfirst into the bowl. Just try standing on it.”

I glance around the rest of the park. The last thing I need is an audience witnessing me fall flat on my ass. But it’s quiet, with only a few other people skating around, none of which are paying attention to us.

After setting my things on the table, I test one foot on the board. My hands reach out on instinct as I add the second foot, but Liam’s already there, his hands on my forearms to keep me steady.

“There you go,” he murmurs as the board sways beneath me until I find my footing.

“I can’t believe you find this fun,” I mumble.

Ignoring that, he says, “Try leaning most of your weight on your right foot, and you’re going to kick off the ground with your left.”

“Liam…”

His hands tighten on my arms, but he steps back to give me some room. And for some unknown reason, I do what he says.

My stomach dips as my balance falters, but Liam holds firm and walks alongside me as I move.

“I hate this. I hate this a lot.”

“No you don’t.”

I step off the board entirely, then stop it with one foot before it can go rolling off.

“Try kicking it up.”

That, maybe, I can manage. I’ve seen him do it enough times. I hit the end not quite hard enough, so I have to lurch forward and grab it. When I meet Liam’s eyes again, he’s got that same damn look on his face.

“Why are you smirking at me?”

He shakes his head, as if in disbelief. “You have no idea, do you?”

I clutch the board a little tighter. “I have no idea what?”

He takes the helmet’s chin strap in his hands but pauses before undoing the clasp. I am hyperaware of how close he is to me but try not to let it show on my face. One corner of his mouth remains raised, but the amusement in his eyes softens. The strap clicks as he releases it. “How goddamn cute you look in this.”

My brain barely has a chance to process the words before someone bounds up behind Liam and slaps him on the back. “Good to see you, man!”

“Hey, Fletch,” sighs Liam as he runs a hand along the back of his neck.

He turns to me with a hand extended. “Fletcher. We went to?—”

“School together. I remember.”

He smiles, all warm and goofy and full of dimples. “He’s got terrible patience, but he’s a pretty good teacher. I’d listen to him. Though I am a bit disappointed I’ll no longer be his one and only protégé.”

“Don’t think you need to worry about that. One lesson was enough for me.”

“Oh no, it looked like you two were just getting started.”

Liam raises his eyebrows at me.

“Hold on. I’ve got something that might help.” Before I can respond, Fletcher takes off toward the parking lot at a jog.

“You roped your friend into this too?” I demand.

Liam raises his palms. “I had nothing to do with this.”

Fletcher returns with a handful of elbow and knee pads, and squints at me as he approaches, like he’s calculating something.

“These are technically children’s sizes,” he murmurs, holding one up to my elbow. “But I think they should fit.”

“He teaches kid camps,” Liam explains.

“Are you saying I’m child-sized?”

“Your elbows are!” Fletcher declares as he attaches the Velcro.

I take the rest of the pads from him to put on myself. They’re all too tight, but it’ll work.

“Feel better?” asks Liam.

“Yes,” I admit. “Do I look ridiculous?”

“Not at all,” says Fletcher.

“There’s still no way in hell I’m doing that.” I point at the pit of doom he previously called the bowl.

“Oh no. We never do that on the first day.”

“Fletch,” says Liam.

“Right.” He pats Liam on the back and waves before grabbing his board and heading for the opposite side of the park. “I’ll be over here if you need me!”

I reclip my helmet, and Liam offers his hands. With a dramatic sigh, I take them and step onto the board.

“You’ll be a pro in no time,” he assures me.

“Uh-huh.”

“Flat surfaces only—just get used to shifting your weight and moving around.”

I kick off, and he takes a step back to give me room. In a moment of panic, I tighten my hands around his, and he holds mine just as tightly.

“I’m not letting go until you tell me to,” he says quietly.

After a few minutes of back and forth on the pavement, the sheer terror of it all subsides, and I try on my own a few times. Turning around feels completely out of the question, but I do manage to subtly serpentine. Every time I step off the board and look back at Liam, he’s beaming like I just did the most impressive trick he’s ever seen.

Eventually, Liam’s the one to call it for the day, and I’m almost a little sad.

“I’ll get them back to Fletch later,” he says as he helps me remove all the pads.

“This was…fun,” I mutter as I slip the helmet off and hand it to him.

He grins. “Yeah?”

“Terrifying.”

“Of course.”

“But fun.”

That grin remains fully stretched across his face the entire walk to his truck. He offers a hand to hold my things as I climb in. It doesn’t occur to me until I’m seated and buckled with the door shut what a bad idea that was.

Liam climbs into the driver’s side and turns the book over in his hands, his eyebrows high as he reads the description.

“Give it back,” I sigh.

“No figure skaters,” he muses.

“Liam.”

“Am I reading this right? He’s a dragon ? How does that work? Logistically?”

I grab for it, but instead of holding it out of reach like I’m expecting, he hands it over without a fight. The look on his face is almost…thoughtful.

“What is it about these books that you like so much?”

“Is that a trick question?” I mumble as I tuck it beside my bag at my feet. I’m well aware of how much other people see it as a cliché. Yet another girl in love with love.

“No trick.”

“I don’t know, I just…” I lean back and push my hair behind my ears. “I feel like there’s a lot of hate in the world, so I like anything that shows the best sides of humanity. And I think love brings out the best in people. And the characters in romance books…I don’t know. I guess I like that they’re willing to fight for it. To put everything out there, make these insane grand gestures—they act like love is the most important thing in the world. And I feel like we’ve lost that a lot in real life.”

I clamp my lips together before I can say anything else embarrassing.

“A hopeless romantic, huh,” he says.

“You think it’s dumb.”

“No.” I chance a sideways glance at Liam. He’s not smirking, not grinning. Just smiling as he starts the car. “I don’t.”