Sugarlips (Beefcakes Book 2) by Katana Collins (best love novels of all time TXT) 📗

there for my son. And I’m not just talking about today. He’s the happiest that I’ve ever seen him, even back when the food truck wasn’t doing well.”

I snorted, with a shake of my head. “He’s exhausted and overworked and—”

“And finally living his dream. Not mine. Not his brother’s.” Her expression stilled, turning serene. “So… thank you. For lighting a fire in my otherwise even-keeled son.”

There was a double-entendre to her words that I willfully chose to ignore. Warmth filled my chest, and even though we were inside a cold, clinical hospital room, a golden beam of sunlight filtered in through the window. “I like to think he’s helped me hone in on my dreams, too.” I chuckled. “Who would have thought that Liam could tame Tasmanian Chloe, right?”

She shook her head, slowly, giving me a scrutinizing gaze. “That name never suited you.”

My brows jumped at that. “No? I think most of Maple Grove would disagree with you.”

“Well then, they never really knew you, did they?” She reached out and took my hand in hers. It was warm and soft, her nails painted a soft, heather shade of lavender.

Um, even my parents called me Tasmanian Chloe—but I didn’t mention that. Instead, I laughed in an effort to lighten the mood. “If I’m not a Tasmanian devil, then what am I?”

“You’re like the ocean,” Liam’s voice from behind me startled me. He was leaning casually against the doorframe, one long, muscled leg crossed over the other. How long had he been standing there? He cut the distance between us in half with slow, purposeful strides, pausing to kiss his mom on the cheek and deposit a small cup of coffee on the table beside her. “The doctor says this is the only coffee you’re allowed for today, so savor it. Otherwise, it’s a liquid diet until tomorrow night.”

Her eyes drifted back and forth between us, shrewdly assessing before she lifted the cup to her lips and asked, “Why the ocean?” A wicked gleam shone in her bright green eyes—the similarity to her son was striking and impossible to ignore.

He gazed at me a long moment. Time suspended between us within that silence. All the reasons that I’d been telling my heart to remain closed from Liam faded, melting like a scoop of ice cream in the heat of summer. Seriously, why was I keeping him at arm’s length? Elaina had been the main reason, but even she had told me to go for it. What the hell was I waiting for?

Finally, the corners of his mouth turned up into a semblance of a smile that was so Liam, it defined him, and he said, “Like the ocean, you’re beautiful, deep, and unpredictable.” His voice vibrated through me, like a lingering caress. “You can be safe and calm… or dangerous and wild. And people are inexplicably drawn to you.”

Maybe he kept talking. Maybe he didn’t. I couldn’t hear anything over the roaring rush of blood and the pounding drumbeat of my pulse that sounded like a rock concert in my ears.

The fact that he saw me so clearly was both comforting… and terrifying.

Emotion clawed its way up my throat and I quickly excused myself from the room, leaving behind a confused looking Liam.

I barely registered the sound of him calling after me as I rushed down the hall. Running. I was freaking running from Liam like he was a bully on a playground… my friend. My best friend.

I winced at the word as I slipped into the ladies’ room and quickly shut the door behind me, pressing my back against it like I was some sort of effective barricade.

He’s my best friend. It had started playfully enough when I told Liam we were going to be best friends. But I had no idea just how deeply my heart would become invested in him. I had no idea how true and real and sweet and bitter all at once being his best friend could be.

Because he’s not just a friend, a little voice that sounded annoyingly a lot like Elaina whispered in the back of my mind. You love him.

My throat went dry. My face, hot. My hands, clammy and wet.

I loved Liam Evans.

I loved him in a way that I had never loved anyone else in my life. Because I’d never been friends with someone for this long without dating them first.

And it was because I loved Liam so much that I couldn’t drag him down into my chaos.

I couldn’t let him get caught in my riptide.

25 Liam

I carried a tray of lasagna into Neil’s going away party in the hospital lounge. Mom had insisted we do something in honor of Neil leaving for Budapest. And what Mom says goes. Especially after a double mastectomy.

According to doctor’s orders, it could only last thirty minutes before Mom needed to be back in her bed resting. And while the rest of us feasted on lasagna and cake, Mom was still on her liquid diet of chicken broth.

Quite. A. Party.

I entered the lounge and saw Chloe standing just inside the door, peering toward the center of the room. A small, plastic cup with punch was delicately pinched between her fingers.

I hadn’t been alone with her since she ran off from my mom’s room and locked herself in the bathroom. She claimed she wasn’t feeling well, but I knew better. I may only have one sister, but I knew when a girl was hiding from a guy.

I’d just never been “that guy.”

“Hey,” I said quietly, carefully drawing closer to her.

“Hi,” she said, not turning to look at me. Her eyes were still fastened to the center to the room and it wasn’t until that moment that I glanced toward whatever she’d been staring at.

I nearly dropped the tin tray of lasagna onto the floor when I saw Neil in the dead center of the room… kissing Elaina.

“What the hell did I miss?” I whispered.

“Finally, right?” Chloe’s touch brushed against my