Chapter 23
SHANE
“Miss Murphy, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” This time, I stand up and walk towards him, extending my hand.
“The same to you, Mr. Thomas.” He shakes my hand before letting go.
“Let’s save that title for my son. Call me Alec, please.” I smile at him.
“Only if you call me Shane.”
“I told you, dear, but you refuse.”
We all laugh as Alec moves closer to his wife and Liam steps towards me.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his deep voice has a tone that cradles and awakens me at the same time. My heart races; although I try to keep my composure, his proximity clouds my thoughts.
“Yes. I just have a bit of a stomachache… but Mrs. Rosa made me some tea,” I reply, unable to tear my gaze away from his eyes, blue like the sky. There’s a spark of concern in his look, and the air between us thickens with palpable tension.
“How many of my rules was I already breaking? I’m not going to list them, nor will you.”
“Tea? Are you really okay?” he asks, and my skin tingles as he steps a bit closer. His scent, a mix of lotion and that masculine aroma that disarms me, envelops me, and the outside world seems to fade as he tries to look into my cup.
“It’s ginger tea, son. It will be great for your stomach. Breakfast is ready; help take it to the dining room,” says Mrs. Rosa. Liam and Alec take care of carrying things, leaving me alone with her.
“The foreman is here. If you don’t mind, I’ll open the door for him,” I tell her, finishing reading the message she sent me.
“Not at all, darling. Go ahead, you’re at home,” she replies.
I finish what’s left in my cup and rinse it quickly before going to open the door. On my way, I run into Liam, who grabs my waist and pulls me closer.
“Where are you going in such a hurry?”
“Hey, no, let me go,” I try to break free, but he only tightens his hold, his warm breath brushing my cheek as I turn to check if Mrs. Rosa is approaching. “Let me go, Liam. We need to respect boundaries, please. I’m working, and I just barely agreed to go out with you.”
He smiles at me as if he knows a secret that only he’s aware of and gives me a sweet kiss on the cheek before letting me go.
“I’ll come with you.”
“I haven’t told you where I’m going.”
“I heard enough.”
We both head towards the entrance. When Liam opens the door, I greet Paul, making introductions and explaining to Liam that he was the cause of all the remodeling in his attic.
“A pleasure to meet you. Thank you for working with Miss Shane on my attic,” Paul says.
“The pleasure is mine,” Liam replies.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll let you work. I have things to do,” Liam says, and, strangely enough, he seems somewhat distant now. He turns and walks away.
As he heads to the kitchen, my eyes follow him, admiring the way he moves with casual grace, the sunlight casting shadows on his suit.
Paul, Rosa, and I stay in the kitchen, reviewing plans and details while the foreman assesses the space.
“When we do the remodel, I think it would be good to open this space a bit to let in more natural light,” the foreman begins to explain.
“Yes, definitely. I would love that,” Rosa responds, and I nod, sharing her enthusiasm for the new design.
The conversation flows between ideas about colors, styles, and improvements, gradually drifting away from the tension that lingered moments before. Just as the foreman begins to take measurements, Liam returns.
“So, how’s everything going?” he asks with a smile that lights up his face.
“Great! We’re already planning everything,” Rosa replies, full of energy.
“I’m glad you’re happy, Mom. Sorry, I have to go to work. But I’m sure it will look amazing!” he says as he says goodbye to his mother and Paul. Finally, he gives me an intense look that I swear can see through my dress. Then, without saying anything else, he heads towards the door.
Shortly after Liam leaves, I say goodbye to Mrs. Rosa and leave her working with Paul in the kitchen. It’s already 9:30, and I haven’t even made it to work. Once outside Mrs. Rosa’s house, I look for my car, but the feeling of being watched sends chills down my spine. I start searching for the source of that gaze, and that’s when I see him: Liam’s father, Alec, watching me from a window in the house. His stare, as penetrating as his son’s, is fixed on me. But then he raises his hand to wave at me, and that simple gesture helps me relax a bit. I wave back before starting the car and driving away.
(####)
I rush into the company because I’m late. The hurry makes me forget to greet everyone present; I head straight to my desk, where I begin to catch up with clients. I only sit for 20 minutes before I have to get up again for my second appointment of the day. By noon, I’m exhausted, and I only have one client left to visit to finish for today. I’m also a bit excited about my date with Liam this afternoon. However, the appointment stretches longer than usual, so I get home at 3 PM, tired and unwilling to do anything.
“Heyyy!” Marc’s cheerful voice greets me as soon as I walk into the apartment we share. “God, darling, what a face you have.”
“I’m super tired. So I’m going to take a shower before heading out again.” I say while walking towards my room, not wanting to tell him the whole truth, but I also don’t want to lie to him.
“Are you going out again? Do you have another date planned?” I stop for a second.
“Yes, I have a date,” I reply. I suppose omitting information isn’t the same as lying.