I stand there admiring the insanely sexy man at my door as he stares at me. “Hi,” his rich voice is low and seductive. One word and my heart begins to race.

“Hi,” my voice cracks and I look down.

Liam steps forward and grips my chin. He pulls me so we’re eye to eye. “You look breathtaking. I missed you.”

“You did?” I ask already knowing he did. He sent me texts the entire time he was away letting me know he was thinking of me and Aara. That’s the one thing with Liam—I can’t help but let him chip at my walls. He cares for Aarabelle and loves her. When she was sick, he came running. Not out of some stupid obligation, but because he was concerned. You could see it in his eyes and it was another crack in my armor.

He laughs and steps closer so we’re toe to toe. “I did. Did you miss me?” Liam’s finger lightly travels down my arm, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

I shrug and reply playfully, “Eh, you know. I needed someone to hang a couple of new photos, so I guess I did . . .”

Liam’s hand flies to his chest in mock horror. “I’m the handyman. I’m crushed.”

I take a small step forward and wrap my arms around his torso and hold tight. “I missed you.”

His strong, thick arms wrap around me and my body molds to his. “We’re going to be late,” he says and presses his lips to the top of my head.

I look into his blue eyes that glimmer in the moonlight. “Where are we going?”

“That’s a surprise.”

“Wow, you’re really going for the kill.”

“I don’t know how many of these I may get, so I’m going to make it count.” Liam’s lip rises and he wraps his arm around my waist and guides me to the car.

“Keep this up and you may get a few more dates,” I joke and nudge him.

“We’ll see. I’m not the only one on probation,” Liam simpers and I slap him in his chest.

“Yeah, okay. You wish, buddy.”

He laughs and I follow as we walk arm in arm down the driveway.

“God, I love your car,” I say aloud as I climb in. He has a 1968 Dodge Charger that he restored with his dad. It’s candy apple red with tan interior. Every part of this car screams Liam. It’s sexy, mysterious, loud, and yet it fits him in some odd way.

“You match,” he muses as I settle into the seat. “Robin’s been good to me. She never lets me down,” he says as he grips the wheel. “We have an understanding.”

“You named your car?”

“And this surprises you? She’s my baby. You wouldn’t not name your child, would you?” Liam asks completely serious.

“That’s stupid.”

“No, it’s not.”

I laugh and buckle my seatbelt, “Yeah, it totally is, and why a girl? Why not name the car after a guy?”

Liam smiles and backs out of the driveway. His hand glides over the dashboard as he speaks of his car. “Same reasons ships are named after women. Ships have personality and character. They protect us on the seas and bring us home. They mirror what is beautiful about every woman. Willful, strong, protective, and faithful, and Robin is no different.”

“I think I’ve heard it all.”

“Well, I could say it’s because it’s not the initial expense but the upkeep that will kill you.” His mouth curves as I roll my eyes. “But that might be considered sexist.”

“Might?” I retort.

I try to fight laughing or smiling. I try but fail.

“See, I can always make you smile.”

“And at the same time make me want to punch you.”

Liam chuckles and pulls into the parking lot at the Lynnhaven Fish House. Which is one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Virginia Beach. “It’s a gift—at least that’s what my mother says.”

“She’s biased.”

“Natalie?” Liam asks slightly apprehensively. I look over and he sits with his hand on the door. “I’m glad you agreed to come out tonight.”

Not that I had much of a choice, but of course I did. I could’ve told him no and gone home to Aarabelle. There were a hundred other things I could have chosen, but instead, I put on a dress and went blindly with him. “Me too.”

“Stay here,” Liam requests and exits the car quickly.

My lips widen in approval as he opens my car door a few seconds later. He extends his hand and I place my palm to his. I don’t know that I’ve ever had a date be so chivalrous. No. I will not compare. I need to be here in the moment.

“Thank you,” I say and kiss his cheek. “By the way, how did you know I love the Fish House?”

“Lucky guess,” he says but I sense there’s something more to that.

We enter the restaurant and are seated at the window overlooking the bay. It doesn’t matter that my house backs up to this view, I’ll never tire of it. The way each wave brings new water to the sand, washing away the footprints we leave and giving everything a new chance. It’s . . . hopeful.

Once we order and get our wine, Liam grabs my hand that’s resting on the table. “You okay?”

“I’m great. Why?” I ask, perplexed.

“You’ve just been quiet.” He looks out to the ocean and then back to me.

I smile tentatively and flip my hand over so we’re palm to palm. “Is this weird for you? I mean, it’s us.”

Liam sighs and his finger whispers over the skin on my wrist. “Weird? No. Unexpected? Yes.”

That’s a good word to describe what all of this is. Neither of us thought we’d be sitting here on a date, yet that’s exactly what we’re doing. “It’s a good unexpected though, right?”

“Natalie, I wouldn’t want to be sitting here with anyone else,” he answers and the truth shines through his eyes.

I want to reply me either. I want to say the words, but they die on my tongue. Aaron’s face flashes in my mind and my stomach drops. The guilt begins to grow heavy and sits on my chest. It weighs on my heart and begins to crush it. I’m on a date with another man at the restaurant my husband took me to on our anniversary every year.

“Lee?” Liam asks as tears pool in my eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“This . . . this place,” I say and try to get myself under control.

“Did I fuck up?” he asks and comes around the table, crouching in front of me.

“No,” I say and dab my eyes. “It’s just . . . Aaron.” I look away because I hate even saying this. “He . . .”

“He took you here?” Liam asks, not sounding upset, but concerned.

“Yeah,” I look back at him as a tear falls. “I’m so sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize. You don’t have to pretend with me.” Liam grabs my hand and turns my chair so I have to look at him. “Listen to me. He was your husband, the father of your child, and my best friend. You don’t have to pretend he isn’t here between us. If you think he’s not in my mind every time I look at you, you’re wrong. I’m struggling with thinking of you the way I do. Imagining doing things with you that he’d beat my fucking ass for.”