After the shopping spree, Liam and I returned to his place, bags upon bags weighing down the trunk of the car. The ride home was filled with teasing banter and the occasional silence that stretched in a way that felt... warm. Comfortable. Like we were finally okay again. But the second we got inside, Liam’s phone buzzed.

He frowned at the screen.

"I have to head out. Emergency meeting I can't miss," he muttered, already loosening the top buttons of his shirt like it offended him.

I crossed ...