by T. C. Clark
“You have got to focus on the details,” he said confidently.
Irene compared Ansley’s drawing to the leaf while Liam rolled out a blanket and sat down on the checkered cloth. She followed his lead.
He reached into the picnic basket and pulled out two plastic wrapped gourmet sandwiches. Irene placed the collected foliage in the container they’d packed. She sanitized her hands. Within a few seconds he had a feast set out for them.
“This looks delicious,” Irene looked at the carefully packed sandwiches and her stomach growled. Over the last few weeks Liam had fed her well.
“I hope it is. These sandwiches are going to be in my next cookbook.”
“I love how excited you are about your work. It’s really inspiring, Liam. You would make a great teacher.”
“Thank you. That is the end plan. I spend a lot of my time researching and working on new recipes. I’ve reapplied to teach at that French culinary school I told you about. I’ve put together a decent proposal. I really hope they give me a chance.”
“That’s right, you said your biggest regret was passing up an opportunity to work at… what was the name of the school again?”
“It’s called the European Cooking Society. It’s an amazing school. I even learned French so I could be a more appealing candidate. I’ve worked hard for this and I know in the end I’m going to get it.”
“I can tell this is really important to you,” Irene said.
“It is. Me and my grandmother used to watch episodes of this famous French chef together, and at the time, he was on the council of the school. She really wanted me to go there; I believe that was because she couldn’t. But the dream stuck, it’s my last goal for my career as a chef. But enough about me, what do you plan on doing with the Natural Element? I looked into your business and it’s really popular. You could do so much with that kind of success.”
Irene sighed and shook her head. “I want to keep it simple. No press, no fuss, just good old-fashioned brick and mortar business. My main goal is to provide a service to the community and give people a legitimate alternative to the expensive prescriptions that are available now. Like you, I do a lot of research and that time spent translates into good products.”
Irene paused and bit into her sandwich. She moaned as the fresh flavors hit her tongue. “What is this?”
“Cucumber, mint and feta sandwich. I made a dipping sauce as well.” Liam reached into the picnic bag and handed her a glass container.
Irene didn’t hesitate, she knew Liam never disappointed when it came to food. To be honest, he never disappointed when it came to anything. She dipped the sandwich in the sauce and tried it.
“This is so good, Liam!”
“Thank you.” Liam’s cheeks reddened under the praise and Irene loved him even more for it.
Irene choked as the unwanted thought entered her mind. Liam leaned forward and patted her back with a heavy hand.
“Are you okay? “He asked with concern in his eyes.
“I really don’t know,” Irene said honestly. Love. Why had her brain used that word?
Was she in love with Liam? No matter how she framed the sentence, the truth was still there.
Irene forced herself to calm down. She didn’t want Liam to know what was going on inside her mind. She had no idea what he’d think about that.
She needed to talk to Mel and soon. Her best friend was a haven of excellent, yet brutally honest advice. She couldn’t keep pretending her feelings were going to pass.
“Ansley is going to be happy that we found this.”
“You know this is a set up right?”
Irene laughed, “I’m not surprised. Mel told me about her plan to marry you all off.”
“Yeah, she is embarrassingly direct about it. She refuses to be the only Kid Campbell around. She has this crazy idea that we are overprotective of her.”
“I’m sure Ansley is right.”
“What about you? Do you want any kids?”
Irene stopped laughing and turned away from the intense look in Liam’s eyes. His question brought an image of what their children would look like to Irene’s mind.
The yearning that accompanied the picture overwhelmed her. Where in the hell was this coming from? How was she falling so quickly for this man, and why was she imagining what their kids would look like?
“I’ve always thought I would have kids by now. But when the man I loved…. hurt me, that dream sort of faded away. Now, I don’t know. If I met the right person, maybe it could work.”
Liam smiled and leaned back against the thick picnic blanket.
“Why are you smiling like that?”
“I can’t help it. We both know you’ve met the right person, so it’s only a matter of time…”
“A matter of time?”
“Yeah, until you see reason and we can stop pretending we don’t know what’s happening here. You forget, I’ve watched two of my brothers go down, and I know the signs. We are a summer away from changing our lives forever, and I for one am looking forward to it.”
“Liam…”
“Don’t warn me again, not today. I’m sitting here with the beauty of the highlands at my back and the woman I’ve always wanted on my arm. Let me have this moment. We can worry about your fears later. Right now, I want to give you something else to think about.”
Before Irene could stop him, he took her lips. His kiss was full of more than just a sensual promise. Somehow, Irene was sure Liam was staking a claim. His simple words and easy confidence bespoke of his assurance.
Irene tried to find the right words to fight them, but she was lost when his hands touched her body. She gave up the fight…. for now.
As much as she wanted to let down her guard, she knew in this case she wasn’t simply protecting herself. Liam Campbell was quickly becoming an important piece to her happiness and Irene knew better than anyone how dangerous that was.
She leaned back against the blanket as he covered her body with his and gave herself over to the man who’d captured her heart. Tomorrow could wait.
Seven
Admit it, you are in love...
* * *
Liam closed his laptop and focused on the beautiful woman sitting across from him. So far, Irene had loved Scotland. He’d made sure to show her the best parts, from the green-covered highlands to the deep lakes.
Being here with her made him appreciate his home even more.
Liam found himself missing the peace that only Scotland provided for his soul.
They would be heading back to New Orleans soon. Surprisingly, Irene was starting to relax. Liam owed that to his family. Everyone liked her and went out of their way to make sure she was comfortable.
Tatum had even had some groceries delivered for them. It seemed as if everyone really wanted them to work out.
Irene was sitting across from him, writing in her journal. She was working on some new compound formulas for her store. Liam was amazed at how much work she put into each one.
She was quickly becoming an obsession for him. The last few weeks together had proven to him that they could work.
Irene had the power to capture his attention and challenge his mind at the same time. Now, all he had to do was convince her they could work.
“How are you enjoying Scotland?” Liam asked.
“It’s beautiful, Liam, and I love seeing you with your family.”
“You have a sister, right? Are you two close?”
“Shonda and I are two very different people, so we never were close growing up. After our parents passed, it was a difficult time. Shonda turned to religion, and I turned to science. It took us years to figure out that the two could coexist. We were good, and then she had Deshaun… and it was difficult.”
“You said she had a hard time accepting who he was.”
“Don’t get me wrong, Shonda loves her son. She just doesn’t understand him, and it’s taken a long time, but I can say she’s come a long way. Still, we aren’
t close, and we probably never will be. I had to realize that was okay.”
“How did you end up with Mel as a best friend? As far as I can tell, you two seem like complete opposites,” Liam said.
“We met at university, and we were instant best friends. Honestly, I can’t remember my life without my loudmouth friend, but I can say she is my family as well. I do wish I’d grown up in a big family like yours. I would have loved that.”
“Hey, it wasn’t easy. Don’t let these muscles fool you. I used to be the runt of the litter, and they always let me know it. It took years for us to become close.”
“I bet you guys have so many stories.”
“Yeah, but they are mostly horror stories, like the time I sacrificed Tatum.”
“Wait, what!?” Irene’s eyes widened.
This story was something Tatum still brought up today. Campbell’s knew how to hold grudges. “You’re going to think less of me if I tell you.”
“Still, tell me,” she urged.
“I sacrificed Tatum to our neighbor’s dog.”
“What?! Why?”
“I had no other choice. We snuck into our neighbor’s garden to steal some fruit, and let me tell you, our neighbor was not a fan of kids. Honestly, that’s why we messed with him so much. Anyway, we didn’t know he’d bought a couple of vicious dogs until we were inside his garden. He must have trained them to attack because they came straight for us. We all ran different ways. Everyone knew how to get back home, but one of the dogs followed me. I ended up tripping Tatum, and he had to fight the dog hand to hand. It was pretty crazy.”
“Liam!!”
“I know, but I was five, and that dog was big. Trust me, Tatum got his vengeance when he made it home. I never saw my teddy bear again,” Liam said wistfully.
Irene doubled over with laughter, and he savored the sound. She was a reserved woman, and anytime he could make her laugh or smile, he would.
“Don’t be surprised if Tatum doesn’t bring that up later. He never really forgave me for that.”
“I’m sure he has. You were only five.”
“Yeah, but he was only nine. So, he doesn’t give a shit about me being five,” Liam said honestly.
Liam frowned when his phone buzzed for the third time. Who in the hell kept calling him? Everyone knew where he was.
He picked it up and looked at the number. This had to be his agent. “Give me a second, Irene. I need to figure out what my agent wants. He knows I don’t want to be disturbed when I’m busy with important things.”
“And I’m an important thing to you?”
“You have no idea,” he said seriously.
He kissed her lightly on the lips before he walked to the kitchen. Liam shook his head. How could Irene think he would let her go? He’d never met anyone who made him feel the things she did.
Deep in the center of his soul, he knew she was the right woman for him. Now, it was time to teach her what that meant.
* * *
Irene stood up and walked over to the large bay window Tatum had installed in his living room. She looked down at the busy street. Kids were playing their own version of rugby. She smiled when a little girl punched the boy who pushed her sister. After a moment of yelling, they all dissolved into laughter and restarted the game.
Irene smiled at the scene. She loved the easy happiness of children. They were enjoying themselves without a single regret. She turned and looked at the door Liam walked through.
She was getting tired of fighting her feelings for him. Liam wore her down with each simple touch. She wanted him on a level she’d thought she was incapable of now.
Irene sighed and looked down at her hands. She was already in love with Liam. That meant she should protect him and put his happiness first.
How could she guarantee that with a woman like Sybil hanging over her? No one knew just how vicious she could be. Sybil was the kind of woman that would do anything to get what she wanted.
Could she walk away from him now? No. If she were honest, she knew she couldn’t. Liam was a good man, and she wouldn’t get this chance again. It was happening too quickly, and she wasn’t at all, ready for what this meant. But she was done with running from what was happening between them.
Liam Campbell was her man. She didn’t know how he’d found her, but here they were. She would find a way to protect him, and this time she would fight. Irene was not going to run away this time.
Irene’s stomach turned whenever she thought about the future. She wasn’t a fool; Liam was famous, and he would draw attention no matter where they went. Somehow, she would figure out how to handle that.
Thankfully, Mel would be here soon. She and Cole were heading this way. Having her best friend around was something she absolutely needed right now. She wanted to tell someone what was going on inside of her head.
Even though all the confusion, Irene remained certain about one thing—she wasn’t going to let Liam go. She was starting to realize he meant a whole lot more to her than her fear. She would find a way to make this work. But one thing was sure, Liam Campbell was hers now, and she had no intention of letting him go.
Decision made, Irene let out a deep breath. She smiled as the blissful peace seeped through her body. Yes, her past still haunted her, but she was still the same woman underneath.
When she truly wanted something, she fought for it, and she genuinely wanted Liam.
* * *
Liam walked into the kitchen and closed the door. He listened to the last message his agent sent him. Apparently, Ted had some news that he didn’t want to share over a voicemail.
Liam shook his head. He didn’t have time for any new projects. His focus was completely on Irene. He had a feeling if he gave her too much time, she would pull away.
Liam trusted his instincts. So far, they’d never led him wrong. This was where he was supposed to be, and this woman was already his. He walked over to the fridge and tripped over a dainty pink sneaker.
He picked up the small shoe and smiled. Ansley was forever leaving her things behind. Ever since they’d arrived in Scotland, his sweet niece had made it her job to know Irene.
The two had spent countless hours playing games, and he loved how well Irene got along with his family. Surprisingly, the demure woman fit right in with his loudmouth siblings.
His phone rang again, and Liam answered it immediately. Better to get this over with now.
“Man, I thought I’d never get you. Did you see the email I sent you?” Ted asked.
Liam winced at his shrill voice. No wonder he could barely make out the message; there was a lot of commotion on Ted’s end.
“Ted, I told you I’d let you know when I was ready to work on something new. Right now, I’m busy.”
“I know, I’m sorry. Hold on.” Liam listened as Ted apologized profusely to whoever was next to him. A few seconds later, he spoke again. “Sorry, we’re at Disney World right now. I know you’re taking a hiatus, but this news is too big to sit on. You finally got it, Liam. That French school you applied for sent you an invitation to join their staff.”
“What!?”
“Yep, they contacted me today; some of their head chefs were fired. They keep a shortlist of potential candidates, and you were next in line. I’ve already told them you accepted. I know how much this means for you, and I didn’t want them to start thinking about the next candidate.”
Liam leaned against the counter as he digested the news. This was shocking, “What happened? I wasn’t expecting them to contact me until next year?”
“Well, they had a shake-up at the school. So, you and two other chefs were selected to take on the new classes. They have a benefit planned in Paris to welcome in all of you. I don’t know what you have going on right now, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, Liam. If you really want this position, you need to take it now. Of course, if you say the word, I will contact the school and reject the invitation.”
“Don’t do that! Let me… I need so
me time to think about this.”
“You have precisely two weeks. That’s when they’re planning your acceptance benefit. Let me know what you want to do and congratulations, Liam.”
Ted hung up and left Liam to his thoughts. His agent knew him well. Liam didn’t like to talk things out. He required time with his own thoughts before he could make a decision like this.
If he took this job, it would mean a permanent move to Paris. What would that mean for him and Irene? He didn’t want to walk away from her now. They wouldn’t survive with an ocean between them. She was already skittish in their semi-relationship state.
But this was his dream and the dream of his late grandmother. He couldn’t make any decisions too quickly. He’d wanted nothing more than to teach at that school. It would be the last accomplishment he longed to make in his career.
Liam looked up when he heard Irene moving around in the living room. He would figure out how to make this work. He’d come too far in his life to back down now.
He wanted Irene, and he also wanted his dream. Now all he had to do was figure out how to make that work.
* * *
The next day…
Mel sat down on the steps and waited patiently for Irene to say what was on her mind. She recognized the look on her best friend’s face. She had the same expression on her face whenever she looked at Cole.
As soon as she’d arrived in Scotland, she’d hightailed it to Tatum’s house. The conversations she’d had with Irene made it clear that her friend needed her here.
She made Cole look after Liam inside so she could have some girl talk with Irene. Her handsome Scot wasn’t happy cutting their honeymoon a bit short, but he understood her need to help Irene.
Her best friend was the kind of woman who would help everyone else but allow herself to suffer. Mel wasn’t going to have that.
“Okay, spit it out,” Mel said.
