Unplugged (Blue Phoenix, #3)(16)

“Hey, Liam. I thought you were in the States for Christmas?” she asks.

“Yeah. I was. Decided to come home instead. Missing the place, you know. How come you’re here?”

“Dylan’s visiting his gran.”

Typical, after years of never coming home he chooses this year. “Really? Wow. St Davids prodigal son returns.”

“I think this is tough for him, Liam.”

Ostracised by his family for his lifestyle a few years back was tough for him, but when his mum died, Dylan pretended St Davids didn’t exist anymore. “Yeah, I know the stories, Sky. I’m just surprised that’s all. I’m also surprised to see you with him.”

Sky tucks her hair behind her ear, the white plastic bag in her hand rustling as she does. Are they together again? I was surprised when Dylan chose to come back to the UK for Christmas because he never does. Accompanied by the cautious happiness for Dylan is a voice in my head saying ‘see, it can work with people outside of the lifestyle’.

“I’m glad though. You’re good for him,” I say.

Sky’s attention is taken by something else and blood drains from my head as Cerys approaches.

“Did you find anything?” she asks then pauses and glances between Sky and me.

Sky attempts to hide her surprise. She knows I’m engaged to Honey, but not that the situation is now ‘was’ engaged to Honey. The rest of the world doesn’t know yet and I’m not ready for them to think the worst about me and another woman. The stupidity at wandering around with Cerys in public hits. My comfort with being back in my past has disengaged my brain.

Cerys steps away from me, her attempt to show we’re not together probably confirms everything Sky is thinking. Cerys shifts her look to me and the panic in her face is clear.

“Sky, this is Cerys.”

The two women eye each other. “Dylan’s Sky?”

“Uncle Liam, did you find the chocolates?” pipes up Ella. Holy crap, I’d forgotten about her. Newspaper headlines about Liam Oliver and his secret love child flash across my vision.

“Oh, you’re Liam’s sister!” Sky’s face brightens in relief.

f-uck, f-uck, f-uck. Me and Cerys look at each other, probably reinforcing further the dodginess of the situation.

“No, she’s not. She’s a friend,” I say.

Cerys’s hands tremble as she reaches into her bag and pulls out her purse. “I’ll pay for those, Liam.” She takes the Christmas wrapping paper from my hands and heads for the checkout.

“Don’t say anything to Dylan,” I say to Sky the moment Cerys is out of earshot.

“This is none of my business, Liam.”

I bloody hope so. “She’s a friend.”

“That’s fine. You don’t need to justify yourself to me. It’s your life.”

Cerys returns with her purchase and I hastily excuse myself, telling Sky to say hello to Dylan. I can’t get out of the situation fast enough.

I head down the street toward the car park, striding ahead of Cerys.

“Liam! Wait up!” she calls, “I can’t walk so fast with Ella!”

I halt and turn to her. “I have to get home.”

“Is this because of Sky? We’re not doing anything wrong.”

“No. But it feels like I am, I’m stupid. What if the press gets hold of this?”

“Of what?”

I guide Cerys by the arm so we’re out of the flow of people. “I am... was engaged to Honey, and now I’m in Wales with a woman and a little girl. What do you think will be said about who the little girl is?”

Her brow creases with confusion and I watch the realisation hit. “You’re not Ella’s dad, that’s ridiculous!”

I snort. “We’re talking about the media here, Cerys. What if you get pulled into this? Shit!”

“Liam, language around Ella!” she hisses.

“Sorry, I’m just stressed. I don’t know what I was thinking.” I rub my neck. “Let’s go home.”

“I’m tired!” Ella says to her mum. “Can you carry me?”

“You shouldn’t have got up so early,” says Cerys. “You’ll have to walk, it’s not far.”

I catch sight of a couple of teenage girls across the street who have stopped and are staring at me. Each minute that passes, the harder I want to smack myself. I’m not Dylan or Jem, but I’m the bassist in the biggest rock band in the world. What the f-uck am I doing pretending I’m some average guy visiting his hometown for Christmas?

“I can put her on my shoulders if that’s okay? Seriously, I want out of here as soon as possible.” I incline my head toward the girls. Another minute and one of them will have their phone out taking pictures.

Cerys nods and I lean down to Ella. “You okay to sit on my shoulders?”

Ella beams. “Please!”

We head down the street at a pace Cerys struggles to keep up with, the giggling child clinging to my head.

“Look!” Ella tugs my hair and I wince and stop.

Her favourite pigs are on display in the window and we pause to look. I roll my eyes at Cerys. The soft look Cerys gave me a couple of days ago when I gave in to Ella over the TV is back. To my surprise, she reaches out and squeezes my hand.