Unplugged (Blue Phoenix, #3)(71)

He shakes his head in the despairing way I recognise, and I know when he does that he wants to shake sense into me.

“Cerys.” He pulls his hand from mine and cups my chin. “The fact we’re here so quickly says something, doesn’t it? Remember what I said about feeling as if I was home when I kissed you? I think home is wherever I am with you, because suddenly, I can see why it never worked with anyone else. I was always in the wrong place, with the wrong person.”

How can I doubt Liam? The sincerity with every words he’s ever spoken to me is unmistakable and I did the wrong thing denying this. I tiptoe to reach his mouth and place my lips on his. “You don’t need to try and make me love you by doing things for me. I’d love you if you were still the dodgy, grungy guy from St Davids. Be him, because he’s the person fate pulled me back to.”

Liam studies me curiously. “He’s here; you do know that, right?”

“I do, dodgy guy.”

Grabbing my face in both hands, Liam kisses me hard on the forehead. “You infuriate me sometimes.”

“Sometimes?”

“A lot.”

Standing in the cramped kitchen I’m reminded of the day he came back to me; the rock star appearing at a five-year-old’s birthday party to fulfil a promise. He didn’t come back to fix a single mum’s situation, he came back to see Cerys. The intense attraction I have to this man who’s an unreal mix of gentle and passionate is undeniable. In the short time that’s passed since he returned my life has transformed.

“I love you,” I say quietly.

Liam doesn’t need to say the words because the silent communication between our hearts speaks for us. When his mouth touches mine, I sigh into the kiss annoyed with myself for almost screwing up the best thing in my life since Ella. Liam holds me in a warmth and comfort I’ve never had before and could never imagine coming from anybody else.

Wrapped together I understand what he means about coming home; anywhere I am with Liam is where I should be. If we’d had this short conversation days ago the tears and worry would’ve been avoided. Why did I push so hard against something so right?

We order an Indian takeaway, back to doing weirdly, ordinary things in our weirdly, unordinary life. The rock star and the single mum sharing curry in front of the TV. Liam loves these moments. He’s told me he’d swap a glitzy awards show or celebrity party for a night in with me any day and I believe him. The tensions between us have ebbed as quickly as it flooded in the other day, but one topic remains.

As I clear up Ella’s mess in the lounge room, Liam watches. “Heard any more from your ex?”

“We had an argument last time he brought Ella home from their last day out.” I grab a handful of Lego and shove it into the box. “He’s demanding I let her stay over with him, but I’m not ready to do that yet. When we were together and Craig went out, he often stayed over at a mates if he was too drunk to get home. I’m scared he won’t be there if she wakes in the night.”

“He wouldn’t go out and leave her though, surely.”

I focus on tidying the toys. “I don’t know. Probably not, but I’m not ready to let her go…”

Liam kneels next to me and touches my arm. “I’m sure this will get sorted. Think about what he did at Christmas. The court will be on your side and he’ll wish he went to bloody mediation instead.”

“I don’t want to talk or think about him, Liam.”

“Okay.”

I sit back on my heels and touch Liam’s leg. “Why would I want to think about him? Screw Craig and his custody issues; you’re part of my life and there’s nothing about you that makes you bad for my daughter.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” he says and helps throw some Lego in the box. “Can we make up properly now?”

I pull an exasperated face at him.

“What?” Liam fakes an innocent expression. “You said you didn’t want to think about him.” I tug him by the t-shirt toward me. “Then I guess Ella will get to see you in the morning.”



CHAPTER 31



CERYS



Ella appears with a towel and her swimming costume in her arms. “Where’s Daddy taking you?” I ask.

“He said we’d go to the beach today.”

“Lucky you,” I say and help her push the blue towel and bright pink costume into her bag.

“He said I’d need something for the car because it’s a long way to the beach.”

I know how much Ella whines when we take a ten-minute trip across town to see her grandmother, so a few miles to the beach will be enough for her. “Maybe a book then?”

Ella wanders off and returns with her Peppa Pig book and the Olaf that Liam bought her for Christmas.

“Do you think Daddy will remember to get you some snacks to take?” I ask.

“He said he’ll buy me some sweets and ice-creams.”

“Healthy snacks,” I mutter and pull out some raisins. I package Ella a small box of fruits and crackers, and then put them in her bag.

Craig arrives on time for once, and I grit my teeth as Ella rushes to him and he scoops her up.

“Wow, my little girl’s getting heavy!”

“I’m not little!” she protests.