You Can't Catch Me(50)

Liam’s looking at me with an expression on his face that I don’t recognize. He might also be a bit drunk, but it feels like something else.

I take a gulp of wine for courage. “Is he right?”

“Is something going on between you and Covington?”

“I’d never do that to Daisy.”

“So, no?”

“No. But why do you care?”

He drinks some more of his wine and shakes his head at me.

“What?” I ask.

“Don’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“Play with me.”

“I’m not.”

“Sure, Jess, if you say so.” He puts his glass down on the counter.

“Liam . . .”

“What?”

“Come on, you know . . . You must know.”

I take a step toward him. The room’s cold, but the air between us feels warm. Inviting.

“I know?”

“Yes,” I say.

He gives me that look again. “What did you come to tell me?” he asks, but gentler this time, the words low and slow, like a caress.

“This,” I say, reaching for his hand.

He watches me take it. He looks surprised, but he doesn’t pull away, and this is enough for me. I take another step toward him and now we’re almost in an embrace.

I tip my head up. He’s looking down at me, his face slack.

“There’s no music,” I say.

“Why would there be music?”

“Because we’re dancing, aren’t we?”

“Is that what we’re doing?”

“Why not?”

He takes my glass from me and puts it next to his, then slips his free hand around my waist. He tilts me slightly and we start to sway. I haven’t taken my eyes off him. I think we’re supposed to kiss now, but I don’t know how to make that happen. I can’t believe what’s already happened, I— “What’s going on up here, kid?” Liam asks, resting his forehead against mine. His breath smells like wine, spicy and delicious.

“I’m not a kid.”

“No, you’re not. I’m not sure I know how to do this.”

“Do what?”

“You know,” he says. He brings his chin down so his lips are an inch from mine. “Is this what you wanted to tell me?”

“Yes.”

He closes the gap.





Chapter 22

Afterglow

Two months later, I’m camped out in Grand Teton National Park in Jackson, Wyoming.

I’m here because this is where the fifth Jessica Williams lives, the one Liam helped me find. The one I need for the next phase of the plan.

I asked him to help me locate her the morning after I woke up in his bed.

That was a strange wake-up. Although my eyes were closed, it felt as if the room were flooded with that white light you see in TV shows where the person is dead or dreaming. Only I wasn’t dead, and it wasn’t a dream. At least, I didn’t think I was. I’d dreamed about waking up in Liam’s arms so many times that waking up to the reality of it felt disorienting. It’s possible I even pinched myself to make sure.

“What are you doing?” Liam asked, lifting up the covers to look at me. I’d drawn myself down under them because it felt safer to be hidden by his black duvet than it did to have the morning sunshine on my face.

I opened my eyes. There was Liam, inches from my face, with his hair askew and tired eyes. Were they tired because he was regretting what had happened? Or had I worn him out? We’d taken our time with it, with each other, but I didn’t feel tired. I felt like I could run a marathon. Like I had superpowers.

“Jess?”

“I was pinching myself.”

Liam brushed his thumb against my arm. “I see that.”

I lowered my hand. I could feel the bruise I’d given myself starting to form. But there was also the warmth from Liam’s hand, and an answering response in my body.

“It hurt,” I said.

“Don’t do that again, then.” His voice was gravelly in the morning. I liked it.

“I won’t,” I said as I tucked my head down.

“What?”

“There was something I wanted to do again.”

He smiled slowly. “That right?”

This time I was the one who kissed him. It was even better sober.

It was midmorning when I told him the details of the plan for drawing Jessica Two out and asked him to help. He was reluctant at first, but I knew he’d agree eventually. When he did, I rewarded him.

It took him a while to find a good candidate, though. Another July 10, 1990, baby whose life we could co-opt, though I didn’t put it that way. Instead, I promised him that we wouldn’t do anything to harm this innocent person we were using as bait and that I’d get her consent to participate once, if, he located her.

I didn’t mind the wait. When I wasn’t refining the plan, or messaging with JJ and Jessie, I kept myself occupied with Liam. I’d never been in a real relationship before, if that’s what this was. Not one of those immediately settled, we see each other at the end of the day without discussion unless there’s a reason not to kinds of things. It was amazing. No fuss, no muss, no anxiety of whether he’d call or return my text. He always did. He was always there when I needed him or even when I just wanted to hear his voice.