Chapter Seventeen
Hannah
The next day, Liam wakes me up early, excited for our trip to the beach. I pack our lunch and some sunscreen, and we hit the road. I want to stake out a good spot before the beach gets too crowded. Leaving early also means we’ll be home in plenty of time for me to get ready for my date with Finn. I catch myself wearing a silly grin and roll my eyes. Liam is in the backseat listing all the things he wants to do when we get to the beach.
“Sunscreen first,” I say, as I always do. I can’t see him, but I know he’s probably making a face.
“Yes, ma’am.”
We make it to the beach by midmorning and set up our blanket. Liam whips off his shirt as soon as we’re finished, determined to run headlong into the low waves, no matter how cold the water is. It’s not quite full summer, so I know the water still has some warming up to do. There are already plenty of people swimming in the cool water. Liam lets me slather him with sunscreen, bouncing impatiently the entire time. When I finish, he takes off toward the water, stopping just shy of the foaming waves and waiting for them to crash against his ankles. He lets out a little giggling squeal and turns back to look at me. The smile on his face is pure joy. I wish I could bottle the moment and keep it forever. Instead, I just watch him, taking it all in.
Liam and I stay at the beach for nearly 2 hours before the crowds start to get too heavy and there’s not so much room for him to run and play. We have lunch on our blanket and take a short walk to search for shells for our collection. We find a few keepers to take home with us before we make our way back to the car. No matter how well we rinse the sand off, I know I’m going to have half the beach in my backseat when we get home. But it’s worth it, just for the happiness on my son’s face. Liam’s eyes are drooping by the time we make it home. The beach never fails to sap his energy.
Normally, I’d let him nap for a while before dinner. But tonight, Claire is coming to babysit, and I don’t want him to be wide awake and not go to bed for her. At that thought, I remember all over again that I have a date with Finn tonight. A giddy sort of thrill runs through me. I get Liam into the shower and head to my closet to decide what to wear.
Claire arrives at 6:45 wearing pajamas and fuzzy slippers and carrying a bag from the local grocery store. She gives me a big smile when I open the door.
“Hey,” I say. “Thank you so much for staying with him. I’m sure you had plans for your Saturday night that didn’t include hanging out with an eight-year-old.”
“Are you kidding me? I get to hang out with Liam and watch movies in my pjs eating junk food. Is there a better way to spend a Saturday night?” She peers around behind me and waves. “Hey, kiddo! You ready for the best pajama party ever?”
She strides past me into the living room where Liam is already sitting on the couch watching one of his favorite movies. She plops down beside him and opens the grocery bag to show him the contents.
“Whoa!” He looks up at her with wide eyes and grins. Claire shoots a suspicious look my way.
“Shh. Don’t tell your mom,” she says in a stage whisper.
Liam glances at me, eyes solemn and nods at Claire. It’s all I can do not to laugh. I know she picked up candy and popcorn for their movie night because she called me earlier to ask what some of Liam’s favorites are. But Liam is enjoying the game, so I pretend not to notice their little conspiracy. Claire asks Liam about the movie he’s watching, and he excitedly fills her in on everything she’s missed so far.
The knock at the door sends a signal to those pesky butterflies in my stomach and they start fluttering again. I take a breath and let it out as I go to answer it. From the corner of my eye, I see Claire watching me. I do my best to ignore my audience. When I open the door, Finn is standing there looking as handsome as he always does. His gaze takes me in, moving from my eyes down the length of my body and back to my face.
“You look incredible,” he murmurs in a voice only I can hear.
I blush immediately, not used to those types of compliments from him. “Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself.”
He’s dressed down compared to his normal work attire. I like this casual side of him that I rarely get to see. At work, he’s usually in slacks and a dress shirt or even a suit and tie. Tonight though, he’s wearing jeans that fit him just right and a charcoal shirt that hugs his broad shoulders and makes me remember just what’s hidden underneath. Before he accuses me of staring at him, I motion for him to come inside.
“I just need to get my purse.”
Finn follows me inside, trailing a few feet behind me. I grab my purse where it hangs on the back of a chair in the kitchen. When I turn back, I see that Finn is no longer behind me. Instead, he’s standing near the entrance to the living room trying to engage Liam in conversation. Trying, because Liam is now fully invested in the movie he’s watching as well as with Claire. I smile and walk over to plant a kiss on Liam’s head. He tolerates the affection but doesn’t seem to care that I’m leaving for the
