Changing Roles

I gave the air cast on my arm a glare. It had felt like heaven when they cut off the heavier, plaster one and replaced it with this much lighter alternative, but I was still anxious for this one to be gone, too. I was allowed to remove it to bathe, but that was about it. I had to wear it for another week or so, then I was done.

I looked at the clock with a grimace. It was well past one o’clock, and yet I still couldn’t sleep. I didn’t want to admit to Liam how nervous I was about the interview in the morning. If he thought it was bothering me in any way, he would cancel. Even with him beside me and Everett not far away, the whole idea of talking to a stranger about myself, my ex-husband, and my relationship with Liam seemed bizarre. Never having been one for gossip of any kind, the idea that people were curious about me seemed odd. But I’d agreed to do it, and now I simply wanted it done. Liam was finished filming, and he still had a few days before his publicity appearances. I was flying to New York with him, and while part of me was excited to go somewhere I had never been before, the larger part of me dreaded the public part. I wasn’t sure if I would ever be comfortable again in a crowd.

Liam’s fingers twitched again, and I frowned. He’d been rather quiet tonight, almost nervous, tugging on his hair often, muttering to himself, and now his sleep was restless. Maybe he was also feeling anxious. Knowing how much it relaxed him, I moved closer and ran my fingers through his hair, smiling as he sighed quietly in his sleep, a small smile of contentment on his face. I loved how much my touch soothed him. How I soothed him.

My fingers slipped through his soft hair as I gazed at him, still slightly amazed I was here, beside Liam Wright. I had fallen in love with him hard and fast, struggling for months to be the one thing I thought I could be to him—his friend, never thinking he could possibly love me back. Surrounded by so many people who only wanted to use him and take from him, he trusted few people, and I was determined to be one of them. To those who really knew him, he had a naturally warm and open nature and a need he kept hidden from the rest of the world. His panic attacks were crippling, and when I realized my presence helped him, I fell in love with him even more. His need for me only fueled my feelings, and when he had confessed to loving me, it seemed almost too good to be true. I was scared of the what-ifs—what if it didn’t work out, what if he decided I was too old for him, what if… There had been many, but he made me realize they were my fears only—not his, and that he did, indeed, love me. And as with everything else in his life, when Liam did something, he did it with his entire being. His love was all-encompassing, reaching out and surrounding every aspect of our life.

He had changed a great deal in the past few months, starting subtly before we finally admitted our feelings and coming into his own when I was injured. He had slowly grown into himself and found his hidden strength. When I’d been hurt, he’d blown everyone away with his take-charge attitude and the way he had cared for everyone around him, especially those who were used to caring for him. He said he grew up; I felt he simply recognized he could, that he’d had the strength all along but only now had finally grasped it. He hadn’t stopped since then, taking over more of his own decision-making and finding a deeper focus when working. Always professional, his co-actors noticed a quieter depth to his work. The producer he just finished working with had nothing but good things to say regarding what he brought to the role, especially after returning to the set.

I looked over at the large script sitting on the nightstand. Douglas was right—Liam was perfect for the role. A strong, intense, historical character, with the backdrop of the rugged coasts of England and Scotland, the movie was aggressive in its reach. Liam was at the exact right place in his life to do justice to the character. I knew he’d be brilliant. He was thrilled at the prospect of working with Douglas as well as filming back at home. The script was covered in notes Liam scribbled as he read it repeatedly. He was so convinced of the success of the movie, he was partnering with Douglas on the making of it—neither of them wanted the influence of a studio clouding their vision. Rumors were already swirling about the Wright boys and their giant venture, due to the vast scope of this project. It was the first time since I met Liam that I had seen him this excited about a role. I was thrilled to watch him as he and Douglas sat and planned. I was going for the whole shoot; Liam refused to consider anything else, saying he wouldn’t be able to be apart from me for any length of time. He had already rented a large house for us. Douglas had one nearby as well. Caroline had some commitments but would be joining us whenever she could. Liz was beyond excited “her lads” would be close for such a long period of time and had many things arranged already for all of us.