Admire Me (Rough Edges 2)
At some point, I am going to need to figure out things between her and I. If I am supposed to be her Maid of Honor then that means we were close.
“That’s Damon and Tessa’s house,” he says, pointing to a bright red door. “I’m just a couple blocks over.”
His brother must be pretty well off considering the home he lived in. Of course, the cost of living is probably significant lower than California, but still. A house like his would cost over two million there.
“And here’s mine,” he says, turning off the truck, getting out, and then opening my door. “Let’s get you inside and settled in.”
His house isn’t as fancy as Damon’s, that’s for sure, but it’s still nice. He gives me a tour and shows me the bedroom where I’ll be staying that has an attached bathroom.
“Of course, Tessa is going to pick up some things for you, so you can take a shower and get normal clothes on, but do you need anything until then?” he asks, standing awkwardly in the bedroom doorway.
“No, I think I’m okay. Actually, something to eat. That’s not hospital food.”
He smiles and gestures for me to follow him as we wander into the kitchen to pull out a bunch of take-out menus from a drawer. “You pick whatever you want, and I’ll have it delivered.”
There are so many things to choose from, but what I’m really craving is a big juicy cheeseburger with grilled onions and fresh tomatoes. “In-N-Out. Double-Double with cheese and grilled onions please.”
His eyes are surprised at my request. “Dang, you really are starving. That’s what I usually get too. And a chocolate shake.”
“I’ll take one of those, too.” My eyebrow slightly lifts, thinking about how good a shake sounds right now. The food was horrendous at the hospital and now it’s time for my taste buds to have something magical again. In-N-Out is huge in California and I am happy to see they have a location close.
Liam steps outside to place the order, and I take a seat on the couch and surf the TV until he comes back inside with Tessa carrying a couple bags.
I smile. “I’ll take those to my room. Wow, how much stuff did you get?”
“A couple pairs of jeggings, tops, and some comfy shorts for bed,” she says, pointing to the bags now in my hands and following me to my room. “Oh, and a pair of tennis shoes. Didn’t know what you would prefer, so I just got you some converses. Everyone seems to love them.”
“That’s perfect, thank you,” I say, setting the bags down on my bed. “I’ll pay you back as soon as I figure out where my bank is and such. Still nothing working up here.”
“Don’t you worry about it. You’ve been through enough. Is there anything else I can get you?” she asks, standing in the doorway.
“Nope, that’s it. Appreciate it. Gonna take a shower real quick and then I’ll be out,” I say, and she takes off toward the living room.
The bedroom door is shut after hearing her voice in the kitchen, so I can jump in the shower. The bags are emptied to get my toiletries and find a pair of underwear, leggings, and a simple black t-shirt to put on after I’m clean. I traipsed into the bathroom to start the shower. The running hot water and steam filling the bathroom, fogging up the mirror, as I undress from the scrubs wanting to get the hell out of anything that would remind me of the time I spent in the hospital. They are thrown into the hamper behind the door, and I step into the hot water, letting it run down my back, warming me up instantly.
Out of the shower and dressed, I open my door to the overwhelming smell of onions. In-N-Out is in the house. I practically run to the kitchen, which surprises Liam.
“Slow down there, don’t wanna end up back in the hospital.”
“Haha. Very Funny. I’m here for my burger. I’m frothing at the mouth,” I say, playfully grabbing mine. “You don’t want me to get hangry over here.”
Tessa laughs, watching us play fight over food. “You guys are a hoot. I’ll leave you to it. See you tomorrow for dinner, Harper.”
It’s nice to see Liam interact with his family, since really I’ve only seen him around me so far. You could tell a lot about a person by the way they interact and treat their family. Sometimes it could give you an inside look on how they would treat you.
I snuggle up on the couch under a Sherpa blanket, and probably shouldn’t have considering the sauce and innards are spilling out onto my hands. That’s exactly what I love about their burgers, they are so jam packed with their ingredients and aren’t stingy like other chain places.
“You lost some there,” he says, laughing and pointing down to the blanket. “Saving some for later?”
It’s nice to be able to joke around and laugh with him. A different atmosphere provides a comfortable place for us, and for me to be able to see him in a new light. I’ve seen him under crisis, but what is the normal down-to-earth Liam like?