“Good.” His scowl faded. “I’m happy for you.” His gaze locked on me. “But you’d better treat her right.”

“I will,” I promised. We hadn’t had the maturity to work through life’s challenges last time around, but this time we did, and I wouldn’t give up on us.

“Okay.” He inched backward and jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “We’ll be next door.”

“Hey, Blair,” I called impulsively as he began to leave.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for being here for Kennedy when she needs you.”

He shrugged one shoulder. “That’s what family is for.”

Chapter Forty

KENNEDY

Liam and I spent the rest of the afternoon in bed, kissing, snuggling, and talking about the future. When dusk fell, we shared another shower and dressed.

“Would you like to stay for dinner?” I asked.

Liam glanced at his phone. “I’d better go home. I think I left a few windows open, and I don’t want the place to fill up with insects.”

“Oh.” I deflated.

“Why don’t you come with me? I can cook for you.”

A warm glow began in my heart and radiated throughout my chest. “I’d like that.”

“Great.” He tangled his fingers with mine. “Should we head over now?”

“I’ll grab a sweater.” And perhaps I’d pack a small overnight bag, just in case.

I sorted my things and made sure the security camera and motion sensors were in place, then Liam and I set the alarm and locked the cottage. We got into the Ute, where we’d left the bags we’d discarded earlier, and Liam started the engine. We cruised around a slight bend in the road toward a T-intersection. But as we approached, the vehicle didn’t slow.

“You planning to brake?” I asked, getting fidgety as we drew closer. There were cars going the other way. Not many, because this was Destiny Falls, but some.

“I am braking.” His jaw tightened. “It’s not doing anything.”

My stomach clenched. “Pull over.”

“I can’t,” he growled. “I’ll hit one of the cars on the side of the road.”

“Better than a moving car.”

“Fuck.”

We were nearly level with the intersection. He slammed his hand on the horn so it blared, and he tried to turn, but we had too much momentum. I gripped the edge of the seat, my heart in my throat as we slid across two lanes of traffic—miraculously not crashing into any vehicles—and toward the concrete wall of the Destiny Falls Motors building on the far side.

Liam spun the steering wheel as fast as he could, and the car angled to the left. We smashed into the concrete wall driver’s side first.

Glass shattered. Metal crumpled. I screamed.

We jolted to a stop, and my head whipped back. Pain flashed up the back of my neck.