To the Ends of the Earth

Chapter Eight: (Liam) Court

I just stood stock-still, glued to the spot as I gawked at the most beautiful woman in the world on a date with another man. A man that was nothing like me. A man who had his hand on her lower back as he guided her toward the door of the cafe. A door I was blocking as I stared at them with jealousy. Or, was it fear? Fear that I had lost her for good.

I was simply a bystander to their private moment as I watched him say goodbye and leave without Lottie.

What kind of tool left a date alone with a strange man? What if I was some type of psychopathic serial killer?

A real man would've made sure their date got home safely, especially a woman as precious as Lottie. I would have loved to be that man for her, but it seemed Lottie was officially moving on with someone else. I'd never get the chance to show Lottie how I would care for her, how much I would love her, and how much I'd cherish her. She would never know that I'd been slowly falling in love with her for the past five years.

During grad school, I befriended her brother, Alex, and met her when I visited him at his home in Los Angeles. From the very first moment that I saw her, I was struck by her beauty and kindness. She was truly a gentle soul with a good heart. I watched her interact with her brother and parents and knew she loved deeply, but I also noticed how fragile she really was. As I attempted to approach her, I saw the vulnerability in her eyes. So, I tried to pursue her cautiously. But, it was like attempting to catch a butterfly, and she would slip through my fingers anytime I got too close. I refused to grasp on too tightly since —like a butterfly— she was extremely delicate. And so, my cautiousness caused me to lose her.

As Lottie's date made his exit, she turned to face me with a look of annoyance. Or, maybe it was frustration. "What?" she huffed.

"Umm," I mumbled. "I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong?"

"Oh no, Liam," she soothed. "I didn't mean to say that. I've just had a very..."

"Trying day?" I asked, interrupting her.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I've had a very trying day."

"So, if you had a trying day, why did your date leave you alone with someone else? Someone who could have been a stranger."

"What? You're not a stranger. I'm sure he remembered you from the restaurant."

"Right, I hope that's true. You deserve a partner who cares about your safety. Please don't settle for anything less."

"Liam, I'm not dating Martin. He's just a friend from college."

"It's not really my business who you're dating, Lottie. I know we don't have anything going on between us."

She didn't respond. She just stared at me, biting her lip and not saying anything.

Geez, when was I going to take the hint? When was I going to understand that she was just not that into me?

I looked away from her nervous gaze and cleared my throat. "It was nice seeing you, sweetheart. Take care." Then, I turned to walk toward the counter, but I didn't get very far.

"Liam," Lottie called out, stopping me in my tracks. "Since you're so worried about my safety, maybe you could see me home."

"Me?" I asked, surprised.

She gave me the smallest smile and nodded.

"Of course, I'd be happy to take you home. Are you in a hurry? May I grab a cup of coffee to go?"

"Please, go ahead. I'm not in a rush."

"Okay," I mumbled, still surprised. "Would you like anything?"