Cookie

27

Three days. It’s only been three days since I last saw Liam, but it feels like months.

Ever since Christmas Eve, when he took me home, he’s been out of town visiting his grandparents. We’ve talked on the phone, but it’s not the same. He told me Taylor is fine—just some broken ribs, a dislocated hand, and a lot of bruises. That news brought me relief, though I’ve been sick with worry over the whole thing.

I didn’t realize how much time Liam and I actually spend together until he wasn’t here. Every day, even if only for twenty minutes, we always found time to see each other. Without him, it was like an essential part of me was missing, and not even my friends could fill the emptiness.

So now, as I sit by the window waiting for him to pick me up—along with Logan and Mary—for our trip to the mountain cabin, I don’t understand why I’m so nervous. My legs won’t stop bouncing, my fingers fidget restlessly, and I keep shifting between feeling too warm and too cold.

Then the doorbell rings.

I don’t think. I just run.

The second I open the door and see Liam’s face, I launch myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. He catches me easily, his strong arms holding me tight as he spins us around. We both burst into laughter, and suddenly, my eyes are watering. It’s stupid—I mean, he was only gone for three days. But it felt like an eternity.

"Missed you like hell, Cookie."

His voice is warm and full of something unspoken. He sets me down, but his fingers never leave mine as he grabs my luggage and loads it into the car. When he opens the door for me, my heart does this weird little flip.

Once we’re inside, I turn to him, placing my hand on his face and gently tilting his chin so I can look into his deep brown eyes.

"I missed you so much, Liam… It felt like more than just three days."

He presses a kiss to my hand before starting the engine. That’s when I realize something is missing. I glance at the backseat—it’s empty, except for a box of donuts.

"Wait… where are Logan and Mary?"

Liam smirks, reaching for the box before placing it in my lap, along with a cup of coffee from the cupholder in the back. My heart clenches at the gesture—he remembers all the little things. The way he drives forty minutes just to get my favorite donuts. How he never forgets my coffee—black, with just a little milk. It’s these small things that tell me how much he cares.

"I told them to take their own car. We have something to do before meeting the others," he says, throwing me a glance. "We’ll get to the cabin by night. Is that okay?"

I narrow my eyes. "Tell me we’re not going to be driving all day, because then I’m not okay at all."

Liam laughs, the sound like music to my ears. When he places his hand on my thigh—just like he always does—I relax. I could go anywhere with him, even if it meant driving all day.

"No, Cookie," he reassures me, amusement in his tone. "I wouldn’t do that to you. There’s a place I want to show you. You can see the most beautiful sunset from there. It’s quiet. No interruptions."

His words hit me like a shockwave. I know what he’s talking about—us.

A mix of emotions floods me. Hope, excitement… and fear.

What if I’m wrong? What if he’s not planning to tell me he wants to be with me, but rather, reminding me that he doesn’t do relationships? What if he just wants to offer me a one-time thing again?

Why didn’t I think of this earlier? It makes so much more sense. Why would Liam—Liam—choose me? I’m not the most beautiful girl at school. I’m not the funniest. I don’t have experience with guys. I might be a terrible kisser, or a complete disaster in bed. He’s always the one saving me.

There’s nothing special about me.

So why would Liam want a relationship when he could have anyone? Or worse, when he could go back to seeing a different girl every night, just like before?

The happiness I felt an hour ago evaporates, replaced by doubt and an uneasy feeling in my stomach. I must look as awful as I feel because when Liam glances over and notices my silence, he frowns.

Without hesitation, he pulls over.

"Nat? Are you okay? Are you having a panic attack? Or… are you having flashbacks of the accident?"

I shake my head quickly. His shoulders relax slightly as he exhales a breath he didn’t seem to realize he was holding. Then he cups my face in his hands, his warmth grounding me.

"What’s going on, Cookie? What are you thinking about?"

I lower my hands to my lap, gripping his tightly. My voice is barely above a whisper.

"What happens to us… after? If I give you what you want?"

His brows furrow. "What?"

I swallow hard and force myself to clarify. "What happens to you and me if I give you a one-time thing? Like you asked when we first met?"

Liam’s entire body tenses. His hands tighten around mine, and before I can blink, he’s pushed his seat back and pulled me onto his lap, his arms wrapping around me.

"What the hell were you thinking about that made you ask me that?"

I can’t look at him. Instead, I stare down at my boots, my face burning.

"I’m scared to lose you, Liam," I admit. "I thought I knew what you wanted to talk about, but now I don’t. And if this conversation ends with us falling apart, if I give you what you want and it ruins everything… I just—"

His lips press against the top of my head, silencing my spiraling thoughts. Then he leans forward, resting his forehead against mine, his breath warm against my skin.

"You’re afraid of losing me?" he murmurs, his voice laced with something vulnerable. Then he lets out a soft, almost bitter laugh. "Cookie, I’ve been terrified of losing you since the day we met."

My breath catches.

"At first, I was scared you’d run if you knew what I wanted from you. But then you didn’t. You offered me your friendship, and I took it. And then I started being afraid you’d realize I don’t just see you as a friend. That everything I did—the way I acted around you—was never just friendship."

I can’t move. I can barely breathe.

"Then you went on that stupid date, and I realized how close I was to losing you. You have no idea how relieved I was when you called me that night and told me you weren’t interested in him."

Tears prick my eyes. Fear had paralyzed both of us.

"On Christmas Eve, when your mom told me how you feel about me, I was ecstatic. For the first time, I wasn’t afraid. I had hope. Hope that I could finally tell you what you mean to me. But I didn’t want to do it in some random moment. I wanted it to be special. That’s why I planned this trip."

I rest my head against his chest, my heartbeat unsteady. When I glance outside, I realize we’re no longer on the road—we’re on a mountain, surrounded by trees. In the distance, past a small clearing, I can see the entire city below us, its rooftops a sea of red and gold under the fading sunlight.

"Liam… it’s beautiful."

He smiles, reaching into the glove compartment and pulling out a small box. When he opens it, a delicate heart-shaped necklace gleams inside. My breath catches as he fastens it around my neck.

Then he reaches under his shirt, pulling out a small key hanging from a black string. He uses it to unlock the pendant. It clicks open.

Inside, a tiny photo of us smiles back at me—one Mary took months ago on movie night. On the other side, five simple words are engraved.

You have my heart.
—Liam

Tears spill down my cheeks.

"Oh my God, Liam… it’s perfect."