Page 139 of The Design of Goodbye
“That’s too bad. I’ll be at work late tomorrow, but I’ll prepare you some fun holiday-themed food before I leave.”
“Thanks, Dad,” I said, grateful Liam would feel like he had some sort of Christmas celebration. “Sounds good.”
“You wanna play games after dinner?” he asked. “We’re due for some Monopoly.”
Finally, Idid.
“Yeah, Dad, I do.” His eyes widened in surprise and then he grinned, like I’d made his Christmas. “But,” I continued, Thimble falling off my lap as I stood, “I need to go somewhere first.”
“On Christmas?” I nodded, and he asked, “Where?”
“On a mission...”I grinned deviously. “Wanna join? It involves Christmas lights.”
His eyes shined. “I’ll be your wingman. And provide the coffee.”
“Deal.”
He left, and I glanced around the empty sewing room one last time. It was a blank slate, too. I liked that.
Remember what I always told you.
I wondered if my mom’s words would haunt me forever. If they’d always be there, ready to strike when I was at my weakest.
Remember what I always—
“No,” I said aloud. I wouldn’t let her control me anymore. “No. You’re wrong. I am—” I swallowed thickly. “Iamgood enough.”
I turned off the lights. I slammed the door.
And I went upstairs.
To my dad.
chapter forty-seven
I saw Liam beforehe saw me.
I was standing in my driveway, wearing a Ruby June dress. The dress stopped mid-thigh with a plunging back and champagne-colored lace. I was freezing, but it would’ve been a crime to cover the dress with a coat.
When Liam saw me, he almost swerved into one of our trees.
“Your biking skills are still terrible,” I said once he skidded to a stop in front of me.
“Not my fault,” he said, eyeing me up and down. “Look at you.”
My face flushed. “Merry belated Christmas.”
“Merry belated Christmas,” he replied.
He hopped off his bike, barely limping. His ankle was, thankfully, almost healed. It’d gotten worse at first, and for the last week, I’d driven him to and from work so he didn’t have to bike.
“Let’s go inside,” I said. “I have a surprise for you.”
He followed me inside, to the basement, and intomysewing room where his surprise was waiting for him.
He halted in the doorway. Eyes lit up and grinning like a little kid, he said, “You made us a fort?”
The fort took up half the sewing room. I’d used the sewing table and a few chairs to hold up red, green, and gold fabric. Then I’d threaded Christmas lights through the fabric and around the room to create the perfect holiday ambiance.
