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“Good morning.” Eve cordially greeted him when she got in the limo that would take her and Liam to the first place where they would fulfill their community service requirement.
Her mother arranged everything with her secretary because Eve declined to take part in the unreasonable plan that she had come up with to help the idiot Liam Woods fix his bad reputation.
Her mother’s warnings always had to be taken into account. Since she didn’t understand why on Earth, Agnes’ predictions were always right.
Eve couldn’t even think of quitting. Eve loved her job at the family business; close to the person she admired the most in the entire universe: her mother, with all her correct predictions or with her impositions.
Eve sighed.
That space was huge for two people who weren’t much interested in talking to one another.
Liam had his headphones on, and he was scribbling in a notebook. She decided to sit in front of him, Eve acted on impulse more than anything else. And the truth is, she wouldn’t regret it because from there she had the perfect view of the man who had caused so many sighs from her.
Eve tilted her head and opened her eyes as she straightened out her thoughts. Eve still sighed more than she would have liked for that Neandertal.
Eve would have never thought that meeting the man she liked the most in the world, would have been such a... How could she put it? Disgusting experience?
Exactly.
She reinforced her thoughts with a quick head movement that caught Liam’s attention, who smiled as he took one of the headphones out.
“Stop scrutinizing me, pretty.” His gaze was a hundred percent challenging.
He was a creep.
“I’m not scrutinizing you and please don’t call me pretty.”
“Well, that’s a little hard because I’m used to addressing the girls of my fans club as pretty.’ Of course, none of them has punched me in the nose for that.”
“Perfect, so you get the point that neither I belong to your fans club nor am I one of your ‘girls.’ And we should start treating each other in a more professional way if we want this to work.”
Liam sighed. “You and I couldn’t work together professionally in a million years, Miss. -goody- two- shoes.”
He was damn cute.
Eve blushed when he smiled again.
“We’ll see, Mr.-I-sleep-with-everyone.”
Liam gave a loud guffaw and in that precise moment, Eve knew that man would turn her life into hell because, yes, she liked him much more than she thought.
***
That hot morning, Liam woke up in a terrible mood for many reasons. Heat, thirst, hunger, but the most powerful was knowing that from that day on he would start working on his great change by doing community service next to the crazy woman who throws punches.
After she punched him, Liam made sure it was clear that if Eve didn’t join him in the community service, he would sue her.
But that was a plan that he had made up so that the stupid assistant quit because he knew that the hatred was reciprocated and he thought, in that way, the intruder would stop controlling his life.
He still didn’t understand why on earth they were so determined to make him change when he was happy just the way he was, and his fans went wild with his antics and with the music of the band. But, apparently, there was nothing to understand, and Sean gave him a list with dates and places where he would go for community service. After that, he let him know that the Eve would not only keep controlling him but that she had also complied with his conditions to avoid the lawsuit and would join him in doing community service.
Liam was completely taken aback by the news.
He was convinced that the whole group was starting to hate him, the same as Sean. He thought that they were already fed up with him and his behavior because not even Cole who lived his life free of compromises, just like him, had stood up for him when they had met to organize the following month’s schedule so that all the group and individual activities would fit.
For that reason, Liam had started his day in a bad mood. He hadn’t even seen Julie after his morning coffee. Much less thought of playing her.
He could have ripped off its strings by playing it frantically enough to get rid of his bad mood.
He’d rather not do that. The guitar changed his life and turned him into the brilliant musician that he was. It was the closest to the love of his life that Liam had, given the fact that the real love of his love still hadn’t shown up and he wasn’t expecting it to. He loved that instrument so much that he didn’t let anyone touch it in any way. It lay against a beautiful pedestal he had specially made. He had also given it a name because, for him, Julie was much more than an object.
Julie was the one who soothed his rage, his anxiety, his loneliness and many of his thoughts were silenced by her music. But that morning, Liam wasn’t in the mood for playing her because that kind of rage was unknown to him.
All the community service stuff seemed crazy to Liam, and it appeared even more so with the woman who got into the limo with a face that looked like a bulldog with rabies.
At least, among all the negative aspects that Liam could spot in Eve, and in spite of the little he knew her, she had two good things: her capacity of understanding when a person wanted to talk or not and her ability to punch.
Oh, yes! Never before had he received a punch like the one that woman had thrown on his nose. She almost broke it, according to the doctor.
Liam didn’t like to be scrutinized. That’s why he broke the silence he had sworn to maintain during each visit with her.
Eve’s gaze felt like it weighed him down. Liam tried to lose himself in the melody that came from his iPod and the drawings he was making of his new tattoo.
After all, having broken his own rule didn’t seem so terrible because there was something in the way she talked that seemed funny to him. He liked her sarcasm. He hated superficial girls and life wouldn’t be so cruel as to send him a controlling witch that would clean up his image and that also threw punches, but that was also superficial.
“Are you going to stay in there with your scribbles or are you going to get your ass out of the limo?”
Liam blinked a couple of times and saw the drawing. He’d done a good job.
He got out of the limo with the notebook that he’d been drawing in held in his hand.
“You should ask my sister for help with your scribbles if you’re planning to tattoo it on your body.”
“It’s not a scribble, and it was her who gave me the idea of drawing something like this. I have an appointment at her stud...”
“I don’t care. You can shut up now,” Eve interrupted him, as she moved forward to enter the building for community service located in the Bronx that had been arranged for that day.
Liam could hear the clicks from the cameras that belonged to the reporters who were standing on the opposite sidewalk, recording the first moment that according to everyone would make him a better person.
Eve entered and closed the door behind her.
She was an aggressive woman.
How long had she been without sex? You could see from a long distance that she had spent a long time without any company to help release her tension.
Liam entered the building.
The nursing home was spacious, full of light, and its walls were painted in a soothing shade of beige. The director of the center, Lily, received them politely and enthusiastically. She showed them their scheduled activities after having introduced them to the staff who would help them if necessary.
“Good afternoon!” A grey-haired, plump man with sky-blue eyes approached the public relations assistant and spanked her. It took Eve completely by surprise. “They’ve sent us good-looking staff, Lucinda.”
Liam couldn’t help bursting into laughter when he saw Eve’s shocked expression and watched as her ears turned immediately red.
“Mr. Johnson, please!” The director blushed too, but with embarrassment. “How dare you do that? And I’m Lily, not Lucinda.”
“Bah!” the old man complained while holding his belt buckle. “Lily, Lucinda, Laura, it’s the same thing, and it is more than clear that this babe is here to entertain the battalion with her friends, right gorgeous? Where are the rest of the girls? Has everyone picked one already?”
Liam burst out laughing again when he saw Eve’s face and his smile faded immediately when she closed one of her fists.
“Mr. Johnson.” Liam took one of the man’s hands. “I’m very pleased to meet you. You’ve become my hero this morning.” The man’s chest puffed out with pride.
Liam took him by the arm and led him to the garden just after turning his gaze to Eve and showed her the best mocking smile of the year.
After all, it seemed that he was going to have a whale of a time with the community service.
***
“Miss Collins, I’m so sorry for the incident you’ve just been involved in.” The director was deeply embarrassed. “This is something that always embarrasses us when we receive volunteers. Most of the elderly in this center cling to their past.”
“I see,” Eve answered, trying to calm down. It was something hard to achieve since she felt like she was being taken over by a demon.
She’d been about to break the elderly man’s nose when he spanked her. She held back because she immediately understood that the man lived in his past. In times in which he surely served in combat and found young ladies to end up in bed.
Eve’s grandmother suffered from Alzheimer’s, and she was well aware of how the patient’s mind stayed trapped in the past, maybe in the period they had been the happiest. They forgot faces, names, addresses, family members, everything. Eve deemed Alzheimer’s to be one of the worst diseases in existence.
And although she felt helpless for not having defended herself as she should have, she knew inside her heart that she had acted in the right way.
They had started this torture of a volunteer program off on the wrong foot.
“If you don’t want to continue coming to the center I’ll understand.”
“Oh! No!” Eve smiled at the woman gently. “I won’t deny that I was about to give Mr. Johnson his due.” The woman smiled amusedly. Eve couldn’t help imitating her. “But my grandmother also had Alzheimer’s, and well, I understand how the disease works. Although I don’t have many memories about it.”
The director nodded. “I’m sorry about both things.”
“Yes, me too.” Eve relaxed a bit. “I’d like a coffee, please.”
The woman snorted.
“After what has just happened I’ll bring you the whole coffee house if you want.”
They both laughed and with that Eve got rid of the tension that she had due to Mr. Johnson.
They walked down a long aisle until they reached a room for the exclusive use of employees.
“Please, feel free to enter. This is our break room. I have to warn you that most of our patients suffer from the disease and it’s necessary to have a lot of patience with them. If at any moment you feel that you can’t stand it anymore. I’ll be waiting for you in my office.”
“Thanks.” Eve smiled gently. “I don’t think it will be harder than dealing with the rebel without a cause that I came with today.”
The director of the nursing home frowned.
“Just ignore me. I understand myself and...” A woman pushed the director in order to move forward.
“Have you found Brian? The lady is a police officer, right? Did my husband call?” The woman asked the director. The woman was beautiful, with delicate features, beautiful skin that barely showed a couple of wrinkles and the sweetest gaze Eve had seen in years.
“No, ma’am. They haven’t found him, and the lady is a volunteer at the nursing home.”
The woman with the angelic face got upset, and a couple of tears escaped her eyes.
Eve felt sorry for her. She looked at Lily inquisitively to find out what was going on.
“My son has run away from home, miss,” It was clear that the woman had a bad memory, but not a bad perception of what happened around her, “and my beloved husband has gone to look for him,” the woman’s voice showed deep anguish.
Eve took a sip of her coffee.
She felt great compassion for the woman.
“Would you like to go for a walk with me?”
The woman shook her head in denial. “The sorrow that fills my chest weighs too much for a walk.”
Eve’s heart shrunk in pain. “Can I do anything to help you?”
Eve put her hand on the woman’s shoulder, who now looked into Eve’s eyes.
Her clear gaze showed Eve that the woman’s suffering was very real.
“Thanks, but I just want to go home.”
“I’ll join you, then.” Eve looked at Lily with an air of complicity, and the latter nodded.
“Room 605.”
Eve held the sweet woman’s hand and placed it on her arm to help support the woman while walking.
“Let’s go.” They started to walk. “My name is Eve,” she introduced herself to her companion, who was looking lost, and only had a reaction when Eve asked her name.
“Helen, young lady. My name is Helen.”
***
That day Liam arrived home a little stunned.
General Michael Johnson had given him a good history lesson about the Vietnam War. The man was much more than a war veteran. You could perceive the passion and love he felt toward the position he had reached in the army. He talked about his job with great pride, but also with deep nostalgia.
A tightness invaded Liam’s chest that night at the thought of the terrible war stories that Mr. Johnson had told him. The poor man remembered once and again the losses of his squad and what was crueler, his mind could remember perfectly the way in which his comrades had died.
Liam thought that was not fair.
It wasn’t fair that a man almost gave his life for his country. He lost his leg because of a bomb. It was such a tragic ending and Liam wasn’t referring to his being at a geriatric center. Liam approved of elderly people being at a center where they were always well taken care of.
But what seemed the most terrible injustice to him was that the general’s brain was being attacked by a terrible disease which trapped him in that time. Despite the fact that the old man remembered those times with pleasure it was still cruel to relive it again and again.
Liam shook his head while he rummaged in the fridge for something light to eat.
It had been a tough day, and he was starving.
He saw Julie and sighed.
He took the bagel out of the toaster. He smeared it with a little cream cheese and gobbled it up in two bites.
Liam opened a bottle of beer, turned on the lamp that was next to the couch, and went to get Julie before he lay down to sing a melancholic song that would awaken his worst memories. The ones he had of his mother. Of that woman who had deserted Liam with no regard of what would happen to him.
Liam had looked for her for many years when he’d first started to be successful in the band. He looked for her, not to ask her why she had bailed on him, or why she preferred alcohol over taking care of her son. No. He didn’t care about any of those things anymore. He just wanted to know what she was up to.
Liam found out she had spent some time at a rehabilitation center. Apparently, she started to need drugs stronger than alcohol to detach herself from her disgusting life. The case had been closed when the private investigator he hired informed him that the woman had died of an overdose.
That day he had understood that he was alone in the world. Alone. No more relatives, nothing.
By then the band had started to gain popularity, and he adopted his friends as his real family.
Liam smiled at the thought of each of them.
An incoming call pulled him out of his thoughts.
“Cole.”
“What’s up?”
“I’m fine.”
“How was your day with the public relations witch?”
“The truth is, it wasn’t that bad. Although I had a day of shitty memories.” Liam remembered again the stories told by the general and the ones of his mother.
“I’m with a couple of girls. Do you wanna come?”
Liam could hear music and some girls giggling. He could picture them. Less than twenty years old, blonde, no tits, no butt, and not a thing, because those type of girls were Cole’s favorite and the ones ready to keep their legs spread all night long.
“Thanks, brother, but I’ll pass.”
“Are you O.K?” Cole asked curiously.
Liam wasn’t quite sure. “Yes, man. Today I just want to stay at home with Julie and play until I fall asleep.”
“Has the witch already changed your mind in one day?”
Liam burst out laughing. “Nothing can make me change, but I’m tired. I really don’t feel like being tangled up in legs until dawn.”
“Ok, we’ll be at my place if you change your mind.”
“I’ll take that into account. Have a nice screw.”
Now it was Cole who cracked up.
“I’m not with you. I’m very sorry that you’ve decided to be boring tonight. Bye.”
Liam hung up, and he continued playing his distant and melancholic melody. It just made him sink deeper into his painful memories.
He didn’t realize when he fell asleep. He only knew when Julie fell to the ground, making a hard noise that woke him.
Liam stood up immediately to pick up his beloved. He examined the instrument briefly to make sure that his girl was still in perfect condition and, after that; he placed it on the pedestal.
The light poured through the huge windows of the loft that Liam had bought a couple of years ago in Manhattan. It was modern, minimalist and enough for him. Despite the fact that he had made a great fortune, which kept growing, he was a simple man. He liked to feel at ease and not throw money on things that he knew wouldn’t give him satisfaction. He was grateful to have enough to get by, but he wouldn’t go around wasting what he earned.
Liam was a rebellious guy, but deep inside he knew that he wasn’t going to be forever young. Although he had chosen a career he loved, and he could possibly sing until he was a hundred years old he knew more than anyone that everything he had today could disappear tomorrow. That was why among the members of the band Liam was the most careful about economic matters. He was the one who always made the right decisions to invest money and the one who kept safe part of his income to use when the entire band was grey and old.
He entered the bathroom, washed up, and then he went straight to the kitchen to make some coffee.
He didn’t feel like going for a run in Central Park that morning, and the limousine would soon arrive to take him and the public relations woman who knows where.
He grabbed the folder that Sean had given him before he had started with all the nonsense of community service.
He looked at the schedule.
“School in Chelsea.” He read out loud and snorted. I hope they are young children. I’m not in the mood for socializing with teenagers.
Liam complained as he grabbed his cell phone to send a message to the whole group.
We have band practice tomorrow, he wrote on the WhatsApp group.
If the witch lets you, Cole added an animated gif of a girl dressed in leather who was whipping the air.
Alex entered a full line of emojis with tears of joy, and Harry just wrote a long ‘hahahahahahahaha.’
Liam nodded his head, smiling. I wish she’d whipped me dressed like that.
You’ll never change, Liam. Harry’s text immediately became noticeable
What are you talking about? Cole got involved in the conversation. I told you yesterday to come to my place with the pair of girls that are still sleeping in my bed, and you said no.
Cole should get involved in the community service activities to put himself on track, Harry wrote.
No way. I do it behind closed doors. I’m different from our star vocalist, who goes around giving shows anywhere girls take him.
You are a bunch of idiots. Thanks to you, I have to waste my time with that woman, Liam texted. Liam remembered the spanking that the girl had received from the general the day before. The memory of her shocked expression caused him to burst into a guffaw.
Although, I have to admit that yesterday was fun. Liam told the guys about the incident.
What a smart old man! That woman’s butt seems to be asking for a couple of spankings. Cole wrote every single thing that crossed his mind, and Liam thought of her walking in front of him. The woman definitely had a nice butt. He would have to take a closer look at her because he still hadn’t been able to get a good look at her as he should have and maybe they could break the ice in their relationship.
Liam shook his head. There were no chances of her accepting something like that, much as she liked him.
Were you thinking about her? Cole knew him way too much.
No, I was making myself a cup of coffee.
Can you stop texting at this damn hour? Jamie finally showed up on the chat. I’m trying to sleep. Yesterday we were celebrating with some friends of Monica’s who came to the city for a couple of days.
Turn off your cell. Cole told him.
That’s exactly what I’m planning to do, bye.
What’s the activity for today with Miss Perfect Butt?
We’re going to a school in Chelsea. Liam added a fearful faced emoji.
Harry answered with laughing emojis. Well, I think that’s perfect. You can practice being surrounded by kids.
Are you planning to open a daycare center? Cole couldn’t wait to ask.
No, since all of you are going to become uncles of my firstborn.
Liam felt joy in his heart. Pure joy.
You could have waited until we all met to give us the news. Liam complained.
Should I have thrown a goddamn party? Lucy has just got out of the bathroom with the test, and I can’t hold my emotions in. I’m going to be a father!!!!!!! I’m crying more than my wife. He sent a selfie that proved he wasn’t lying. Harry’s wide green eyes were red, just like his nose.
I’m happy for you, brother. Give Lucy my best regards. We should all get back to work, too. Alex wrote.
Brother, I’m so happy for you that I’m going to have a big celebration with the blondes I have in my bed.
Are you scared? Liam asked.
Terrified
Liam smiled after reading the answer. He had never thought of starting a family. He considered it too much responsibility, but still, he liked kids. If he decided to take life seriously and start a family, Liam thought he would like it to be a large one. Many children running around the house. Many children to take care of and love.
He sighed.
I’m very happy for you, brother. I know you are going to be a good father and you know you can count on me for anything you need.
Thanks. Harry replied with a smiling emoji. Tomorrow, after band practice, we are going to have some beers to celebrate.
Liam sent a thumb up emoji.
***
That morning, Eve arrived at the school joyfully. Eve loved children, and she felt happy being able to share certain activities with them. She had already visited that school some months ago because they needed helpers for certain extra activities that the education center carried out.
She would be assigned to the same grade as the previous time. The children would feel at ease with her since they already knew her.
When she entered the classroom the children were jumping around. The teacher was decorating the room with summer designs. In a couple of days, all of the children would be on holidays with their families, or in summer camps.
“Good morning,” Eve greeted Miss Sharon.
“Eve, thanks for coming again.”
“Don’t thank me. You know how much I love to come and help with the kids.”
“Eve!” A boy with brown curls and cute dimples on his cheeks hugged one of her legs. Eve smiled in surprise.
Josh was a charming boy who had latched onto her the last time she had visited the school.
“I missed you,” the little boy said when Eve kneeled down and hugged him.
Miss Sharon looked at them kindly.
“Oh, look!” Liam mocked her in a low voice, but loud enough to be heard by Eve and Miss Sharon. “Deep inside you do have a heart. I thought you were only trained to punch.”
“Oh!” The teacher changed her expression when she saw Liam, and she approached him immediately, batting her eyelashes. “Would you sign an autograph for me? It is not common to see such a handsome man around.”
Good God! The sweet and innocent teacher seemed to have turned into a slut ready to sink her claws into Liam. She was ogling at him.
“Is this your boyfriend?” Josh asked Eve looking into her eyes while he stroked her hair.
Eve snorted. “A moron like that could only dream about having a girlfriend like me.”
“My mother says it’s not right to say, moron,” Josh made a face, “but mom is not here right now, and we don’t have to tell her that you’ve said that bad word.”
Eve winked at him.
“Sharon, I would take her away from the kids. She’s a bad influence.”
“Maybe you’re the one who is bad by influencing Sharon,” added Eve in a very low voice.
Sharon smiled in a silly way while she squinted at him.
“Shall we start?” Eve asked a couple of times before the teacher responded.
“Oh! Yes! Sure. I’m sorry. Let’s start.” Then she faced the children and said, “Children, let’s sit in a circle. We’re going to read some stories.”
The children did as they were told and Josh joined them. When all of them had formed a circle and were silent the teacher introduced the guests.
“Mom is going to die when I tell her that you were here today,” A cute girl said to the Liam.
Liam smiled.
“Do you know who I am?”
“Yes, my mother’s boyfriend. Although my father assures her that it was him who caught her.”
Liam let out a laugh. Eve did the same because the girl knew that what she was saying was not true. The public relations assistant loved that characteristic of children. They were innocent, but not dumb.
Eve could picture the girl’s mother watching Liam on TV and saying, “There’s my boyfriend.”
Of course, she could picture her doing that. Because those were her exact thoughts when she saw Liam anywhere. She looked at him while he was laughing with the little girl. Eve could see some delicate wrinkles around his eyes, and he seemed to feel at ease surrounded by kids. Maybe he was not as foolish as she had thought. It was better that way because it was quite a waste to humanity that such a handsome and talented man had a childish attitude that characterized him. There had to be something good in him.
“What’s your name?” Liam asked the girl who seemed to have just got out of a fight.
“Katie.” She shook his hand, and Liam smiled again.
“You’re strong, Katie.”
The little girl raised her arms showing her biceps.
“Do you like reading?”
“I prefer dancing and putting on lipstick.”
Eve burst into laughter.
She found it really funny how four-year-old children could have such a defined personality.
“Then let’s start with the reading so that we also have time for dancing.”
***
They read several stories, danced to children’s songs, which Katie explicitly stated that she didn’t like. She preferred songs by Taylor Swift, Pink, and even X69. She named many of Liam’s favorite songs, and he puffed up with pride. The fact that a four-year-old girl liked his songs was priceless. Katie even hummed part of the band’s last single.
She was charming. Liam looked at her with beaming eyes. He did like children. Especially at the age in which they were so genuine, so free, so honest.
“Now we are going to play.” Katie took Liam’s hand and led him to a small table. “We’ll have to bring you a bigger desk next time you come because you’ve grown a lot.” The girl took a pencil and pretended to write down notes. “Then, a new desk, a computer, and a camera.”
Liam smiled.
“What is all that for, honey?”
“So that you can give me an interview. I’m a presenter on the morning show Wake up with Katie. Don’t you ever watch TV?”
The girl had one hand on her hips.
“Oh! Right!” Liam answered placing a hand on his forehead. “I didn’t recognize you.”
“Katie, today we are going to pretend that Eve is my girlfriend. Do you agree?” Josh, the boy that wouldn’t leave Eve’s side, interrupted them.
“Josh, I’m working, and you know that I don’t like to be bothered when I’m working. Eve, would you mind taking care of getting those things for the next program?” The girl gave her a scribbled paper.
“And why do I have to get them?” Eve asked smiling.
“Don’t contradict me, please. I want you to be my secretary.”
Liam laughed under his breath.
“Can Josh help me?”
“No, everyone is in charge of their own things. Josh is out of a job and has to take care of the house.” Liam and Eve turned around to look in the direction Katie was pointing to, and they saw Josh putting a kitchen apron on, in front of the stove, pretending he was preparing the food.
He took the phone that was next to the fridge.
“Ring, Ring.” Josh was imitating the sound of the phone while he looked at Eve.
“Answer,” commanded the girl, handing her the other toy phone. “He wants to know if you’d like pasta for lunch.”
Liam burst out laughing when he saw Eve’s puzzled expression.
“Yes?”
“Hi, honey, how is it going at the office?”
“Fine.” Eve didn’t know what else to answer. “I’m having a great first day with my new boss.”
Katie smiled at her.
“I’m glad. Is it okay if I make pasta with broccoli?”
“Do you like broccoli?” Eve sounded funny.
“Actually, I don’t, but it’s good for our growth.”
Liam roared with laughter again.
“Then I’ll eat it.”
“Okay. See you later.”
“See you,” Eve answered, looking at Liam in a funny way.
“Do they play like this every day?”
“No,” Katie answered. “Other days I’m his girlfriend, but he always stays at home while I go to work.”
Miss Sharon approached them.
“Coincidentally, both their parents work from home and take care of everything.”
“I love when children are taught these things,” Eve said looking at everyone with a special glow in her brown eyes.
Liam tilted his head to watch her better.
To be honest, Eve was beautiful. She had long curled hair, the same color as her expressive eyes, and provocative lips. Liam looked at them closer, her lips were thick but sensuous. She was slim, her body looked toned so he assumed she must work out a lot and when she played with the kids Eve made a gesture with her nose that caught Liam’s attention.
“I’m sorry, children, but it’s time to put everything away because we are going to the playground and our guests have to leave.”
Both children turned frowned in sadness.
Little Josh clung to Eve’s neck.
“Will I see you soon?”
Eve hugged him and looked him in the eye. “You’ll be on holidays in a few days, but I promise to come back next school year.” Eve sealed her promise with a hug.
“And you? Will you come back?” Katie asked Liam.
“We have a pending interview. Have you forgotten? Because I haven’t. Besides, I have a good assistant who will remind me,” Liam said, looking at Eve, who rolled her eyes.
“She’s my assistant, not yours.”
Katie gave Eve a look of complicity, and she raised her little thumb. Eve copied her.
“Don’t forget to bring everything I’ve listed down.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Liam smiled watching them play.
In two hours, the girl had managed to give him one of the best mornings of his life, and he would surely come again a thousand times to play with her. He was delighted with the girl’s naughtiness and intelligence.
They said goodbye and left the education center.
There were some reporters waiting outside with the aim of getting some soundbites and taking their pictures.
They avoided the intrusive reporters and got into the car.
Liam couldn’t stop smiling.
“I see this morning’s visit has suited you well,” said Eve looking sideways at him.
“And yesterdays too, don’t think that I’ll forget how the General received you.”
“Sometimes I forget how unbearable you are.”
“It’s the same. I don’t care what you think of me anyway and to finish this conversation. I want to thank you for bringing me here this morning. Those kids are wonderful.”
Eve gave him a totally sincere smile for the first time.
“Well, that’s surprising!” Liam looked her in the eyes while she smiled at him. “Not only are you good at punching, but you also know how to smile brightly.”
Eve wiped the smile off her face immediately and rolled her eyes. She let out a sigh as she turned her head to the car window. “Yes, you can actually be an unbearable jerk sometimes.”
Liam smiled while he looked at her uttering those words without looking at him.
He didn’t mind them, and he shook his head, smiling. He felt great when he annoyed Eve. He didn’t know why, but it was so fun for him to make her mad. He lay back on the seat and thought it was a good time to start thinking of new ways of annoying Miss-goody-two-shoes while they were together. If she made him do social service. She would be forced to put up with all his jokes.
Yes, he would do that.