Rebuilding A Life, Not A Home

Liam Davis sin

knees, and our first kiss under

nstant in my life, the fixed po

to the life we had built. I even put my own career as an architect on hold, taking a

m and familiar. I was on my knees, sorting throu

d to his ear, a wide, charming smile on his f

y, A

asual, almost

t, can you grab the spare se

of hair from my face. "Sure

d to make my stomach flutter

that. I need them f

hand suddenly heavy. "New place? A

tween us, but a knot of unease tightened

was genuinely confused by my question. It was a look I' d s

not movin

clearly, as if sp

need the keys so I can start

fect life I' d seen plastered all over the internet. Liam had mentioned her,

y outside our window-the distant sirens,

he words feeling foreign and sharp in my mouth.

atient sound. He ran a hand th

hloe. We' re getting

apology, but of pure annoyance. It was as if I was

his was?" He gestured vaguely between the two of us, at

Shock was a physical thing, a cold wave

on on my face and scoffed,

enient. You were alway

rossing his arms. He looked down a

can' t do that, can you? It' s useful, it gets

e harder than a

ight

enient. Gets

career I' d set aside, the love I thought was the foundation o

elf, and saw a complete stranger. A cruel, cold stranger w

used to let fall. I pushed myself

m, not wanting him t

, my voice a stra

e we kept our keys. My hand was shaking as I picked out

ingers brushing mine for a fraction of a second

hard finality