Nicole’s POV
The door closed behind us, and the quiet of the room settled in a way that made my chest feel tight instead of calm.
Liam loosened his jacket, acting normal, like nothing strange had happened downstairs. Like his mother hadn’t walked in and looked at me as if I didn’t quite belong.
I folded my arms. “Why didn’t you tell me your mom was coming today?”
He paused, then turned to me. “Nicole… I forgot.”
I stared at him, disbelief flashing through me. “You forgot?” My voice came out sharper than I intended. “Liam, that’s not something you forget.”
He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. “I didn’t forget completely. I actually called you earlier.”
I frowned. “You called me?”
“Yes,” he said quickly. “But when we talked later, you didn’t sound in a good mood. I thought you’d
