He grabbed a t-shirt out of his closet and pulled it over his head. Did he have to cover up his abs? Wait no. I couldn't think about that right now.

713/890

I hopped out of bed and went to my oversized purse to get my clothes that I'd packed the day before. I had a pair of shorts and a summery blouse, so I pulled on the outfit quickly and tried to calm my nerves.

Let’s recap. We’d just had some raunchy sex in his living room last night and now I was meeting his mother. And oh yes, I’d gone to bed with my hair still damp. I reached up to feel around the web of tangles that had at some point been my hair. On a scale of one to toe-up, I was probably looking similar to Courtney Love on a bad day.

How would this even work? Would he walk out first and then I would follow him fifteen minutes later and explain that I'd slept in the guest room?

714/890

"Oh, ha-ha, I always come over to Liam's house at the crack of dawn... no, of course, I didn't have sex with your son last night."

"I forgot she was coming into town." He eyed me with amusement. "I've been a little preoccupied."

I wiped my hand down my face and then ran to the bathroom so I could pee and brush my hair. Thankfully once I was done, I looked semi-presentable.

"Ready?" Liam asked when I'd returned from the bathroom.

I gulped. "Are we going down together?

What are you going to tell your mom? Does she know you have girls stay over?"

"I'm 25, Kinsley, not 15."

715/890

I rolled my eyes. That wasn't helping. He stepped closer and wrapped me up in a tight hug so that only my tiptoes were left on the floor. "Besides, she knows about you and she's wanted to meet you."

I pressed my lips into a thin line. Had he really talked to his mom about me? I remembered him mentioning her visit the other week. I couldn’t believe we'd completely forgotten. I should have had it tattooed on me somewhere.

He loosened his grip and then took my hand to lead me toward the kitchen.

"Mom!" Liam yelled as we rounded the corner.

"Liam!" she exclaimed, turning from the stove and throwing her arms around her son.

I pulled my hand out of his so they could 716/890

have a private moment, but it only took her a second before she glanced up and saw me standing there with my hands clasped in front of me.

"You must be Kinsley!" she beamed, pushing Liam aside like he was yesterday's news and then stepping forward to wrap me in a hug. Citrus. His mother smelled like fresh citrus, and I took a deep breath as she enveloped me in her arms.

"Hello, Mrs. Wilder," I smiled when she released me. Her eyes scanned over me, not to size me up, but rather just to get a good look at me. She was an inch shorter than me with the same dirty blonde hair that sat atop Liam's head. Hers was mixed with a few strands of grey though. She was probably in her mid-fifties, but she exuded a youthful air 717/890

and I think I fell for her instantly. I wanted her to like me.

"You have the best taste, Liam,” she winked at me. “He gets that from me," she said before going back to tending the stove.

"Do you like bacon and eggs, Kinsley? I've got some muffins going in the oven as well."

The more she spoke, the more I noticed her slight English accent. It added to her charm.

"I love all breakfast foods," I said, patting my stomach. She beamed at me again and then I finally glanced toward Liam. He'd been resting against the refrigerator wearing a playful grin. I winked and stuck my tongue out at him before turning back to his mother.

"Do you need help with anything? I'm pretty good with eggs. Wait, let me rephrase 718/890

that, sometimes I can scramble eggs without burning them," I offered.

"Could you start making some coffee? I was filling the pot when you guys walked in,"

she answered. I immediately started tending to the coffee while Liam grabbed the cream and sugar.

"How long are you in town for, Mom?"

he asked, slinging his arm over her shoulder playfully. She hip checked him and then shooed him away so she could flip the bacon.

"Well I was supposed to be here yesterday afternoon so I could see your match, but my flight was delayed," she huffed and threw her hand in the air as if to say 'those damn airlines'. "So now I've only got three days left before I head home."

719/890

"You didn't miss anything special, promise," Liam assured her.

"I cheered extra loud when he scored, Mrs. Wilder," I winked, and they both laughed.

"Well as long as he had you there, he probably didn't miss me at all," she quipped, piling the eggs and bacon onto a big plate.

I set the table and Liam set out a carafe of orange juice.

"You two need to eat up, you're both top athletes and you need your fuel. Especially you, Kinsley. You look like you're skin and bones," she said, pushing eggs onto my plate.

"I promise I eat a lot. I just run every day," I shrugged and started biting into my bacon.

720/890

Liam gave me a reassuring smile and then reached to hold my knee under the table. I think all parents have instincts to fatten up their kids. My grandmother would always shove cookies down my throat whenever we went over for holidays. If only I got cookies shoved down my throat everywhere I went…

"Well you two are quite the athletic couple," his mom smiled and munched on her breakfast, eyeing us with admiration. I had no clue how she normally acted, but so far I felt like this meeting was going much better than expected.

"Good morning, you filthy neighbors!

Tuck away your naughty bits, Becca’s on the scene!" Becca’s voice rang out as the back door opened. Liam laughed as I hid my face 721/890

behind my cup of coffee. I’d be karate chopping her naughty bits as soon as we were alone. A moment later, she and Penn walked into the kitchen like they owned the place.

"Oh, oops!" Becca exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand as she realized her mistake. "Is this a family breakfast?" she asked, pausing so that Penn nearly walked into her. “Ignore what I said about the…” Mrs. Wilder scooted her chair back to cut her off. She probably didn’t want to hear anymore about her son’s naughty bits. "No, no! Join us! You must be Penn's friend," his mom said, standing up to greet Becca. They shook hands as Becca attempted to cover her flushing cheeks. Hah.

"Hey neighbors," I smiled, hopping up to get them plates.

722/890

Thankfully Mrs. Wilder had prepared more than enough food, and soon the five of us were all sitting around the table eating and chatting. I only attempted to kick Becca in the kneecaps twice beneath the table.

"So you girls play on the same team?"

Mrs. Wilder asked Becca and me.

"Yes, ma'am." I smiled at Becca who was in the middle of taking a big bite.

"They must only recruit the pretty ones,"

she proclaimed, making us both blush. The boys agreed emphatically. I rolled my eyes at Liam and he just shrugged like he had no choice.

"Well Kinsley was recruited because they felt sorry for her," Becca joked, “you know for being…” she paused and signed the 723/890

universal gesture for cuckoo. I jabbed her with my fork.

"Becca's actually the team manager. She just gets me water when I need it and cleans my sweaty jerseys," I quipped with a cheeky grin.

Becca gave me a pointed stare and held her fork up in a way that made it look like she was flipping me the bird.