closed the door behind him.
Liv got out of her car, and for a moment they faced off. “Thanks for taking Dad to the hospital,” Liv finally said. Inadequate words, but the best she could do right now.
Matt hooked a thumb in his pocket. “I fed the steers.”
“Thank you.”
“You okay?”
A brief shake of her head. No, she was not okay. She felt angry and inadequate.
“How’s Tim?”
“He’s on antibiotics and painkillers. He’s going to have his gallbladder removed and they think he’ll be fine.” Stop there. Let Matt go home. But for some reason she couldn’t. “I didn’t want to leave the hospital, but Andie insisted.” Liv rubbed a hand over her forehead. “I feel so stupid and angry. I should have realized...”
“You did,” Matt said. “But there was no way you could have strong-armed Tim into going to the hospital.”
“I don’t know—”
“Yeah, you do. This is Tim Bailey we’re talking about.” He gently took her face in his hands, tilting it up so he could look into her eyes, his expression very serious. “You know that’s true. Right?”
“Don’t kiss me,” she said.
He smiled. A real smile with real warmth, not a smile calculated to charm her into doing what he wanted. “Wouldn’t think of it.” But his hands stayed where they were, making her feel connected to him—a connection she didn’t know if she wanted. “But how about I make you some tea or pour you a bourbon or something? Just as a friend? Not someone trying to kiss you.”
“We don’t have bourbon,” Liv said, remembering when Tim had wanted bourbon after his Margo trauma.
“I do,” he said. “In the truck.” He dropped his hands as he spoke. Connection broken. Liv felt both relieved and disappointed. The more logical part of her was saying she needed to handle this on her own.
“That’s disturbing,” she said. “Keeping bourbon in the truck.”
“Not really. I’d just finished grocery shopping when Tim called. I dropped Craig at the house, but didn’t take time to unload.”
“Craig. Should he be alone?”
“He’s fourteen, Liv. I think he’s all right. Probably dusting up a storm, but fine.”
“Dusting...?”
“I’ll explain later. Tea? Bourbon?”
Since he was giving her the choice and not forcing the issue, Liv said, “Both.”
“Atta girl.”
Liv went into the house ahead of him, snapping on lights then automatically picking up the crossword puzzle book and pencil that lay on the floor next to Tim’s chair. Was that what he’d been doing when he’d had the attack?
She went into the kitchen to put on the kettle. Matt came into the house and then followed her over to the sink. He took the kettle from her hand. “I’m making the tea.”
“I need to move.”
“Fine. You make the tea, I’ll pour the shots.”
Liv looked over her shoulder, startled. “I thought I’d have the bourbon in the tea.”
“A shot before and a shot in the tea.”
Liv let out a breath. “Sounds good.” And it did. She needed something warm inside of her, something to dim the jangling thoughts bumping up against one another in her head.
Matt had no trouble finding shot glasses. He set down a large one that read What Happens in Vegas... next to a smaller one with a smiley face on it.
“Nice barware,” he said, making Liv feel the inane urge to laugh.
“Only the best.”
He poured the bourbon, waiting to hand Liv her glass until after she’d turned the kettle on. Then he lightly touched her glass with his and said, “To Tim’s speedy recovery.”
The corners of Liv’s mouth quivered oh so slightly before she nodded and sipped, and Matt, she could see, had noticed, so she worked up a weak smile. Then she sat in her usual spot at the table and Matt unknowingly sat in Tim’s. It seemed odd. Wrong. But she was glad he was there. Maybe a little too glad.
Be careful...
Liv took another sip, studying Matt as he in turn studied the glass in his hand as if trying to think of something to say. Under the circumstances it probably wasn’t right for her to notice that he was one hell of a specimen of manhood, from his black hair down to his scuffed-up boots, so she shoved the thought out of her mind. Although dwelling on gut-wrenching concerns about her father didn’t seem like a great alternative.
The kettle whistled, making her jump. She automatically pulled two mugs out of the cupboard when Matt said, “None for me. I’m driving.”
She shook her head, amused in spite of herself, then dropped a tea bag into her mug