The moment Liam made eye contact with her last night, electricity shot through him. He instantly knew who she was. But at the same time, he was certain he had never met her before. How could she be real? She only lived in his dreams. It was as if a forgotten memory of her was floating beneath the surface, blurry at the edges, becoming more defined as he dove deeper.
“Hey, Liam. Snap out of it.”
Startled, he looked up. Having been so lost in his thoughts, he had not noticed Trey and Luke walk up to the table. “Hey. Sorry, guys. It’s been a morning.”
“Seems like it,” Trey said while he and Luke took their seat. “What the hell is going on. I’ve never seen this look on you before. You’re worried. Spill it.”
If there was anyone Liam could trust, it was Trey and Luke. He was not so much afraid about telling them what was going on as he was finding out what was really going on.
After the waitress jotted down their breakfast orders, the three of them talked for about an hour. Liam explained in more detail what he had seen while working on the furnace the night before. He also told them about Emily’s window being open, as well as her story about the shadow figure in her bathroom. That was when Luke spoke, “Where is she now? From how you described what happened, it sounds like she’s pretty freaked out. Is she okay?”
“I talked to her before coming here. She insisted she’s fine. I gave her my number, told her not to hesitate to call if anything happens.” Liam rubbed his hands down his face, clasping them together under his chin, and resting his elbows on the table. “I have a feeling she’s not sharing everything with me, though. I need to talk to her more. She’s definitely leaving out some details.”
He took a sip of his vodka and cranberry, deciding at the last moment to down the rest of it. The stares from his friends were palpable.
“Liam, what is it? There’s something you’re not telling us.”
Liam was the leader of the team. The levelheaded, calm force that held everyone together in stressful situations. Now, he was a shaky ball of nerves with a case that he had no idea how to tackle.
Inhaling deeply and deciding that he should not keep his teammates in the dark, Liam leaned further over the table and lowered his voice to a soft tone. “I’m almost positive that she’s the woman from my dream.”
Trey and Luke sat silent for a heartbeat before saying at the same time, “You mean, the woman?”
“Yeah. It’s her. Only it’s present-day now. But I knew it the moment I saw her. I haven’t wanted to believe it. Told myself it’s just a coincidence. But when I saw her again this morning after I heard her scream, and again right before I left to come here, there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s her.”
Luke sat back in his chair. “Wow.”
Liam sat back. Now that he’d gotten that information off his chest, he felt more relaxed. “I barely slept last night, and when I did sleep, I dreamt of her again. I feel this strong pull toward her.” Liam balled his fist and pressed it to the center of his chest. “It’s hard to explain. When I first saw her, it was like something shot through me and anchored into my chest.”
“So you think cupid shot his arrow at you?” Luke chimed in.
Annoyed, but understanding his friend’s sense of humor, Liam replied, “No dipshit. Not cupid. It’s deeper than that.”
“Does she have this same feeling? Did you tell her?” Trey asked.
“Hell no! I haven’t said anything yet. How can I? I don’t want to scare her any more than I know she already is. I’m practically a stranger to her.”
Luke looked at his friend and grinned from ear to ear. “Oh, dude. You’ve got it bad.”
Trey spoke again, “Liam, you’ve gotta tell her. Don’t you think it’s strange that there’s never been any kind of paranormal activity in that house since you’ve been living there? Then, all of a sudden, one day, a woman, who you’ve been dreaming about for over a decade, moves in, and activity starts? That’s not a coincidence. You know that as much as we do. Something is going on that involves the two of you. You need to tell her. You said you feel like she’s not telling you everything. Maybe she’s hiding some detail and is scared to tell you. Maybe she’s dreaming of you too. Talk to her.”
Liam stared down at his empty glass, swirling the leftover ice cubes, watching them mingle with the drops of liquid at the bottom. “Trust me. You’re not telling me anything that I haven’t already thought of. I’m going to talk to her. I already told her that I’m a paranormal investigator. She actually seems intrigued. I’m just not sure how to tell her that I’ve been seeing her in my dreams for the last fifteen years.”
Everyone remained quiet. Liam knew Trey was right. He also knew he was going to stick to his gut instinct and wait for an opportune time to fill Emily in on the details of his dreams.
“She’s pretty freaked out. Quite frankly, so am I. I called Phil to see if he could give me a rundown on the history of the building. But he didn’t answer and hasn’t called me back yet. I thought about waiting until after I talk to him to see if he has any information that could help before we do an investigation. But you know what? Fuck it. We can’t wait. He’s not the one here dealing with whatever this is and seeing shadow figures. Emily and I are.”
The men were silent but nodded their approvals.
“He won’t know the difference. I say we do an investigation and find out what the hell is going on. Are you guys up for it?”
Both men looked at him. “Oh, hell yeah! You know we’re with you, brother,” Trey said.
“Dude, you don’t even have to ask. You know I’m in,” Luke agreed.
Six
Liam returned home with food. He didn’t know if there was anything Emily wouldn’t or couldn’t eat, but he assumed there wasn’t since she hadn’t specified anything when she excepted his offer to bring her something to eat.
Liam wasn’t sure what was going on with his head. All he knew was that the thought of Emily both comforted and made him nervous at the same time, twisting his gut into a ball of anxiety that he wasn’t sure he wanted relief from.
His nerves were wound tight when he arrived back at the house. After grabbing a few tools from his flat upstairs and giving himself a pep talk about being relaxed and composed, he stopped in front of Emily’s door. He lifted his hand to knock but hesitated. Shit! What the hell was wrong with him? Normally, he was pretty calm and confident. But this woman was messing with his mind in ways he never thought possible. It both captivated and scared the shit out of him.
Pulling in a deep breath, he knocked. Moments later, he heard the telltale sound of the lock being unlatched from the other side, and her door opened. “Hey!” he said before being frozen in amazement.
Emily was dressed in the same black leggings she had on when he left, but she had changed her sweatshirt to an oversized sweater. It was a dusty pink color and fell slightly off one shoulder, revealing the delicate bones under her neck. Although the sweater looked too big on her, it draped over her perfectly, revealing a hint of her curves. Her golden-brown hair was no longer in a bun on top of her head. It was now down and fell in loose waves around her face and shoulders. She wore just the slightest bit of makeup that accented her whiskey brown eyes and a hint of color on her high cheekbones. And her full lips were tinted in a soft pink with the slightest touch of gloss. His mouth watered at the sight of them.
Liam felt the need to walk toward her, lean in, and taste what flavor of gloss she had on. The thought of crashing his mouth on hers overtook his imagination, and he found himself blinking, forcing the fantasy from his mind.
“Hi!” her voice was low and dripped of sweetness.
“You look better. Did you get some rest?”
“Yes, I did.”
“I brought you some food. Like I promised.” He lifted the bag in his hand and caught the blush that crept up from her chest and spread up to her cheeks.
“That was so nice of you. Do you want to come in?”
Yes! he th
ought. “Sure. I have those latches for your window too. I’ll install those while you eat.”
“Okay.” Emily opened the door fully and led him to the small galley kitchen just off of the intimate dining area. He set the food on the counter. “It smells wonderful.”
“It’s from one of my favorite restaurants. I hope you like it. I realized when I ordered it that I didn’t ask you what you like to eat.”
Emily looked at him and gently shook her head. “Oh, I am not picky.” Her smile grew as she spoke.
“I’m glad to hear that. It’s Cony Island-style clam chowder.”
“Really?” Her brows pinched together slightly. Curiosity coated her tone. “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“It’s delicious,” Liam assured her. “It’s clam chowder only with a tomato base broth instead of the traditional cream base.”
Emily opened the bag, pulled out the soup, then opened the container. The smell of the steaming liquid wafted through the kitchen. “It smells divine,” she said while inhaling the delightful aroma. “What else is there?” she asked, her eyes brightened with wonder.
Liam couldn’t help chuckling at her enthusiasm. “Just a sandwich, but just as tasty as the soup, I promise. It has ham and turkey and cheese. There’s also the famous San Franciscan sourdough to go with the soup. I hope you like it.”
“Oh, I’m sure I will. Thank you…so much,” she said, turning to him.
“You’re very welcome, Emily. Now eat. Don’t mind me. I’m going to install these latches.”
“You should eat too!”
Liam shook his head while grinning. “I ate with the guys. I’m good.”
Emily watched as Liam installed the latches on her window. The heat of her stare on him caused his body to react, and he prayed he could relax and reverse the effect her attention had on him.
Not helping his situation, and not able to help himself, every time Liam would steal a glance in her direction, he hoped she wouldn’t be looking his way. She sat cross-legged on her sofa with a magazine in her lap and ate a bowl of soup while dunking the hearty sourdough bread in the broth. And once again, he thought about what it would be like to kiss her full, luscious lips. Even though he had just eaten, a different kind of hunger crept up on him, and he was certain it was not for the soup.
Liam hurried to finish installing the latches on her window. Being in such close proximity to Emily was beginning to drive him mad, and he needed to pull his head together. When he secured the last latch, he walked to where she was sitting on the sofa. He initially had no intention of sitting down, but he turned and sat on a whim, angling his body. “Did anything happen while I was gone?” He put his arm over the back of the sofa. Emily placed her empty bowl on the coffee table in front of them and turned herself to look into his eyes.
“No. Nothing happened. Trust me. Had I seen that thing again, I would have called you.”
“Good.” Liam felt relief that Emily hadn’t been disturbed by the anomaly while he was away. “I talked to my friends.”
“I figured you had. What did they say?”
“Well, I explained to them what I’d seen and what you’d seen. We all agreed to do an investigation if that’s all right with you.”
“Yes, of course. Will we be able to find out what is going on?”
“Hopefully. We just need to gather as much information about the property as we can first. See if there’s anything that might help us understand what we’re dealing with. It might take a little time. We have some local cases that we’re committed to. As soon as we get through those, we can focus more on this place.”
Emily nodded. “I’ll keep you up to date with what I find out. And I want you to tell me right away if anything else happens. You have my number handy?”
“Yes,” she told him. “I put it in my phone already.”
Liam’s heart rate spiked at her declaration. Emily stared at him with questions in her eyes. He wanted to ask her what she was thinking, wanted to know what thoughts danced around in her head. Knowing he needed to earn her trust first, pushing her too fast for information could cause her to clam up and hold onto the secrets he knew she was keeping, he tamped down his own desire to know everything in that moment. He had no idea how he knew. A feeling deep within him clawed at the surface. His instincts screamed that there was more. So much more. Despite it all, Liam committed to himself that he would go slow and be patient.
The flecks of gold in her brown eyes glistened, and he became lost in them for a moment. Not really knowing how to hold back, the words escaped his lips, “What are you doing tomorrow?”
Emily blinked in surprise. Had she been daydreaming about him too? The light flush of rosiness that spread across her chest and face told him all he needed to know.
“I—” she hesitated.
In an attempt to calm her nerves, he added, “I was wondering if you’d like to have a tour of the city.”
Emily’s lips curled up on one side. She tilted her head slightly, “Are you asking me on a date?”
“I am,” he told her firmly.
“You’re not already taken?”
“No. I’m single. I haven’t dated anyone in a long time.
Emily inhaled, and then exhaled. “Oh.”
“Did you think I was dating someone?” Liam asked her.
“Honestly, I figured there was no way you weren’t dating anyone. You’re really attractive and incredibly kind. I’m actually a little surprised you’re single.”
Liam smiled wide at her compliment. It wasn’t lost on him that he was good looking. He knew women were drawn to him. He’d seen women trip over their own feet in an attempt to scramble over to him whenever he went out with Trey and Luke. But the truth was, he was never into dating women just for the fun of it. He’d had a couple of serious relationships throughout the years, and he had cared for the women he had dated. But nothing ever came of the relationships with them. There was never a deep connection. One in which he believed only true soulmates could share.
His parents always said they were soulmates, that there was no one else on Earth meant for them. That’s what Liam was waiting for. For the one person who knew every inch of his soul, and whose he knew in return.
Emily’s lips parted as if she were about to speak, but nothing escaped them at first. After a beat, she nodded and said, “I would really like that.”
Relief swept over him. The breath he had been holding escaped in a whoosh, and he caught Emily smiling at him. Her smile was warm, kind, and genuine. “Okay, then. Can I come by here around eleven?”
“Eleven is perfect.”
Standing, Liam held out his hand to help Emily off of the sofa, and he felt a subtle tremble when their skin touched. He held her hand the entire eight and a half steps to the door. Yes, he counted them and savored every moment.
“I’ll be right upstairs, Em. If you need anything, please just come up and knock. Okay?”
“I will.” Liam felt her squeeze his hand slightly, and he squeezed back in return. “Thank you again for this morning. And for fixing the window. And lunch. It was delicious. I really appreciate it.”
“It’s not a problem.” Liam waited for a heartbeat. Needing to soak in the sight of her as much as possible before leaving.
Reluctantly, he let go of her hand and instantly missed the warmth. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Enjoy the rest of your day, Liam.”
“You too, Emily.” Once again, he stayed planted outside her door until the sound of the lock engaged.
Seven
Liam had come by Emily’s flat right at eleven o’clock. She was impressed with his punctuality. The few men she had been on dates with in the past had always been late. Emily had to admit that his ability to be on time impressed her. A lot.
Lexi was ecstatic when Emily had called to tell her about Liam asking her out on a date. It took some time to calm her friend down. In typical Lexi style, she immediately asked Emily for more details about Li
am, wanting to know every detail about his looks, to what kind of car he drove. It was only after Emily promised her a full report later that Lexi calmed down and let Emily get to bed.
Although she was excited about the day, the butterflies in her stomach fluttered erratically. She’d gotten ready, choosing to keep her outfit simple and comfortable, slipping on her favorite pair of skinny jeans that molded to her body perfectly. She decided on a lightweight cream color blouse that boasted a “V” neck neckline, and she chose to dress it up with a long necklace. She thought it accented her cleavage just enough, allowing her to feel sexy and confident. She finished the outfit with her favorite open front cardigan. It was just enough to keep her warm in the chilly San Francisco air.
When Liam knocked on the door, Emily’s knees almost buckled at the sight of him. He wore dark denim and a white-button up shirt that stretched around his biceps, pulling across his chest. The darkness of his hair contrasted with his crystal blue eyes, reminding her of the aqua hue the moon took on when shining down upon the ocean at night.
He surprised Emily by saying they were going to ride the Cable Car. Emily had never been on a Cable Car and was impressed with the whole experience. Riding in the open-air streetcar was exhilarating. She had never ridden public transportation that allowed the wind to blow through her hair and brush her face. She hadn’t expected the experience to be as enjoyable as it was. When the Cable Car came to the top of the steep hills before descending, Liam put his arm around her shoulders and whispered assuring words to her, calming her nervousness.
They walked along Pier 39, where they ate lunch at a touristy spot that served Clam Chowder in a Sour Dough bread bowl. The meal was delicious. They walked to Ghirardelli Square, where they indulged in some delightful treats from the famous confectioner shop. Then hopped on the MUNI train back to Pier 39, where they watched the Sea Lions for a while. Liam stood behind Emily on the dock, his arms wrapped around her waist. He pointed out the numerous cities that could be seen around the Bay from their vantage point.
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