Chapter 68

Aria’s POV

The question blindsided me. I had no idea how to answer. Deep down inside of me, the honest answer was yes. I still had feelings for Liam and probably always would.

But did that mean I would never have feelings for anyone else? While Logan was asking me about my feelings for Liam, I’m sure what he wanted to know was if he still had a chance.

That answer was much more difficult, more nuanced, and frankly, I didn’t know the answer.

It was also too late to be having such a deep emotional and personal conversation. I felt tired all over.

“Ask me in a day or two, Logan. This is too much for me right now.”

I expected some pushback, but he simply schooled his features and nodded. “Of course. I understand. You’ve been going through a lot. Perhaps I shouldn’t have asked…”

“It’s fine,” I said. “I just… can’t. Not right now. With this investigation happening, and my entire life’s work in jeopardy… I can’t be thinking about romance right now. I don’t have it in me.”

“You don’t have to explain,” Logan said.

Wordlessly, he followed me the rest of the way to the front door. I opened it for him, and he stepped out. “Goodnight, Aria.”

“Goodnight, Logan,” I said and closed the door.

I watched from the window until Logan backed his car out of the driveway and drove off down the street. Then, I headed upstairs to Joe’s room. I’d checked on Joe an hour ago, and he’d been asleep. Or at least I thought he had.

He must have been pretending, because he was wide awake now, sitting upright in his bed with the light on the nightstand turned on.

“Joe,” I said softly, as I entered. “Why are you still awake?”

“I think I might have done something bad…” he said, his voice tiny, even in the quiet room.

I crossed to his bed and sat down on the edge. Facing him, I asked, “What happened?”

When he didn’t answer, I decided to resort to questions with yes and no as the only answers. For a child, these questions were much easier to answer, even if others were not.

“Does this have to do with what you wanted to talk to Liam about?” I asked.

He paused a moment, then nodded.

“Did Liam say something bad?” I asked, a lead weight forming in my gut.

Joe aggressively shook his head. Immediately that weight dissipated.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked.

He shook his head.

“I want to help you, Joe, but I can’t if I don’t’ know what’s happening.”

Joe was quiet for a moment. I was resolved to sit with him for as long as he wanted, to help sort through his feeling. He didn’t have to tell me what was wrong if he didn’t want to. But I hoped he would confide in me.

Liam had seemed upset when after speaking with Joe, he had abruptly made up an excuse and left.

At the time, with a slight pang of pain, I had guessed that Sophia had need of him again. But now, with this admission, I could only wonder.

Joe shook his head again, and I accepted that answer.

“Do you want a hug?” I asked.

“Yes,” came his small voice.

I opened my arms at once, and he flew into them for the safe reassurance of mom hugs.

All through the night, I stared at my ceiling, unable to sleep, worried about Joe and about me too. About what the future held in store of us.

I felt exhausted, but that didn’t seem to matter. Sleep itself evaded me.

In the morning, I was zombie-like, going through the motions. I made Joe a lunch and put him on the school bus. He seemed in better spirits this morning, so that was a relief.

Once he was gone though, I had no real other tasks. I could clean, I guessed. But nothing was really dirty. Maybe I could take up some kind of hobby. Needlepoint?

As I tried to decide, my phone buzzed with a text.

It was from Liam.

Watch the 10am news. And be ready to work this afternoon.

My heart started pound a quick cadence in my chest. Liam, what have you done?

When he didn’t immediately answer, I rushed to my room to shower. He wouldn’t joke about something like this. If he said to be ready by this afternoon, then I had to be ready.

Showered and change, there was still no answering text for Liam. Instead, I was left impatiently waiting until 10am, when I could turn on the mid-morning news.

“Breaking news at this hour, in the controversial F1 driver stimulant case. We head now to a press conference with the team responsible,” the news anchor said.

Immediately, the footage cut away to that of a camera set outside the familiar team headquarters. A podium had been set up right in front of the double doors. Liam stood there, with his assistant to his right. Another man stood to his left, someone I did not recognize as a co-worker.

Liam stepped up to the microphone. “I want to thank everyone for coming out here this morning on such short notice. As lead here, I had always been certain of Aria, our trainer’s, innocence. However, I couldn’t publically come forward until I had evidence to back up what I knew to be the truth.”

“Liam…” I said aloud. He was on my side before, but… here he was, actually doing his best to defend me, in front of every one. Even with our arguments and disagreements, when I needed his help, he was here, backing me up.

I owed him so much for this. But… more than that… This was a huge sign that he might be as trustworthy as he wanted me to believe. Perhaps I had been misjudging him.

“As for my evidence.” Liam motioned toward the unknown man on his left. “This is Greg, from one of the local tabloid papers. He was one of the people who spread the untrue rumor about Aria.” Liam looked to Greg. “You’re up.”

As Liam stepped back from the microphone, Greg stepped up to it. The camera zoomed in, giving me a better look at the man responsible for my two days of misery.

He was average height and build, with short brown hair and gray-brown eyes. He was younger than me, likely straight out of college. I didn’t recognize him, so I had no idea why he would have a grudge against me.

Maybe he wasn’t working alone.

Yet when he stepped up to the microphone, he accepted full responsibility. “I had a bad tip that I didn’t verify. This was an error on my part. Professionally and ethically. To Aria, the fans, and to everyone here at the racing headquarters, I extend my deepest apologies.”

The reporters bombard them both with questions. Greg fields what he could, explaining that it was a mistake because of his youth and inexperience, and that he didn’t really mean any harm.

I didn’t know if I believed that.

In the background, Liam had his phone in his hands, typing with his thumbs.

My phone buzzes with a text.

Liam.

Are you watching?

I am, I replied. Thank you Liam.

On television, I see the moment he reads the text I sent. A small smile curled one corner of his mouth.

The returning message comes quickly.

Thank me when you are back at work.