Too Late, Mr. Cooper: Your Bride Ran with Your Baby novel Chapter 201

Liliana's feelings were a tangled mess.

She and Liam weren't family, nor were they particularly close. She was, of course, grateful that he was willing to look out for her as a favor to her brother, but she wasn't helpless. Instead of taking his offered hand, she unbuckled her own seatbelt. Her voice, clear and pleasant, carried a hint of polite refusal.

"Thank you, but I can manage. I'll take good care of myself."

Liam stopped what he was doing. After a moment, he let out a low chuckle. "Don't you trust me, Miss Hart?"

"It's not that..." Liliana struggled to explain. "I just feel..."

"That I'm a stranger, and you don't want to impose."

He straightened up, not pressing the issue. He ran his tongue over his teeth, his voice a magnetic rasp. "We've known each other since we were kids. I think we can at least call ourselves friends, don't you?"

Liam looked at her steadily, his tone casual. "Just think of me as a regular friend. Don't overthink it. Focus on a healthy pregnancy."

He pulled two sets of keys from his pocket and handed one to her with a smile. "Your brother rented two apartments. I'm right next door, not with you. If you need anything, just knock or give me a call, and I'll come over."

As he spoke, he opened the trunk to get her luggage. His voice, still holding the lazy drawl of youth, drifted from the back of the car. "Who knows how long the chaos in Crownport will last. So, Miss Hart, for the next few months, it looks like we'll be neighbors."

Liliana instinctively tightened her grip on the key.

Liliana fell silent. The thought of her brother footing the bill made the situation instantly more palatable. Still, she felt awkward having Liam take care of her. He was the second son of the Grayson family, after all, not some maternity nurse she'd hired. It just didn't feel right.

After a moment's thought, she said, "You should just do whatever you normally do. You don't have to worry about me. I'll just stay home and won't wander off. I'll call you if I need anything."

At her words, Liam's eyes dimmed slightly. He chuckled but said nothing. He could see the polite distance she was maintaining. She had just survived a devastatingly painful breakup, and her defenses were up. She was wary of everyone, treating them all with a cool detachment.

Right now, it was difficult for her to trust anyone again, even a friend she didn't know all that well.

Liam lowered his head. From his vantage point, he could see the top of her head, her soft hair. She just stood there quietly, her expression distant, a stark contrast to the lively, smiling girl she used to be. Her quiet demeanor was so heartbreakingly vulnerable.