Lemonade (WLGYL #2)

Chapter 10-Present

 I woke up Sunday morning with a newfound purpose: do everything in my right mind to distract from the fact that Mason was moving in today.

And distracting myself meant:

Cleaning every room of the apartment even though it was already clean. And there were only four rooms: the kitchen/living space, Amara's room, my room, and the shared bathroom.

Storing Amara's things, that she didn't bring home with her, into the closet in the hallway, leaving her room a blank slate for Mason except for the bed frame and mattress.

And baking. Lots and lots of baking. The kitchen counter was filled with cookies and cupcakes and lemon bars, the smells intermingling throughout the apartment better than any candle could.

When I was finally finished distracting myself, the anxiety came back just as bad as it had been in the morning.

I sighed, pushing around the plate of cookies along the countertop. I cringed at the sound it made, but also welcomed the break in silence, in my intrusive thoughts. I pulled out my phone and scrolled through Instagram, pausing when I saw a photo of Jessie pop up on my feed. She was sitting on a park bench with a girl that I didn't recognize. My eyes narrowed. That was strange. Jessie hadn't mentioned meeting a new friend, or someone that potentially meant more. Not that Jessie had to give me a play-by-play of her every waking move, but still. I was lying if I said I wasn't a little bummed that her Instagram followers knew more about her life than I did.

A knock at the door sounded, causing me to immediately drop my phone on the counter. Mason could not be this early.

Right?

Please don't let Mason be this early.

I hesitated as I made my way to the front door, my eye carefully searching out the peephole. I shrank as I looked through it, even though I knew the person on the other side wouldn't be able to see me anyway.

It was Liam.

I breathed out a sigh of relief.

"I'm so glad to see you," I said as Liam walked inside, placing a kiss on my cheek and clutching a bottle of something in a paper bag. He didn't even tell me he was coming.

I raised my eyebrows.

When he pulled the bottle out, I saw it was my favorite kind of rosé. The $8-a-bottle kind.

"Woah, what are we celebrating?" I asked.

Liam grinned. "This is to help ease your anxiety over the move." He paused for a moment. "Actually, it's definitely gonna help mine too."

I laughed. "Thank God for fake ids."

"Hallelujah."

I took the bottle from him and placed it on the counter, recycling the bag. Liam reached around me to grab two wine glasses from the cabinet next to the fridge.

"We're drinking this now?"

"Since when do you have a preference for drinking time?" Liam joked.

"Since it's noon."

"Fine, maybe you're right." Liam nudged me with his shoulder. "Don't want to be too wasted when your ex-boyfriend-turned-roommate moves in." My eyes snapped up to his face, but his features were relaxed. He was joking. Lord almighty, is this how it's going to be all summer? Walking on eggshells to make sure I don't hurt Liam's feelings? I deserved it.

I glared at him. "Funny."

"What do you want to do today?" He was leaning against the counter now across from my position against the island.