Liam Wilde

Niece. That word definitely caught Asher’s attention. For a moment, she thought about her own niece she had met so few times and how much she did miss her. She focused quickly to not get sad and cleared her throat. “I am told I’m good with kids. Fairytales are kinda my thing too.” She smiled back at him and held the door until he was fully inside the building so he wouldn’t have to worry about it. “Oh, no. I’m sure that was rough on both of you. I had a stuffed dog I went everywhere with so I get it. And honestly, I still have it. That’s between us.” She smirked and headed up the stairs.

“Do you take care of her then or does she come over to visit?” It was probably a loaded question, but Asher was anything but subtle when she spoke. She shrugged as he talked about coffee was all it would take to get to her heart and smiled. “I’m easy to please, what can I say?” She laughed and raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really? I think I’ll have to be the judge of that. I’m very picky.”

XX

Hearing the brunette say she was good with kids made Liam laugh. Not because he found the idea humorous no, it was because he wasn’t exactly good with kids. In all honesty other than his niece Liam avoided all children his entire life. His life was turned upside down with the move back to Providence but not nearly as it has for Emmy. “That makes one of us, she’s the first one i’ve actually liked” he half-joked, his eyes on the woman. 

“She lives with me now, her mom- uh my sister passed a month ago” He stumbled on his words. Their new normal still hard for him to swallow. “Picky? ah okay well lets see if i can find something to make you smile then” Liam’s kind smile returned to his lips as he set the boxes down on the kitchen island. Their new apartment wasn’t a huge mansion but it had two bedrooms and huge windows and it was prefect for the two of them. “Let he just get this guy out of the box and I’ll whip something up for you. Whats your usual order?” He asked, slipping the box off his pride and joy - his espresso machine. 

Atlas didn’t make it down to University Heights much anymore. The girls there were usually too young for him and unless he was visiting Aydin at the coffee shop or hitting the gym, what else was there to do? The morning had taken a different turn, though. The gym was closed for the day, but refused to not get a workout in after getting up and making the drive. So, he took a run around the area, some parts more familiar than others from his college days.

It was only when he passed by a male that he came to a stop, heart pounding against his chest as his breathing steadied. “Never thought I’d see the day,” he joked, bending down to grab the stuffed animal before placing it back atop the box. Hopefully it didn’t fall again. “Need some help with that stuff? Honestly, I could probably use the workout. Gym’s closed today, so don’t think about hitting it up,” he joked, realizing how weird the offer from a stranger must’ve been. “I’m Atlas. I live out in Bighorn Hills, but it’s nice to see new faces around here.”

The voice came from behind Liam startling him. “Doesn’t happen everyday for you?” He joked back, his body and the boxes he was carrying turning to the stranger. He wasn’t really expecting anyone to be around because who the hell would want to be outside in that kind of weather but it was projecting his own hatred of the weather. 

“Honestly yeah, I’ll take all the help I can get. Not exactly the easiest thing when you’re moving solo” he stated, a grateful sigh escaping his lips. His mother urged him to hire a couple people but he declined, now regretting that decision. “I’m Liam, new face, returning face. Same thing really” 

x

Lanie Keane couldn’t believe she was stood here in this situation, as she shifted between one foot to the other, heels never her best friend. Reaching up she pulled at the lapel of her suit; work was sure going to be fun after this ordeal; she was in a better mood. But she knew in that office, the other’s would be sure to try and bring her down. She, however, had time to kill as she looked down at the pink bow of the piggy toy, which had her chuckling, she couldn’t help it — it wasn’t like she was a unhappy person but this kind of laughter wasn’t the norm either. She was the kind of girl that would laugh after too many whiskeys, maybe a good book or movie; sometimes a joke.

However, this was unprompted.

 Cocking her head to the side, she smirked playfully in his direction.

“The pink bow would really suit you with that hair.” Lanie stated, almost shocked at the words that left her mouth. She could be somewhat reserved, and yet, here she was talking freely with this stranger. Without a second thought she placed the toy on tp with care, pulling hands away slowly to make sure it stayed in place. The way he was standing with the boxes had her nervous, eyes flickering between him and the cardboard as she gritted her teeth with anticipation of them tumbling too the ground.

“Any chance you want help with those?” Lanie offered, she thought it was better than watching it crash down before her and then having to stay around and pick it all up; that was never fun and the wind was kind of unforgiving today.

“Thanks, you aren’t the first person to say that” he joked, a smile cracking on his lips. Looking down at the woman’s heels, Liam couldn’t help notice her attire. She didn’t exactly look the part of friendly-casual-person-who-had-nothing-better-to-do-than-help-a-stranger, but he was grateful for the surprise. He didn’t exactly have many people to turn to so it was nice to finally talk to someone other than his mother.

“Yeah actually... if you don’t mind grabbing that top box?” He replied, before turning towards the walkway towards his new townhouse. University Heights was were he grew up so it was only fitting that he land back there in a full circle. “I’m Liam by the way” The man added, holding the door for her with his forearm.

x

“Oh, I definitely think it doesn’t. A flying pig is just that, stuffed or not, so the credibility is all there. At least in my book.” She smiled and, for a moment, checked out the attractive man before her. Then, she of course cursed herself internally and reminded herself to stay in line. Toys most likely meant kid and that could mean taken in some form or hell, even not looking for someone to even see so she needed to stop before she started. And thank god this whole internal thing didn’t take too long and the hottie before her didn’t notice she had almost gotten lost inside her head. And if he did, he didn’t let it on as he agreed to let her carry the flying marvel that was now in her hand inside for him.

“I’m sure. Losing such a thing would be a tragedy.” She smiled and started for the building. At the mention of coffee, she stopped for a moment and looked at him. “A man after my heart.” She teased as she grabbed the door and held it open for him. “I would argue you don’t need to pay me, but saying no to coffee would be like saying no to air.”

“My niece would love you, faiytales and flying pigs are her thing” He responded, his eyes on the woman. It was nice talking to someone who didn’t know Liam as the poor brother who lost his little sister, especially in the town he was born and raised in. It also didn’t hurt that the woman had a great smile, it was contagious. 

“Trust me, first night I had her she cried until one in the morning because I forgot him at my moms place” Liam confessed, a story he found pretty entertaining now but at the time he was close to throwing in the towel. “Coffee is all it takes huh?” A sly grin covered his cheeks, as his head motioned to the open door above the steps. “Coffee is actually kind of my thing, so you’re in luck”

Despite the cold weather, Layla decided against taking the car to get Mila to daycare. It was a long walk with the little girl, part of it with the child in her arms, but the walk back, alone with her thoughts, would do her some good. There was a still a storm inside of her and a deep sensation of foolishness as she naively believed that Atlas would want to spent an intimate moment with her. Layla was stuck in the past and it was time she looked to the future instead. She knew it wouldn’t be something easy to do in this town, with Atlas at every corners, but she was here for Mateo and she would not bail, as hard as it was.

Something toook her out of her head, a flying pig, and a soft smile graced her lips as she bent down to hand it to its owner. “Yours?” she asked with a teasing smile. “Does this flying sensation has a name?”

Thankful that the pigs victim seemed to find the humor in the incident, Liam relaxed his shoulders at her voice. “Hamlet” He confessed, placing the boxes he had been struggling with on the cold cement. It had only been a month since his sisters passing and Hamlet seemed to be the only thing to give his niece comfort. Everyone he encountered told him she was young and would bounce back but as an adult Liam had a hard time, so how could a child?

“My nieces actually. She would kill me if anything happened to him so thank you” The man added, his hand extending to grab the pink plush. Liam was used to only caring about himself so having to be a parent was still really complicated for him.

Rushed was not the word as heels clattered on the cracked greyed side walk, a phone pressed against her ear as the otherwise hammered on about the importance of the meeting she was close to missing; it was a never ending story for them. Peace and quiet seemed like a dream that was never reached, as even her dreams these days were filled with the pending doom of failure that she was sure she was so close to reaching every day. 

God, she sounded like such a delight. 

The phone call came to an end abruptly, the other sending going dead as she pulled her phone from her ear in disbelief. They just hung up on her? She practically scoffed, head shaking as eyes raged for just a moment. Unbelievable. Honestly, this week had been a week of utter despair as she tried to get all the files together to hand over to her team; but her superior was making her life a living hell.

Then the pig landed right before her feet.

It should have been a passing by kind of moment, maybe pick it up and hand it to the person before she was on her way. However, after the day she’d had so far a smile cracked over her lips and she began to laugh. Not the small kind of laugh, but the belly kind of laugh as eyes of auburn shot up to the voice and the smile was penetrable, infectious even. It was just what she needed, a moment of randomness to snap her back to reality. 

‘‘You can say that again.’‘ Lanie chuckled lightly under her breath as she dipped to pick it up before taking a step closer. Would she just balance it on top? She awkwardly waved it slightly, another laugh falling from her lips. ‘‘Your piggy?’‘ Lanie teased lightly. 

He liked her laugh. It was so unapologetically wild that Liam couldn’t help crack a small one himself. With the last couple months he had, he needed more of that  “Does the pink bow give it away?” He joked, his hand slipping slightly as he balanced the boxes. He wasn’t sure if he should put them down or keep holding onto them but he figured it would be awkward at this point to do anything more than stand there. 

Noticing her eyes and she contemplated where to place the pig, Liam leaned downwards. “yeah oh sorry, just drop him right on top, I dont think he can handle all the wind, neither can I honestly... too cold” He rambled. He never really knew when to stop talking sometimes. “.... but uh thanks for the piggy rescue. I owe you one.” 

Asher craved coffee and there was admittedly nowhere better to get some than in University Heights. While it took her a while to find someplace that came close to what she was now used to in New York, Deja Brew was now a regular spot for her and then she would take a walk around the Heights as she got ideas for what she was looking for whenever the day came that she would move out of her childhood home slash Sage’s place. The rentals there were probably the closest in her price range currently and they were nice. Plus, close the coffee shop was probably the highest plus of them all; she decided as she sipped on the latte and walked down the next street. 

Apparently others had gotten the same idea to move in as she saw someone moving into one of the places she had thought about before, but that’s all it ever was. Thoughts and ideas in her head as she came up with scenarios of living in any one of the places she walked passed every once in a while. The blonde may have been lost in one of these thoughts when suddenly a stuffed pig fell before her and the man commenting on flying pigs. She bent down to grab the now rare piggy. “You better watch it closer, then. It could earn you a lot of money.” She joked back and debated if she should put it back on the top of the boxes he was holding or not. “Err… do you want me to carry this inside for you so it doesn’t go off again?” She suggested.

“I’m not sure it being stuffed looses its credibility” He joked back, his body turning to the woman. He hated moving. The mere thought of having to pack just to unpack somewhere else gave Liam a permanent headache. There was one thing he did enjoy about his hometown though; everyone always seemed eager to lend a hand and he was in no position to turn it down, no matter how small. California was filled with very laid back people but they also seemed to be more about self preservation and less human connection. Liam really hadn’t noticed until he came back to Providence. 

“Uh... yeah if you don’t mind? Can’t afford to loose him” He was all new to this father figure thing but he was pretty sure if he lost his niece’s favorite stuffed animal he would definitely be the worst parent ever. Liam had too many loses already, he could really use a win. “I can pay you in coffee” He added, a soft smile sitting on his lips.

“Em, don’t run or you’re going to hurt yourself” Liam warned the small child as she scampered up the walkway, his mother following the girl close behind. As Liam pulled himself out of the drivers seat of the u-haul, he was instantly hit with the cold Colorado air making him hug his jacket a little tighter. He had been home permanently for a month now and he still found himself cursing at the chilling weather. He missed California and it’s beautiful weather and sunshine. He told himself when he was younger he would get out of Providence but he never thought he’d find himself back. 

Pulling the straps up to open the bed of the truck, the man grabbed the first few boxes before he made his way up the pavement to their new apartment. “No no…” he urged the top box as it wobbled above the others in his arms, dropping a stuffed pig on the sidewalk behind him. “Sorry---I guess pigs can fly” He joked, turning to face the flying pig witness.

x

“Swim school, huh? That’s pretty impressive.” There was a bone-deep sincerity in the way Niko spoke— it was rare that every word that tumbled from his lips wasn’t full of an earnest cheer that he’d had people question and balk in the face of his entire life but he had never given himself much time at all to question the way he spoke or acted simply because other people might have found fault with it. At least, most of the time he was capable of not questioning it. He rested his hands on his hips lazily as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other– wincing slightly at the pinch that followed when he shifted onto his ‘bad’ leg, “Does she have a favorite flower? Or a favorite color, even? I can work with either. My little sister always liked sunflowers for presents when we were kids but it’s not exactly the season for those.”

Rambling, dude, you’re rambling again. Niko blinked sluggishly for a moment before he glanced at Liam curiously, “How old is she? Your… daughter, I’m guessing? Not that that makes a difference in the flower picking but I figure if she’s like, four, then maybe I’d choose daisies instead of roses for her, for example.” He’d blame it on his general exhaustion if any of his employees wanted to comment on his vague awkwardness but he could still do his job perfectly well whether he was tired or not. 

“As impressive as a three year old swim class can be really…” He said, a little bit of embarrassment dripping from his lips. He was new to this being a father figure thing but he was determined to at least try. Liam had always lived his life a little glass half empty but with his niece he was trying to see it as a glass half full. “Daisies would be nice, her mom was a huge fan of those.. Oh and the ones with huge flower balls on top” he added, a small laugh escaping his lips at the mere thought of his lack of floral knowledge. 

Looking around the quaint shop, Liam was pretty impressed with the variety and abundance the shop carried. Normally if he needed flowers he would stop it at the supermarket but he had driven past that shop on his way to the hospital every time he visited his sister when she was still alive and he always told himself next time he’d go in and get her some to brighten her day but he never stopped and eventually there were no next times. “She’s my niece, great kid” he responded “This place yours?”

Liam Alden Wilde . 28 . Future Coffee/Florist Owner . University Heights .

Raised by a single hard working mother, Liam learned how to care for himself and his little sister Scarlett as soon as he learned to work a microwave. His father left before his sister was even born and never heard of him since. His up-bringing, though full of pockets of love and kindness, was the reason why he vowed to never have children of his own. What kind of parent thinks its okay to abandon his kids? A shitty one. He loved his family but the second he turned eighteen, Liam was out the door and living in a different state. Being raised surrounded by women made Liam kind and charming, but it always made him resentful and distant at times. He moved out to California where he began working at a coffee shop where he found his passion. He spent years honing his skills and eventually had plans for his own cafe. Life was simple in California and he had everything he needed. His relationship with his mother was distant, as with his sister. It was often missed calls or missed birthdays and eventually the phone stopped ringing. 

Until one day when it did. A phone call from his mother changed everything. His sister was dying. Two days later he was on a plane to his hometown; Providence Peak The only good thing to come from the news was that he finally got to meet his niece. Almost three and a spitting image of her mother, Emmaline was sunshine and wildflowers. Liam had a few amazing months with his sister and niece. They often binged on movies and snuck in pizza. Liam got to know his sister again and never left her side. She told him about her life in Providence and how she wanted to own a flower shop, and he told her about the girls he’s dated. Life was simple for a while. She passed in her sleep that summer. 

After the funeral he had planned to move back and on with his life but fate and his sister had something different planned. In her will, Scarlett named Liam as Em’s guardian. Her father never wanted to step up and in the letter she left she wrote: “To my protector, I give you the most important thing to me” At first he attempted to pass the young girl on to his mother, after all she had helped raise her and she was comfortable with her. But his mother was on the same page as Scarlett which really pissed him off. Was he just supposed to leave the life he took ten years to create, just to take care of a kid? --- what did he know about kids? ---- he didn’t even want any of his own.