Page 62 of Landing Liam

He inhales sharply. “Honestly? This isn’t as bad as it could be.”

“It’s enough to ruin his career,” I counter. “The timing alone is catastrophic. Right before the competition ends? Someone wanted this to hurt him.”

“Alright,” Odie says, his tone softening. “I’ll reach out to my contacts and see what I can dig up.”

“You’re the best,” I say, relief washing over me.

“Just one question,” Odie presses. “Are you sure you trust this guy?”

I pause, thinking about Liam—his disciplined training, his passion for the sport, the raw vulnerability in his eyes last night. “Call it journalistic intuition,” I finally reply. “But Liam’s clean. I know he is.”

“You slept with him, didn’t you?” Odie’s voice cuts through the static on the line, blunt and knowing.

I don’t answer right away, my silence saying more than I want it to. Finally, I exhale. “Doesn’t change the fact that my gut tells me this story is retaliation or revenge.”

Odie sighs heavily. “Just… be careful, Mags. He might be a snowboarding god, but at the end of the day, he’s still a man.”

“I know,” I say. “I will. I am.”

We hang up, but his words linger like a stubborn shadow. I run a hand over my face, my eyes drifting across the room. They land on the trash can, embarrassingly full of condom wrappers. My cheeks heat, and my stomach churns with doubt.

Am I blinded by how charming Liam is? Am I going about this the right way, or am I leaning toward his innocence because I like him? I mean, it’s not just that I like him—I trust him. And I don’t trust anyone.

The thought alone makes my chest tighten.

No. This isn’t about feelings or chemistry. I know my gut. My gut says Liam might be hiding something, but it’s not this. It’s not nefarious. It’s not doping.

So, what is it?

As I sink onto the edge of the bed, my heart pounds with determination. I’ll find the truth—not just for the story, but for him. For us.

I gather my things, my hands moving on autopilot, and take one last lingering look at the bed. The sheets are rumpled, still faintly carrying Liam’s cedar scent. If I could, I’d turn back time and crawl back into the warmth of his arms, where the world and all its worries seemed to melt away. For the briefest moment, everything felt right.

But the real world doesn’t wait.

As I’m heading for the door, my phone vibrates in my hand. The screen lights up with a name I haven’t seen in months—Ryan. My chest tightens, an icy knot forming in my stomach. Why is he calling me? My mind leaps to Louise, his grandmother. Did something happen to her? She was always kind to me, letting me stay in her granny flat far longer than I probably deserved.

I close my eyes, steadying my breath, and finally swipe to answer. “Hello?”

“Maggie?” Ryan’s voice comes through the line, faint and crackling. It’s been so long since I last heard it that for a second, it feels surreal, like a memory dragged out of the past.

“Yeah, it’s me,” I reply, tight and cautious.

“I, um… sorry for calling you like this,” he starts, his words uncertain, uncharacteristic. “But I needed to talk to you.”

My stomach sinks further, bracing for whatever’s coming. “What’s up? Did something happen to Louise?”

For a moment, there’s only silence on the other end, as though he’s gathering courage. Then he sighs. “It’s not about my grandma.”

My pulse quickens, dread coursing through me. “She’s okay?” I breathe out a sigh of relief.

“She’s fine,” he rushes to say, then hesitates again. “But… I’ve been thinking about you. About us. I made a mistake, Maggie. A huge one.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, leaving me momentarily speechless. Whatever I thought this call was about, this wasn’t it.

“Thinking about me?” I repeat, leaning against the doorframe as I try to process Ryan’s sudden reappearance in my life. “Why would you be thinking about me, Ryan? You’re going to be a dad in a few months. Shouldn’t you be focused on that?”

There’s a sharp intake of breath on the other end, and I almost feel guilty for how direct I’m being. Almost.