Page 66 of Perfect Liar

“Let’s get on with the beach, Elle.”

Chelsea twisted, uncomfortable with the closeness of the giant looming above her.

“Go get changed,” the giant said.

Then Will lowered his head and kissed my lips.

I stared at his magnetic smile, stunned by his possessive display of affection.

Mary stood at the island, slicing apples for the girls. She narrowed her eyes.

“You know better, William. Wait for Ellie out in the hall.”

Will scowled at his mother, but as he left the kitchen, he mumbled an apology to her.

A giggle escaped my lips. I covered my mouth before another one slipped out.

“That one,” —Mary gestured with her knife in the direction Will had gone— “has always been a handful. Stubborn like his father and equally lionhearted.”

Then she smiled with a distant look in her eyes. I guessed she was caught up in a memory of her late husband, and it was beautiful to see it on her face.

I gave her a moment.

“Does Will look like Richard?” I asked.

“Oh yes, quite like Richard. In fact, he’s the spitting image. He walks like his father, even his voice is similar. All four of my boys have Richard’s eyes.”

My gaze jumped to Lissie.

I knew Will and Ethan had talked about her, but I didn’t know if they mentioned anything to Mary, so I corrected myself, hoping she hadn’t noticed.

Ethan should be the one to tell her.

She nailed me with a hard stare.

“Hastings eyes are quite hard to miss.”

Caught, I nodded.

She went on.

“There’s a fiery element in them. It’s like?—”

“—blue flames,” I finished.

I’d learned in my high school chemistry class how blue fire burned the hottest.

“Quite right, Ellie. You know, when he came back from America the first time, the clarity in his eyes was unmistakable. We knew if conflict did come about, it would become Will’s own private war. I suppose Richard knew long before that. He pushed Will harder than Ethan.”

Her vague suggestion that Will’s father played dangerous games with his sons’ lives offended me—I knew what Richard had been, and I understood how he used his family to serve his own personal agendas.

“Will has a good heart despite the burdens his father forced on him. He’s caring and generous with me and with Lissie. I hope you know that. He’s a good man…a better man.”

I should have kept my mouth shut.

But to my surprise, Mary smiled, and a twinkle flickered inside her honey-brown eyes.

“I do know it, Ellie. go and change. He’s done his time.”