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I honestly cannot believe that this story is finished. It feels like just yesterday I was deciding to re-write it in the first place. Chasing Liam was one of the very first stories I ever wrote and I am so proud of how far it has come. There's only the epilogue left and then Chasing Liam is officially done. 

Big news though: There's a sequel . . . actually there's two! Haha technically. The next stories I will be Chasing After You (Chasing Liam sequel) and My Unexpected Love (companion to My Lost Love). I am currently writing both right now and they are also in the early stages of development. Now I honestly can't tell you when I will be uploading these stories. I usually like them to be at least halfway through before I upload them. After I post the epilogue I will be taking a Wattpad break to write them. Now that it's summer I'm hoping to have more time to write but we will just have to wait and see how it goes. 

Thank you again to everyone for sticking by me throughout the years. I truly appreciate it and I hope to continue writing on here for years to come. 

Also the pic above is of Chase. 

~*~*~

Chapter Fifteen

Liam sat at a table outside of the local Starbucks. The sun felt warm against his skin and there was a soft breeze in the air. An older couple, probably in their seventies or eighties, sat a few feet away at one of the other tables. The man seemed to be playing some type of game on his tablet while the woman was quietly reading a book.

He couldn't help studying the couple. Neither spoke but it seemed like they didn't need to. They were comfortable sitting in that silence together. It wasn't awkward. It was relaxed, peaceful even. The woman sighed content with the ending of her book. Closing it she put it inside her purse and stood up. She placed a soft hand on his shoulder and bent down to whisper something into his ear. With a smile he lifted her hand from his shoulder and brought it to his lips to kiss.

The two were able to say goodbye without the use of words. The love between them was evident. Liam couldn't help thinking of his own love story for the couple. Maybe they were high school sweethearts who married at eighteen and still feel the same as they did when they were going to football games and soda parlors. Or perhaps they were a pair of former lovers lost to each other and recently reunited only to discover that the love they once shared was still clear as day. No matter what their true story is Liam couldn't help but be fascinated by the love between them.

All Liam could do was hope that someday a day would come when he is an old man and the man he loves most is right beside him. Perhaps a young teenager will watch him and his love the way he is watching this couple.

"Liam." He jumped unaware that he had walked up behind him. Quickly he tried to prepare himself as the man sat down before him.

"Hi," said Brody. "I'm glad you called."

"You said you wanted to talk," Liam remembered. "So, talk."

Brody gave a jerked nod and leaned forward in his seat. His mouth opened to speak then rapidly closed almost like a fish. The green eyes that he once loved studied the metal table. It was obvious that Brody was nervous. His body language said it all. The longer Liam waited the more annoyed he got. Liam's life was finally working out and suddenly Brody had to pop into his life, and now when Liam is giving him the chance to explain, all Brody can do is stall.

Liam scoffed and sat forward in his own seat. "Okay you know what – No. I want to ask you something and I've been wanting to ask it for years."

"Okay," Brody said apprehensively.

For years Liam has wanted to ask this question. Part of the reason why it took so long for him to move past everything was because he didn't have closure and this was finally his chance. He wanted to yell and shout the question at Brody to force him into answering, but instead he whispered, "Why me?"

He did seem surprised by Liam's quiet words. Brody probably had been expecting a yelling match. "What?" Surprise laced his voice.

Trying again, Liam made his voice, not exactly louder, but stronger in a way. "Why me?" He asked his ex. "You chased after me for two weeks before we even began dating. You were already dating Adam at that point. Then you had four months to tell me the truth, but you didn't. I want to know why. Why pursue me? Why date me at all? Why cheat?"

Brody opened his mouth to speak, but Liam quickly cut him off, "And don't give me any of that crap about distance and not knowing why you did it." Liam remembered the words Brody had said to him in his truck after the 'discovery.' He wasn't about to listen to anymore of his lies. "I want a real answer from you."

"Look Liam as much as you don't want to believe me I did care for you. I cared for Adam as well . . . in fact I still do. No matter how much I cared for either of you though I was a mess back then. I thought I had everything. I was popular. I had all of the girls, and even some guys chasing me. I thought I could do anything and get away with anything." He quickly added, "Now I don't want it to sound like I'm making excuses because I'm not. But in all honesty, I was a jerk and I made a lot of mistakes during high school."

Liam was surprised. It was like that moment in the Grinch films where his heart grows three sizes. Brody suddenly looked human, and Liam wasn't sure how he felt about that.

"I made a lot of mistakes when it came to you and Adam," he continued, "but they look small in comparison. . . ." He trailed off.

"Zoey?"

"I may have treated you guys bad, but I treated her even worse," he confessed. His eyebrows furrowed with a realization. "I don't even know what my daughter looks like. Does she have my eyes? Does she have my hair? Does she take after Anne? What was her first word? What's her favorite animal?" He sighed pained. "I don't know the answers to any of those questions. I don't even know my daughter's middle or last name."

Silence fell between the two of them. A part of him was tempted to let that guilt and curiosity eat him up, but Liam was a sensitive guy and having just reconciled with his own father, he knew a little bit about what Brody and Zoey were going through. Feeling bad for him, Liam decided to throw Brody a bone.

"Green." Liam's voice was soft as he spoke.

Brody's eyes widened. "What?"

"Zoey's eyes," Liam answered. "They're green, and she's a blonde. In all actuality, both you and Anne have blonde hair and green eyes so she didn't exactly have much variety in her gene pool."

"What else?" He wondered.

"She's smart, and even at the age of four Anne is turning her into quite the bookworm. She's also very social. Liz and I made a trip up to Portland during the summer and that little girl barely stopped talking the entire time we were there. Zoey is as sweet as can be but also isn't afraid to show some sass if need be." Brody smiled at his words. His eyes were unfocused as if he were picturing her in his head. "Her first word was Mama, and her favorite animal is lions because her favorite movie is The Lion King. Lastly, Zoey's full name is Zoey Lynn McGuire."

"Wow," he breathed. "My ex-boyfriend knows more about my own daughter then I do. I truly am a failure." He jibed with a smirk, "That or you're obsessed with me."

Liam playfully glared at him. "Don't flatter yourself. As much as you and Liz may have your differences, she loves that little girl. Liz would make that drive to Portland every weekend if she could just so she could spend a few hours with her niece. It just so happens that as a proud aunt she shares everything about her niece with me."

"I don't know how I could ever make it up to her. I have missed four years of my daughter's life. I'm a stranger to her." He groaned. "Anne would probably forbid me from seeing her."

His eyes narrowed confused. "You really didn't spend that much time with Anne before breaking up with her, did you? Anne has a heart of gold and as much as she may still be hurt by everything you did, she would never devalue you to your daughter. She wants Zoey to have her father in her life just as much as you want to be in her life."

As much as Liam hated to admit it. This isn't the same boy that hurt him four years ago. That boy was replaced by a man, and this man is clearly trying to fix his past mistakes. Liam couldn't say for sure if he would succeed, but he is trying, and that is saying a lot. The boy from four years ago never even tried, but this man is.

"Yeah, it's been four years," he told Brody, "but Zoey won't be young forever. Someday she will be a teenager and how do you want your teenage daughter to think of her father? You can either be a part of her life or you can stay away. Brody, answer honestly, do you want to be a father? Because if you go to Portland you can't just have one foot out the door. You'll need to be all in."

Many emotions flashed through Brody's eyes, but two stood out more then the others: love and determination. As long as he believed that he could be a good father to that little girl then not much would be able to stop him.

"I won't have one foot out the door," he promised. "I never thought I would say this at the age of twenty-one but I want to be Zoey's dad. Not just her biological father or a man she talks to once a year. I want to be there for every birthday and Christmas. I want to take her trick or treating and supervise her school field trips. I want to intimidate the boys that want to date her. She's my daughter and I want to be there for her."

Pulling out his phone, Brody looked at the clock and sighed. "I'm going to Portland."

"I know." Liam had already guessed as much.

"Before I leave I just want you to know that I really am sorry," Brody apologized sincerely. "Truly sorry. I never wanted to hurt you and I want to continue trying to make amends with both you and Adam."

Liam glanced at the table before meeting his eyes. "How about we just consider it done?"

"What do you mean?" He asked confused.

With a small smile, Liam explained, "I'm tired of being angry with you Brody. Now I don't know if we could ever truly be friends, but I would at least like it if we could be civil with each other."

Brody matched his smile. "I would like that," he replied. "If only Liz and Adam were as forgiving as you."

"Liz will come around." He chuckled. "If you can prove to her that you are serious about being in Zoey's life then she will swallow her resentments. All she wants is for both Anne and Zoey to be happy. You both will have that much in common at least."

Brody's expression turned hopeful. "And Adam?"

Studying his face Liam could see the hope and regrets that were lying beneath the surface. Liam could tell that Adam will definitely be one of those 'What if?' moments in Brody's life. "You really care for him don't yeah?"

He gave a small nod. "Yeah I really do."

"Then you may want to make one more stop before you leave for Portland," Liam offered.

"What if he slams the door in my face?" Brody asked.

He countered with, "What if Anne slams the door in your face? Will you just give up or keep trying?"

"Thank you, Liam," Brody said standing up. "By the way, I hope you and Chase are happy together. You deserve it."

Smiling, Liam replied, "You too."

As Brody made his way to his truck, Liam turned back to where the older couple sat earlier. The woman was gone, but the man remained. He had a loving smile on his face and joy throughout his eyes. The couple may be apart, but their love is still as evident as ever before.

~*~*~

Walking up the porch steps, Liam didn't let his fear stop him. After all that's what true bravery and courage is. Moving forward despite the fears that someone is facing and moving past them. This time he was not about to let his fears stop him. Not again.

With an extra bit of confidence, he raised his had and knocked on the front door. Luckily, he didn't have to wait long. The knock was answered immediately so he must have been in the living room.

As the door opened, Liam was immediately greeted by Chase's voice. "Liam? What are you doing here?"

Stepping forward he didn't utter a word. Although no words were needed as of yet. Liam walked up to his boyfriend and planted a loving kiss on his lips. Chase instantly responded to the kiss. Their lips moved together as one. Neither wanted to separate, but knew they had to in order to breathe.

Chase gently pulled back and stared at his boyfriend with wide eyes. "What was that for?"

Smiling, Liam said four small words before pulling his boyfriend back into another kiss. "I love you too."

~*~*~

Quick question: Does anyone want me to write a bonus chapter for Adam and Brody? I may be willing, but I'm unsure at the moment. Do you guys want another chapter for them or do you like that I left it kind of open? I wrote a bit more about them in the epilogue, but I'm just not sure if I'll write them their own chapter or not. 

I will upload the epilogue in a few days. 

~Kaylee

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