Something to line the stomach

She walked over to the lawn, holding the glass of Bucks Fizz and a water. Liam had stopped running and was catching his breath, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. He looked relaxed, and his shirt sleeves were still rolled up to his elbows.

When she reached him, she held out the drinks. "Here, you look like you need these," she said.

He took them from her, offering a big smile. "Thanks!" He took a long drink of the water before switching to the fizz.

"You were great with the kids," she told him. "They really seemed to enjoy themselves."

He shrugged, looking over at the group of children who were now starting to drift toward their parents. "I remember when I was that age at big events like this. It was always boring, just sitting around while the adults talked for hours. I just wanted to make sure they had some fun, keep them occupied for a bit."

She smiled, feeling comfortable in his company. "Come on, let’s sit down," she suggested.

They moved to a nearby table. A platter of scones sat in the middle, along with pots of clotted cream and strawberry jam. They both took a seat. Emma picked up a scone and broke it in half.

"You have to do it the proper Devon way," she said, leaning in. "Cream first, then the jam."

She picked up the knife and spread a thick, generous layer of the clotted cream over the scone, then spooned the bright red strawberry jam on top. She handed the finished half to him.

He took it, looking at her with an amused expression. "The Devon way, huh?" He took a bite, chewed, and nodded approvingly. "Does the order make a difference?"

She laughed, picking up a scone for herself and starting to prepare it the same way. "It does if you want to remain friends with me" she teased. It felt easy to be with him, just sitting and talking without the pressure of the rest of the party.