Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 155405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 777(@200wpm)___ 622(@250wpm)___ 518(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 777(@200wpm)___ 622(@250wpm)___ 518(@300wpm)
“Shit,” I whisper. Widening my eyes at Landon, I say, “Just be quiet and keep it together.”
Then I turn around and manufacture a smile that—upon reflection—is a bit too much. “Look who I found!”
Hayden is scowling as he approaches.
I don’t know what to do with Landon’s phone, but it occurs to me I should probably hide it. It wouldn’t be an ordinary thing to see me holding Landon’s phone.
This stupid dress is sheath-like so there are no folds to hide it in, but I try to cover the phone with my hand, then press it against my thigh for good measure.
Of course, not seeming to know what to do with my hands only draws Hayden’s attention to them.
“Is that Landon’s phone?”
“Yep. He lost it.”
It’s the first thing I can think of.
“But he found it,” I add just as quickly, holding up the phone like evidence. “Obviously.”
Hayden regards me suspiciously.
“Do you want us to wait for the car?” I ask before he can ask any questions. “You can just go get Mom. And my purse,” I add, realizing I left it at the table along with my leftovers. “I’ll take the ticket and get the car?”
“Sure,” Hayden drawls, his gaze drifting to his son.
All I can think is thank God he didn’t come out here two minutes ago when Landon had his hands all over me.
The memory triggers a shiver, but I shake it off and flash what I hope is a normal-looking smile to invite Hayden to accept my plan.
He hands over the ticket, and I grab Landon’s wrist so I can haul him with me like an untrustworthy toddler.
My heart races as I run through the car ride home. Outside, I didn’t smell the liquor on his breath until I got close, but in the enclosed space in the car…
“We need gum. Maybe gum will help.”
I have gum in my purse, but it’s back at the table. I can’t give him a piece to start chewing now.
“Why are you trying so hard to help me?”
The question catches me off guard. I look up at Landon, and our eyes lock by accident.
My tummy turns over, so I quickly shift my gaze away. “You’ve done a lot of stupid things that you deserve to get in trouble for, but getting drunk alone at the country club to avoid having dinner with us is very low on that list.”
“What do you care? I’ve spent six years being an asshole to you. Shouldn’t you want to see me go down any way I can?”
Maybe.
And maybe all the layers of empathy I have for him are results of my own imagination and not even rooted in reality.
Maybe it’s not that it’s legitimately tough on him to have a new woman moving into the house and taking his mom’s place.
Maybe it’s not kicking up old wounds to see Hayden moving on after six years.
Maybe it doesn’t feel like a betrayal to his mother’s memory, like he has been abandoned all over again because it’s plain to see that Hayden truly is happy with my mom, and maybe they didn’t have much of a relationship at this point, but they had that. For the past six years, they’ve both buried themselves in the sand so they didn’t have to face the prospect of moving on without her.
Now, his dad is moving on.
Landon hates my mother with a passion that simply isn’t rooted in logic. My mom is a sweetheart, and if he gave her a chance, there’s no reason he shouldn’t like her.
All the snide remarks. Does he think I haven’t noticed? He’s angry that his dad moved her in. He’s angry that he loves her.
Why else would he be so angry about that?
Maybe it’s just because I saw how he coped with his big feelings when he was twelve, and I haven’t seen any evidence that he’s gotten better at it since then, but when Landon is hurt, I know he lashes out. My mom hasn’t done anything to hurt him, unless it was that.
I can’t relate to that, but I can understand how he feels.
I didn’t lose a parent I adored. Hayden is replacing no one for me.
Mom did tell me Hayden hasn’t been serious with anyone since his wife died, so I have a pretty good idea that I’m right about all this being new to him. And given even at school, his focus was on spreading rumors about her over me…
He’s hurting.
He’ll probably never admit that, but it doesn’t matter.
I don’t need verification. It’s what I believe, and it makes sense, so unless new information comes in and proves me wrong, that’s what I’m going with.
We approach the valet stand, so I don’t have to answer him. My face feels warm when I meet Javi’s gaze. He probably thinks I’m an idiot babysitting my same-age…