Landon shook his head, a confused smile on his face. “I’m good, thanks.” He sat down on the couch, looking around her living room.
“I’ll just be a moment.” She left Millie with Landon and went upstairs.
Millie conducted her usual inspection of the new guest, and went to work sniffing around Landon’s shoes and shorts. As Georgia reached the top step, she paused to watch as Landon leaned down to pet Millie, rubbing her behind the ears. Millie had just made a new best friend, Georgia thought to herself.
Walking hurriedly with excitement, Georgia went into her room. Now that she was here, what was she going to do? She quickly went into the bathroom and examined herself in the mirror. As she stared back at her reflection, it finally dawned upon her that Landon Young was in her house. Downstairs. On her couch.
Forcing herself to breathe, Georgia grabbed her brush and redid her ponytail, this time spraying the flyaways back with an old, travel-sized canister of hairspray. She then dug through the drawer and found mascara, hastily coating her lashes until they were black and full. She stepped back to inspect her work. With the mascara and her hair done up, she definitely looked more put together and less tired, although she still had silver half-moons under her eyes.
She rummaged through her drawer again, looking for something to brighten up her pale skin. Unable to find any blush, she grabbed a tube of red lipstick and dotted her cheekbones. She rubbed the lipstick into the apples of her cheeks, giving her a healthy, flushed glow.
As Georgia left her room to go back downstairs, the gleam of the shiny black canister on her bureau caught her eye. She stopped. Should she take the pepper spray along with her? She had told her dad that she would carry it with her. She took a step towards it, caught in an internal struggle between her loyalty to her dad, and her trust in Landon.
Georgia exhaled and took a step back towards the door. Her dad may not trust Landon, but she did. Turning on her heel, she left her room and the pepper spray behind.
As she descended the stairs, she saw that Landon had already found the leash next to the door and was hooking it onto Millie’s collar. Millie happily obliged. She was exceedingly happy with her new friend.
“Ready to go?” Georgia asked.
Landon looked up, noticing that her eyes looked even bluer and larger than earlier. “I am.” He patted Millie. Millie’s tail wagged eagerly as Landon held the door open for them both.
They made their way to Maple Leaf Park, following the same route they had taken home last night. Millie led the way, with Georgia and Landon walking a few paces behind her. Georgia was unsure as to what she should say to Landon, the image of her dad snubbing him in the diner still lingering prominently in her mind. She chose instead to ask about his day. “Did you and your mom make some headway going through everything?” she asked, remembering how he had told her his plans for the day.
Still holding Millie’s leash, Landon kept his eyes ahead as he answered, “We did. There’s still more to do, but we got a solid start on it.”
“That’s good.”
They walked in silence for a few moments. Georgia could feel a bead of sweat running down the middle of her back. She shifted her shoulders awkwardly, trying to ignore how it tickled her skin. Though it was later in the afternoon, the sun’s glare was just as strong as ever. Landon didn’t seem to mind, and walked quickly as if it were a cool, autumn day, and not the middle of the blazing summer.
Landon broke the silence abruptly. “How did you find my dad that night? What happened?”
Georgia bit her lip, not knowing how to answer. What should she tell him? He had chosen not to ask her about it before, so why did he want to know now?
Sensing that she was uncomfortable, he added, “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
Georgia shook her head. “No, I can. But why…why would you want to know?”
Landon shook his head. “I don’t know. I guess I thought that by asking, maybe it would feel like I have all the answers. That it would all make more sense, I mean,” he said, attempting to clarify his thoughts.
Georgia took a deep breath, and began. “I was on a walk with Millie that night, and it was Millie that sensed something was wrong. She led me to your dad’s Cadillac on Firefly Lane…” Georgia recounted that night’s events to Landon, choosing to omit the more grisly details for Landon’s sake.
Landon didn’t say a word the entire time she spoke. She told him about finding Dr. Young, taking the letter and hiding it from her dad, running to the police station, and how her dad had taken her to Virginia’s that night.
When Georgia was finished, she looked over at Landon, attempting to gauge his reaction. They had reached the entrance of Maple Leaf Park, and Georgia was thankful for the dense shade overhead now. She wiped the sweat from her brow, waiting for Landon to say something.
Finally, he spoke, “Somehow, I thought that by hearing your story, I would understand more. But now…” His voice trailed off, and he sighed. “Now, I just have more questions than ever."
“The more you learn, the less you know,” Georgia said softly.
“Yes,” he agreed. “Exactly.”
They continued to walk, both grateful to be under the canopy of the trees in the sweltering heat.
“Do you ever have regrets, Georgia Summer?”
His question was unexpected, surprising Georgia. “Regrets about…?” she asked slowly.
Landon shrugged his shoulders. “About not telling the truth to someone?”
Georgia bit her lip in thought, nodding slowly. “I do,” she admitted, her thoughts turning to her dad. At this very moment, she was lying to her dad by seeing Landon. She knew she would have to keep this meeting with him a secret.
Landon didn’t say anything for a moment, and all was quiet save for their shoes hitting the concrete. “Me too,” he said quietly.
Georgia swallowed, wanting to ask him what he regretted, and if it had to do with his dad. She opened her mouth to ask, but Landon spoke first.
“Hey,” he said, suddenly stopping.
Georgia stopped too, looking at him with a confused expression.
Landon was looking at the grouping of trees that separated Maple Leaf Park from Sage River. “I want to show you something.” He held out his hand.
Georgia hesitated, looking at his outstretched hand. Firefly Lane was on the other side of the park, so what was he going to show her? Still not taking his hand, she looked into his cool grey eyes, wondering what he was up to.
Landon looked back at her with an assured expression, his eyes expectant. Could Georgia trust him?
She slipped her hand into his and followed him.
Chapter 22
Back to Sage River
They headed towards the dark grouping of trees, this time Millie following as she was unfamiliar with the new route. Landon led the way, guiding Georgia through the trees. Georgia looked down at their clasped hands and intertwined fingers as she followed him. In spite of the humidity and sweltering heat, his touch felt cool. She admired the way their hands fit together like puzzle pieces, both designed to fit perfectly into the other.
As Landon led her out of the dense trees, she could hear water running. They came out into a clearing where the trees were sparser now, but still offered shade overhead. The sound of running water continued to grow louder as Landon led Georgia to the edge of Sage River. Georgia bent down to unhook Millie from her leash, while Millie continued to curiously sniff the new terrain.
“Have you ever been to this part of Sage River?” Landon asked, looking at her.
Georgia gazed down at the water, mesmerized by how peaceful and serene the water appeared as it gently coursed by in front of them. She shook her head. “I haven’t, no.” She smiled back up at him.
He gave her a surprised look, his eyebrow cocked. “Really? You’re looking at the best swimming hole in all of Willow Creek.”
Letting go of her hand, he began to strip off, starting w
ith his shirt. It was all Georgia could do to not gape open-mouthed as he stripped down to his boxers. Before she could even protest, Landon leapt off the bank and into the water, leaving her alone with his clothes at the water’s edge. Millie barked as he plunged into the water, her tail wagging excitedly.
Georgia watched as Landon resurfaced and took a breath of air. A huge grin stretched across his face as he ran his fingers through his soaked hair. His eyes were closed with pleasure from the cool, refreshing water, and Georgia felt herself smiling as she watched him. Her eyes traveled down to his chest and stomach, and she couldn’t help but stare as she noted his defined, bulging muscles.
Landon turned to face her, still smiling. “Well, are you going to come in or are you just going to watch?” He laughed as he splashed water towards her and Millie.
Millie didn’t wait for Georgia to decide and jumped off the bank into the river, her solid body having a cannonball effect in the water. She gleefully swam over to Landon, panting eagerly.
Georgia wiped the sweat from her forehead, watching them. The river looked exceptionally enticing as she stood there, sweating on the bank in the oppressive heat. She looked down at Landon. He gazed back at her with his grey blue eyes, their color beckoning to her just as strongly as that of the azure water.
“What are you waiting for?” he asked, his gaze intense as beads of cool water ran down his face.
Georgia felt her breathing still. What was she waiting for?
With a coy smile playing across her lips, she spun her index finger in a circle, motioning to him to turn around. Landon held his hands up, not protesting, and turned around, laughing to himself. She unbuttoned her blouse and slipped it off, and then took off her shorts. She folded them up and placed them neatly next to Landon’s pile of clothing.
Taking a deep breath, she straightened back up, keeping her eyes on Landon to make sure he wasn’t peeking. Georgia was surprised that she didn’t feel more self-conscious as she stood there on the bank of Sage River in just her under things. She took her ponytail out, and felt her dark hair fall down to her shoulders. With the warm sun soaking into her bare skin and the gentle breeze lifting her hair off of her neck, she felt emboldened.
Then, swinging her arms back, and then forward, she leapt off the bank and into the river. The water was refreshingly cool and a welcome relief from the heat. Georgia let the water rush over her head as she plunged in. It was positively exhilarating as she surfaced and took a gulp of fresh air. Running her hands through her long, wet hair, she opened her eyes and looked at Landon.
Landon was watching her, clearly pleased that she had joined him in the river. Millie swam over to her, yipping playfully. Georgia found an even surface under her feet and stood.
“Aren’t you glad you came in?” Landon asked as he swam closer to her.
Georgia smiled broadly. “I am. I can’t believe I never knew about this swimming hole before,” she said appreciatively, looking around at the scenery.
“I used to come here all the time as a kid. Best way to beat the summer’s heat.” He dipped his head back in the water, soaking his hair again.
Georgia ran her hands through the water, swirling it with her fingers. “Have you missed it since you’ve left? I mean, have you missed Willow Creek?”
“I have,” he admitted with a sigh. “But,” he added, slicking his hair back from his forehead. “You can’t be a kid forever. At some point you gotta grow up and move on, you know?”
Georgia nodded, although she wasn’t exactly sure if she fully understood. In the last year, she had grown up by moving away to college. And yet, here she was, back home again for the summer. Willow Creek would always be her home, no matter where she went. “Maybe so,” Georgia said thoughtfully.
“Besides, being a grown-up is so fun!” He laughed as he splashed her.
“Hey!” Georgia splashed him back. She swam over to him, pushing the water ahead of her with her hand so that a wave washed over Landon’s surprised face.
“I’ll get you for that,” Landon sputtered as he went after her.
Georgia squealed and retreated, kicking her legs quickly to swim away from his reach, but he was faster. Grabbing her leg, Landon pulled her back towards him easily in one swift yank. Georgia fought against his clutch, laughing as she realized she couldn’t outswim him and his strong arms.
Landon scooped her up, holding one arm under her legs, and the other just under her shoulders. She laughed and tilted her head back in his arms, secretly glad that he had managed to catch her.
Georgia smiled as she looked up at Landon. She was completely sated with pleasure, and felt like a child again as he held her in the water. Landon looked down at her, and for a brief moment, it felt like they were the only two people that existed in the entire world. Everything seemed to come to a halt, save for the water gently flowing around their bodies. Time seemed to stand still, holding its breath as Landon leaned in closer to Georgia.
“You have freckles,” Landon said suddenly, squinting down at her nose.
Georgia giggled.
“I didn’t notice them before,” he said softly.
Up this close, Georgia could see every detail of his perfect face, including the flecks of grey in his cobalt blue eyes. They gazed at her, searching her face hungrily. Landon lifted his hand and gently pushed a wet lock of hair away from her cheek. Georgia held her breath as he drew closer to her face. Instinctively, she closed her eyes, waiting for his lips to touch her own.
A moment passed, and then another, and Georgia’s eyes fluttered open. Wasn’t he going to kiss her? Instead, Landon withdrew his face and straightened back up, loosening his grip on her.
Embarrassed, Georgia struggled to stand up, pushing his hands away. Landon let go of her, his eyes downcast. She waited for him to say something, but he didn’t. He pushed off the rock where they were standing and swam over to the side where his clothes were.
Georgia stood there in the river, confused as she watched him pull himself back up onto the bank. “Did I do something wrong?” she asked, an edge of annoyance in her voice.
Landon didn’t answer her.
Realizing they were done swimming, Georgia dejectedly swam over to the bank and climbed out of the water, the silence heavy between them. Landon pulled his shorts back on, and Georgia quickly began to button up her blouse, feeling suddenly self-conscious as her previous elation completely deflated.
She finished dressing and called out to Millie, “Millie! Let’s go, girl.” Georgia bent down to grab the leash as Millie hauled herself out of the river, sopping wet. Georgia glanced over at Landon as he pulled his shirt on over his head. She hooked the leash onto Millie’s collar, now fully vexed with Landon for ignoring her. “I’m going home,” Georgia announced defiantly. She turned to leave with Millie, determined to go without him. She began to walk away in the direction of the park, her anger growing as he continued to give her the silent treatment.
“You know, this isn’t easy for me,” Landon finally said, raising his voice so that she could hear him as she walked away.
Georgia stopped and spun around. “What do you mean? What’s not easy for you?” she snapped, unable to keep the irritation from her voice as she angrily gripped Millie’s leash.
Landon lifted his hands, as if trying to find the right words, but then dropped them in resignation. “I just got back from Afghanistan, which may as well be worlds away from this place. My dad is gone. And here I am, frolicking around in the river with the daughter of the sheriff who arrested me years ago.” Landon paused, sighing with frustration as he shook his head. “For all you know, Georgia, I’m a criminal,” he said quietly.
Georgia looked down at her feet, not knowing what to say at first. Then, shaking her wet hair back from her face, she looked up at him, her expression resolute. “I may be the sheriff’s daughter, but that doesn’t mean I always agree with my father’s version of the truth. I know not to believe everything I hear, and that there’s always another
side to the story.” She turned to leave again, but stopped, looking back over her shoulder at Landon. “Shame on you, Landon Young, for thinking I’m just like everyone else in this small town.” Georgia’s voice practically shook with indignation.
“And why would you believe me?” Landon asked. His expression was no longer frustrated, but puzzled.
Georgia sighed, turning back around. Confused, Millie turned around too, inadvertently wrapping her leash around Georgia’s legs. Georgia leaned down, huffing impatiently as she disentangled her legs from Millie’s leash. “Because,” she said, unlooping the leash from her legs and standing back up. “The stories don’t add up right. I don’t think you’re lying, but I don’t think you’re telling the whole truth about what happened that night my father arrested you.”
“And that’s why you’re giving me a chance?” His eyes were shadowed with doubt.
“I’m the sheriff’s daughter, remember? Aren’t you giving me a chance, too?”
Landon’s face relaxed, and his puzzled expression gave way to a small smile as he realized the truth of her words. He looked down at the grass, shaking his head. “You’re different, Georgia Summer. You’re not at all like any other girl I’ve met...or any other person,” he added, his smile fading as he spoke.
Without taking his eyes off of her, Landon walked over to Georgia, quickly closing the gap between them. Georgia felt her heart racing as he approached her, her eyes locked on his. Facing her, Landon lifted his hands and held her head where the soft skin of her neck met the curve of her jaw, leaning down to kiss her fully on the lips. Georgia didn’t resist, welcoming his soft lips on her own as he kissed her and ran his fingers through her hair. Georgia kissed him back, hungry for more as he held her close.
They kissed for what felt like either an eternity or just a second, each passing moment better than the last as they held each other. Georgia lifted her arms and rested them on Landon’s shoulders, bringing her body closer to his. He responded by kissing her more deeply, his touch both tender and sweet. Their kiss was a passionate expression for saying what couldn’t be said, and actualizing what could only be felt.
Georgia Summer Page 18
