I don’t know the story of what caused the big fight, which then lead to them breaking up for good, after catching him in that room. Shay didn’t tell me, and I didn’t ask. Maybe it was something painful, maybe it wasn’t. They were so volatile they could have been arguing over who gets the last cigarette. I don’t need to question her. If she wanted to tell me she would. If not, I understand. Some things you need to keep to yourself and move on.
“Talk. Jacob is sound asleep in bed, I washed the dishes, and I took care of the garbage. You’ve put me off long enough. How was it?”
I sit across from Shay and smooth my hand over the cushion between us. She’s been asking about the meet-up with Landon from the moment I stepped in the door. Her car was parked outside when we pulled up to the house. She looked relieved to see me, but I told her I would be fine, she didn’t need to worry about me. She’s as bad as Mom sometimes.
“It wasn’t bad. It went pretty good.”
“Is that all you’re going to say? It was horrible, wasn’t it? I knew I should have gone with Jacob instead.” She sits back, staring at me.
“Shay.” I put my hand on her knee. “It wasn’t bad. We’re going to do this for our kids. We had a talk to clear the air. He wanted to make sure I was okay with the assignment and seeing him. It was all going well...” I trail off, thinking about Bree.
“It was, but what went wrong?”
“His wife came in.”
“So what? She knew you guys were meeting up. Right?”
“She knew, but I don’t think she knew who I was.”
“He lied to his wife?” Her forehead creases with the faintest of lines staring at me. “See, that’s a move ripped straight from The Guys’ Guide to Being a World-Class Dick manual.”
“Shay. I don’t know? Whatever.”
The Landon I remember wouldn’t be so underhanded on purpose. Whatever his reasons for not truly explaining to Bree who I was, their his, and she’s his wife, not mine. I’m not going to try to reason with Shay about it. Whatever I say, she’ll say the opposite, when it comes to Landon. Sleeping dogs will not lie there. Let’s see her reaction to dirty sexy blond.
“In any case, I met Jackson’s mom. Her name is Bree.”
“Like the smelly cheese? Perfect, considering who she’s married to.”
“If you’re not going to be nice, this conversation is over.”
She rolls her eyes. “Continue, please. Nice enough for you?”
Yeah, I’m sure we’re related. We look alike, even with her short, pixie-slash-punk hair. “She was nice—blonde, perky, and outgoing. I could tell she’s the opposite of everything I am.”
“Who the hell cares?”
“Yeah, who cares?” I kind of do. “Anyway, before we left, I saw another good-looking blond. A dirty one.”
“Don’t tell me it’s one of those places with ditsy blondes busting out the seams of their clothes.”
“The dirty blond had a dick, and his name was Trigg,” I say with a straight face. Her face is a wall of nothing. Not one emotion. Blank. “Shay, did you hear me? I said, Trigg. He’s Landon’s partner at The Office.”
“What office?”
“It’s the name of the bar they own together.” She shakes her head.
I nod back. “Yes.” She’s still shaking her head slowly, and she looks like she’s not going to stop. “Shay, unless you’re trying to hypnotize me, could you stop that, please?”
“What did he say?” she asks, voice flat, with zero emotion, robotic.
“Are you okay?” Maybe I shouldn’t have brought this up.
“I’m fine. What did he say? Did he ask...”
“He didn’t ask about you. But we didn’t have much time to talk. I was trying to get away as fast as I could after meeting Bree. Are you sure you’re okay? I wouldn’t have brought it up if I knew it was going to upset you.”
“No, no, I’m not upset. I couldn’t care less.” She gets up off the couch. “I have to go. I’m happy things weren’t as bad as I thought they were going to be.” She heads to the door like she needs a fix or something.
What the hell? “Shay, call me if you need to talk, okay?”
She turns and smiles. “Why would I need to talk, when I’m fine? See ya. Don’t forget to lock up, love you.” She closes the door, effectively cutting off anything else I would say.
What the hell? I guess Trigg was right. Some things are better left alone. No need to poke the injured bear.
All the locks, all the windows are closed, Jacob is safe sleeping in his bed. As I’m going through my nightly checklist in my head, the phone rings. It’s the last person I expect.
“Hi, Landon.”
“Hey. I was wondering could we meet up somewhere else for the project, if you don’t mind?”
If she didn’t before, I’m betting Bree knows who I am now. And it didn’t go over well. We won’t be meeting up at his house. “Let me guess. Bree wants to throw me a great big surprise party to celebrate our impending friendship as BFFs.”
His silence means I’ve hit the nail on the head. “Maybe if you got to know each other you could get to be friends,” he offers cautiously.
“Not with our crash and burn past.”
“Lace—” his voice sinks.
The low way he says my name, I’m sorry I made the sarcastic remark. “No, let’s not go there. Too late in the night. Let’s stay on the surface of it. I couldn’t be friends with your wife. Would you really want me to? Trading relationship stories?”
“You have a point.” He sighs.
“You told her who I was, and she didn’t take it well?” Who would?
“It has nothing to do with you personally.”
“Sure. I understand.”
“You do?”
“Yes. You and Jackson can come to my house.”
“You don’t mind? If you don’t want me there, I’ll find somewhere else, or we can come back to the bar. It’s just I don’t bring Jackson to the bar a lot. Only when I’m working and Bree’s working.”
“Landon, take a breath. It’s fine. I don’t mind you being here. We discussed this already. We’ll be fine. I’ll be fine.”
“Great,” he sighs, sounding relieved more than stressed this time. “Thanks for understanding.”
I bob my head, as if he can see me I nod. “See you Saturday. Oh, and, Landon, the address hasn’t changed. I still live at my mother’s. The garage and first floor have been converted into my apartment.” He’s about to say something, but I end the call before he has the chance.
My phone chimes, and I look down at it. I knew he had more to say. I smile before looking at the text.
Landon: I’m not sure we should meet at your place. Wouldn’t it be strange, bring up things we don’t want to revisit?
Lacey: I can handle it if you can. And if I can, you damn sure should be able to. It’s not a problem for me. we’ll meet here end of story.
I see the text bubble appear on my screen, and I quickly text back before he has a chance to send off his next text.
Lacey: Don’t you dare text me back! Good night Landon!
I end it with a smiley face to take the sharpness out of the text. The bubble disappears and seconds later I see another one. He doesn’t know when to stop, does he? I see his text pop on screen, and I’m pleased.
Landon: Goodnight, Lace. Sleep tight.
Ending with a yellow heart emoji. I smile.
I knew he was going to protest coming back to the place he broke my heart. But we have to get past this, no way around it. Might as well get it over sooner rather than later.
This isn’t bad at all. It was weird when he pulled into the driveway. The first thirty minutes were stilted between us, but the kids helped with that. Sitting at the kitchen table with Landon and the kids is actually nice. It’s been a pleasant two hours watching the kids feed the rabbits and coming up with names for them while they draw pictures of them for their report.
We even had a good laugh
about the names. The adults were set on Captain and Tennille for the two carrot-eating lovebirds currently sharing a cage, but the kids overruled us with their favorite cartoon, Teen Titans Go! Bunny one and two are officially Starfire and Robin, may they live happily ever after. Providing Starfire doesn’t set Robin on fire for being a pain in the ass.
“Mom, we’ve finished our pictures. Can we play, please?” His hopeful eyes look at me and then Landon.
“Yeah, dad, I’m not ready to go home. It’s boring, nothing to do.”
“Are you kidding me?” Landon looks at me with an unbelievable smile. “The amount of toys and video games you have, I should be on the welfare line, with you dragging your sack of toys behind me as proof of being broke.” He ruffles his hair.
“But I didn’t ask you to buy them, you just did. Not my fault you bought too much.” He tilts his head, smiling at his dad. This kid is something else.
“I’ll remember that when it’s time for Santa to make his visit. I’ll give him the message. Too many toys for this little boy.” He taps his nose. “He’ll take them down to the shelter for the little boys and girls who don’t have any but will greatly appreciate your generosity.”
“Dad!” His head goes back in horror.
“Yes?” His father asks, calm as ever, like he didn’t threaten to snatch away his Christmas, replacing it with a lump of coal.
“I don’t mind sharing some of them but...I’m sorry, I love all my toys. Can we please stay longer? Jacobs going to show me his new video game.”
Landon looks at me and winks. I press my lips together to keep from smiling, so as not to ruin the lesson he’s trying to teach Jackson for smarting off.
“I have time, but only if it’s okay with Lacey.”
“It’s fine. I’ll make something to eat. Who’s hungry?”
“We are,” they yell.
“Pizza, Mom.”
“Yeah, pizza, Mom,” Landon says, as Jacob runs off to his room with Jackson.
I order two large pies, and Landon insists on going to get them in the rain because it’ll take them longer to deliver it. When he gets back the boys scarf down their slices and run off again. I barely finish my two slices, but Landon is on his fifth.
“Should I cut you off? Overeating and driving is a bad thing. You hit a bump, there’s the chance you could explode from both ends.”
He almost spits out a mouth full of pizza on a laugh. “Thoughtful of you, but I think I’ll be fine. I own a bar. I’m an expert at cutting people off. I have the license to prove it.” He wipes his mouth, recovering. “I know my limits, and I’m not there yet.” He looks into my eyes, clearing his throat. “I know my limits, Lacey.”
He takes a sip of his drink, so do I, looking away to break the pull I feel towards him with his words and the look in his eyes. “You were good with Jackson and the toy thing before. Better than I would have been with Jacob.”
“He’s a great kid, but sometimes his mouth gets away from him. He knows how to work a situation to his advantage, most of the time. I don’t know where he gets it from.”
I snort, incredulous. “Uh, I do.”
He stares at me, quirking his lips up. “Huh.”
“Yes, he is. He’s a mini-you. With the laid-back swagger, so sure of himself. You’re in so much trouble in ten years.”
“I think you’re right. But I believe it’s more like six and change.”
“Right?” I laugh. “I didn’t want to alarm you, so I stretched it a little.”
“Haha. Remember who his best friend is…keep laughing.”
He’s so right. I relax back in my seat, take another sip of my drink, and he lays into another slice.
“You remember the Pizza Shack?”
“Do I ever.” I nod. “We had the best times there with our friends. I haven’t thought about that place in years. God, good times.”
“The pizza. Wow. The only word for it.”
“As full as I am, I would love a slice.” I pat my stomach.
“Me too, but they closed down two years ago.”
“Remember the time you guys did the pizza challenge?”
“Oh! And Trigg totally blew chunks.” He laughs.
“It was horrible,” I say, still grossed out but laughing with him.
“Not for me. I won twenty bucks.”
I shake my head to stop laughing, but I can’t. Trigg stepped in his own vomit and slid across the floor. Tears prick the sides of my eyes, and he says, “Yeah, I’m remembering the whole thing too.”
We can’t stop laughing. The kids run back in the room with us, and Jacob asks, “Are you okay, mom?”
I dab the corner of my eyes, composing myself, and look at him with just a smile. “Baby, I’m fine. Just having a good time.” I look over at Landon.
“Your mom reminded me of something funny that happened when we were in college together.”
He looks at me, then at Landon. “You used to know my mom?”
Oh, he doesn’t know this. From the look on Landon’s face, I know he just remembered we were supposed to be strangers until they ended up as friends. Shit, I’ve talked about Landon before, but they don’t know it. When I talk about college and meeting his father, somehow I give him a similar description to Landon, tattoo and all.
I didn’t think it would matter, since we were never ever going to see each other again. These are the pitfalls of lying to your kid about the sperm they really came from. Jacob won’t put it together as long as Landon’s shirt doesn’t come off. It won’t— there is no reason why it should. My lie is safe for now.
“Jacob!” Jackson yells. “I’m losing. I need you to help me block the car in front of me.”
He turns back to me. I put my hand on his back. “Better help Jackson before he runs off the race track.”
“Okay. But, Mom you’re not funny a lot. You don’t laugh.” He puts his hands on my shoulder, as if he’s stating an absolute fact of law. “You’re Mom.”
This conversation feels a bit strange, because I know Landon is here watching us intently, like I’m under a microscope. “I laugh all the time.”
“Jacob, help!”
Not sure if he’s talking to me or Jackson, but he says, “Okay,” then kisses me and runs off.
I don’t look at Landon. I’m sorta embarrassed by what he heard, and worried about what I told Jacob about his “father.”
“This was fun.” I stand up. “I better clean this up and put away the leftovers. We’ll have them for a few days unless Shay comes over tonight.” I move around the table to take his plate. He stops me with his hand over mine, my breath hitches. I feel the tug of war in me when our eyes meet.
“Lacey.”
“Yes?” I hear the boys yell, and I look over to Jacob’s room.
“They’re fine.” He stands to lead me to the couch in the living room, where he sits next to me. “We’re friends, and this is what I do with my friends. We talk. Honestly. If I can show up here at your mother’s house, even though you live downstairs from her in your own apartment, fearing she’ll come down when she’s not here and give me the look of a thousand mothers who would spit-roast me alive, then we can do this, be friends like you said.”
He brings a smile to my face, and I exhale. He lets go of my hand but our fingers still touch. I don’t mind; I like it. His touch. Only his touch.
“How are you, honestly?”
The question bounces around in my mind before I open my mouth to give my standard answer to my mother and Shay, : I’m fine and I’m stronger. Look how far I’ve come, but I don’t. Not to him. Even after everything, I believe he deserves the honesty he asked for. “Physically I’m fine. Mentally...sometimes I feel like I’ll always be getting there. Today, back in there, with you, I’m in a good place.”
“I’m glad today is a good day. Happier I’m a part of it.” He rubs the tips of his finger against mine.
I like it a lot. It’s an intimate act without being intentionally so— enjoying e
ach other’s company, old but hopefully wiser friends. “Time for some honesty of your own.” I fold my legs under me, turning my body fully to him.
He puts his arm over the back of the couch. “I’m ready. Anything you want to know.”
There are only two things I want to know, things I’ve often wondered about. One is way easier than the other. I’ll start with that one first; it’ll make finding out the second less painful. “What about you?” I ask. He raises an eyebrow at me to clarify.
“Did you finish college?”
“No, couldn’t concentrate on it. I decided to stop wasting time and money.”
For some reason, I feel like I should apologize, but I quell the urge. I know his decision was based on what happened to me. To us.
“What about you, Lace?”
“I’m a hostess and waitress at La Fleur Cafe and restaurant.”
“I know.”
“Why did you ask?”
“I wanted to hear you say it. Sounds better.”
My forehead scrunches up. “Sounds better?”
“Everything always sounded better when you said it. Still does.”
I smile. His words send tiny flutters around my stomach. “Then I’ll continue. This will be like knock-you-on-the-next-planet exciting. Wait for it, wait for it...I work five days a week, and every other weekend off. More if I can find one of my co-workers to take my shift.”
“No words as beautiful have ever been spoken to me.” I laugh, and he continues. “Did you finish college?”
“No, but I’ve started taking online classes. I took this semester off to save up some more money.”
“That’s great. What’s your major?”
“Business management.”
“You like it?”
“Yeah, I want to open my own bakery one day.”
“You do? I’ve never known you to bake.”
“Old me didn’t. New me does. My specialty is pie,” I say confidently. “I love making pies. My mother used to say, when in doubt, pie. She taught me after Jacob was born, to take my mind off things and to keep my hands busy. I gained fifteen pounds in two weeks.”
Cry For You_A Second Chance Romance Page 7
