by Aven Ellis
“I’m not sure I like playing against you while we have Connectivity video chat on,” I declare.
It’s Friday night, and I’m playing Landon in TriviaPlayOrPass! He’s in Cleveland, at his hotel, and we’re talking and playing the game at the same time.
And making it incredibly hard to concentrate is the fact that Landon is in bed, shirtless, as he’s talking to me. Oh, God. He’s broad and ripped and I see the full tattoo sleeves and the pec muscles and wh—
“It’s the best,” Landon exclaims. “I love seeing how cute you look when you get frustrated.”
My cheeks heat from his words. Lord, hopefully he didn’t see how I was staring at him!
“Now you’re making me blush,” I say, trying to act like I’m embarrassed because he called me cute.
“Even better.”
I laugh. “Stop it. I’m thinking.”
“I’ve got my eyes on you,” Landon declares. “You can’t cheat by picking up another device.”
“Excuse me? I do not cheat at TriviaPlayOrPass!, Scott921.”
“Well, if you do you’re a crappy cheater because you still haven’t answered.”
I grin. I stayed over into the wee hours of the morning at his place on Thursday night, then texted him after I made it home. We’ve messaged on and off today, too, and Landon asked if I wanted to talk after he had dinner in Cleveland.
Cleveland! That’s the answer to the TriviaPlayOrPass! question!
I immediately type in the answer, and I’m declared the winner of this round.
“Damn it,” he says, reading his phone, which makes me laugh.
“I’ll try to take it easy on you the next round,” I tease.
“Don’t you even,” Landon says, grinning at me. “But enough of that. I want to focus on you.”
My heart melts in happiness. “Good, I want to focus on you, too.”
“So what are you doing tomorrow?” he asks, reaching over to his nightstand and grabbing a bottle of water.
“I’m going to have a girls’ night in with Aubrey and Collins,” I say, watching as Landon takes a drink and sets the bottle back on the table next to his bed.
“The friend who broke up with her boyfriend?” Landon asks, remembering our conversation from yesterday about it.
Collins did what she said. She told me it was the hardest conversation she’s ever had in her life. Gut-wrenching because Gabe told her she destroyed their future. He begged her to say what was wrong. Gabe said over and over he loved her and it was a phase, but Collins held firm. She broke up with him, and she’s now trying to pick up the pieces knowing she broke his heart.
“Yes,” I say. “She did the right thing. For both of them. But she’s anguished over hurting him like this.”
“He’ll thank her someday for it,” Landon says firmly. “He’ll see that.”
“Perhaps,” I say, thinking it over. “But—”
Suddenly the door to my bedroom flings open. I whip around and see my mother strolling in with a plate of brownies.
“Livy! Sweetie pie, I made chocolate espresso brownies! Want some? I can bring up some milk, too.”
GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
“Mom! I’m talking—”
My mom’s gaze zeroes in on my laptop.
And to a half-dressed Landon on the screen, in bed, who is staring back at my mom with a look of confusion.
“Livy Adams! Are you doing computer sex with this man? Oh my God. Oh my GAWWWWWWWD, LIVYYYYYYYY! Dave! Dave, get up here!” She drops the plate onto my bed in horror. “Oh my gawd, I’m going to have a stroke!”
“Mom, are you insane?” I shout, leaping up from the bed. “That’s Landon Holder. We’re talking. TALKING.”
“What?”
“Um, hello, Mrs. Adams,” Landon says, waving from the bed.
“You’re having computer sex with Landy Holder?”
My face is burning. “Would you stop it? No!”
“Good lord, what is all the yelling about?” my dad asks, strolling into my room.
“She’s having computer sex with a Chicago Buffalo!” my mom cries.
“Stop it! I am not. Landon, please go. I’ll talk to you later. When the crazy people are out of my room.”
“Oh, no, I’m enjoying this,” Landon declares, winking at me.
GAHHHHH!
“What’s computer sex?” my dad asks. Then he peers at my laptop. “Holy Moses, that is Landy Holder!”
“Hi, Mr. Adams,” Landon says, clearly enjoying this. “Nice to meet you.”
“We’re not having computer sex,” I declare, mortified beyond belief.
“Then why is he naked?” my mom cries, pointing at the screen.
“Mom! Landon is shirtless. Not naked!”
“I promise I have sweat pants on, Mrs. Adams,” Landon calls out.
I shoot him a look, and he grins.
Oh, I’m so getting him back later for this.
“We were playing—”
“I don’t want to know!” my mother says, putting her hand over her eyes. “I don’t want to know what kinky stuff my daughter is playing with . . . with . . . this naked hockey player!”
“Who is naked?”
I turn around and to add to the festivities, my nana pops her head into the room.
“Nothing!” I declare.
“She’s having computer sex with a hockey player!” my mother says at the same time.
“Landy Holder,” my dad chimes in.
“I’m closing the laptop. This is ridiculous,” I declare.
“Oh no you don’t,” Nana says, barging into the room. “If you have a naked hockey player, I’m going to see him.”
“Nana!” I hiss. I try to block the screen with my hand, but there’s no deterring Nana. She pushes my hand away and picks up the laptop, studying Landon.
“Ohhhhh, I see why Livy would want to have computer sex with you,” she purrs. “Aren’t you a hottie?”
Oh my God. My nana called Landon a hottie.
“Goodbye, Landon, I’ll talk to you later,” I say, quickly snapping the computer shut.
Then I turn to my family, aghast. “Seriously, what just happened? I can’t believe you all came in here and talked to Landon like that!”
“Well, Livy, you haven’t had a date in more than a year and then I find you having computer sex with Landy Holder?” my mom cries.
“Gotta get out of mothballs sometime,” Nana declares, reaching for a brownie. “And he would be worth it. Yum.”
“This is embarrassing! Landon was in his pajamas. PAJAMAS. And we were playing a trivia game. That is all. But now he will probably never call me again, thanks to the circus you all provided!” I say, my voice shaking.
Nobody says anything for a moment.
“So it wasn’t computer sex?” my dad asks.
I feel my face burn. “No, it wasn’t.”
“Missed opportunity,” Nana says, winking at me.
“Mom!” my mother chides. Then she turns to me. “And when did you start seeing Landy Holder? And is this wise, Livy? A professional hockey player?”
I flop down on my bed, avoiding the brownies that have spilled on it, and cover my eyes with my arm. I’m so getting my own place ASAP.
“We met this week. I like him. He likes me. Until this happened I’m sure,” I wail miserably, lifting my arm from my eyes to study my family.
“Oh, come on, Livy, we’re fun,” Dad declares.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,” Mom says, pausing to put the brownies back on the plate. “I don’t know if I would trust him, Livy.”
Admitting defeat on all angles, I sit up and grab a brownie. “Landon has been nothing but a gentleman
to me. I trust him,” I say, breaking off a piece of it and popping it into my mouth. “And it’s early. We’re simply spending time together.”
“Well, be careful,” Mom declares softly. “I don’t want to see you hurt again, honey.”
“You don’t live unless you take risks,” Nana counters. “If your heart says he’s worth the risk, take it.”
I consider Nana’s words.
And I only need a second to know she’s right.
My phone buzzes. I glance down and see it’s Landon.
“It’s him,” I say. “And if you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to him alone.”
“Sexting?” Nana asks.
“Mother, good lord,” Mom says, rolling her eyes as she leaves the room.
“I would if I had him on the other end of the line,” Nana says. “Did you see him, Jennifer? He was Grade-A beef, that one.”
“Out!” I cry. “Everyone out!”
“Landy Holder,” my dad repeats on the way out. “I really talked to Landy Holder.”
Finally, they leave. I glance down at my phone. Landon has probably said to never call him again after that parade of crazy running through my room. Why would he need this? Landon has his pick of girls. Ones who don’t have shrieking mothers and a Nana who loves talking about her granddaughter’s sexy date.
I draw a breath of air for courage and read his text.
Get back on Connectivity video chat when you can.
Cringing, I log back in. Within seconds Landon has accepted my connect request.
“If you don’t want to see me when you get back, I understand,” I say staring at him on my screen.
Landon wrinkles his brow. “Why? Because of your family? They’re great!”
“What?” I ask, laughing. “Are you mad? That was ridiculous!”
“They’re hilarious. I like your nana,” he says, flashing me a wicked grin.
“Ha! You like her because she said you were hot.”
“She has a fun sense of humor,” Landon counters. “But I’m more interested in where you stand on the topic.”
Oooooooooooooooh!
I feel the heat return to my cheeks and neck. “Do I think you’re hot?”
“Do you?” he teases, cocking an eyebrow at me.
“Yes. You’re all kinds of hot, Landon,” I say seriously.
“Good to know,” he says. “By the way, you’re all kinds of hot, too.”
Now my face is on fire.
“Stop it,” I plead. “Otherwise I might have computer sex with you after all.”
Now Landon is laughing, and I laugh, too.
“I can wait for the real deal,” Landon says. “On your timetable,” he adds softly.
I hold still. My breath catches in my throat. Landon—the hook up specialist and flirt extraordinaire—is making it clear I’m different.
And he’s willing to wait for me.
He clears his throat before I can speak. “What do you have going on Sunday? Do you have kale to harvest or anything like that?”
“Shut up,” I say, grinning. “No, no plans.”
“So . . . do you want to go out on a real date?”
Butterflies take off inside my stomach. “Real date?”
“You know, the kind where I pick you up and take you somewhere.”
Happiness radiates through me. “What kind of date?”
“That’s for me to know and for you to find out,” Landon flirts, winking at me. “But you have to say yes first.”
I don’t think I can say “yes” fast enough to his invitation.
“Yes,” I say happily.
And I can barely wait to find out what we’re doing on Sunday.
Chapter 14
TriviaPlayOrPass!
The first coupon was introduced in 1887. For what product?
Butterflies dance excitedly in my stomach as I brush out my platinum-blond locks. I put my brush down on my countertop and draw an excited breath of air.
Landon is going to be here in a matter of minutes.
For our first real date.
Aaaaaaaaah! I’m so excited I can hardly wait for him to pick me up. Landon wouldn’t say what we’re going to do, but he said to dress casually. I picked out my black floral leggings, the ones that have the beautiful light pink roses on them, and paired them with a long-sleeved T-shirt and a cream cable-knit sweater thrown over the top. My accessory of choice is my Alice in Wonderland-inspired necklace from my Simple Pleasures line. It’s a long silver chain, and I attached a timepiece, a book, and teacup charms to it to represent elements of my favorite book.
I spritz on my Pink Sugar perfume, letting the mist hit the base of my throat. Then I pick up my can of Pink Sugar hair perfume—the best invention ever—and as I spray it on, I get a quick flash of Landon nuzzling the side of my neck and telling me how good my hair smells. Oh, I want that so badly, to be in his arms again.
And while I want that, I want this date equally as bad. For Landon to want to take me out, be seen with me, and have a good old-fashioned date when I know he doesn’t date once again reaffirms that I’m special.
Different, I remember him saying as he held me. I’m different.
I happily move out of the bathroom and reach for my black floppy hat that is hanging on a hook I have on the wall. This will be perfect for today. I put it on, checking myself in the mirror one more time, and bounce down the stairs, eagerly taking them two at a time.
I hit the ground floor and find my family in the den, watching TV. Well, Nana, who is living with us now, is reading a book. My mom has her reading glasses on, and has coupons spread out all over the floor. Mom is a serious couponer, and she buys extra copies of the paper so she can clip more savings.
“Hi, honey, are you ready for your date?” Mom asks. “Oooh! Hamburger Helper! That’s a good one. You like Stroganoff, right, Dave?”
Dad absently shifts his attention from the Chicago Bulls game to my mom. “Hmmm, we had that last time. Chili Macaroni?”
Mom nods and puts it in a pile. “Would Landy like to stay for dinner? I could make lasagna. But you need to find out if he likes tomato chunks or puree. You know Jamie won’t eat the chunky tomatoes but only the pureed ones, and he might be fussy like that.”
Wait. What? What does she mean, invite Landon over for dinner? Family dinner? Oh, no, no, no. That’s what you do when you’ve seen each other for a while. Not on the first date.
And definitely not on a first date with the man who doesn’t date.
“Um, Mom, I do—”
“We should do steaks,” Dad says thoughtfully. “He’s famous. We should offer steak.”
“Wa—” I try again.
“Whew!” Nana exclaims, cutting me off. “This book should have an X rating. Which I approve of.”
For a moment, I’m distracted from the Landon dinner crisis. I turn to Nana and glance at the cover.
“The Curse of the Vampire Knight?” I ask.
“Yes. A vampire knight. He’s hot,” Nana exclaims. “I might need to adjust my blood pressure meds while reading.” Then she lifts her eyes and studies me. “I’d have computer sex with a vampire knight any day of the week. But I don’t have hot hockey players calling on me like you do, love.”
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
“Please do me a favor. Do not bring up computer sex in front of Landon,” I beg Nana. Then I turn to my parents. “And do not ask him for dinner. This is our first real date, so he would totally freak out if you did. Dinner is saved for when you are getting exclusive.”
Mom pauses in her clipping and looks up at me. “Would he freak out because he’s still running around with girls all over Chicagoland? Honey, I don’t want this for you. Troy was bad enough. Landy takes
this to a whole new level, with him being a pro athlete with all these groupie girls.”
The butterflies abruptly stop mid-flight as my mother’s words wash over me. I know there is truth to her words. Landon and I are having a date. He hasn’t promised me anything beyond what we are doing today.
While I know there is a real possibility of this blowing up in my face, I also know the way he kissed me and held me. I don’t believe he has spent nights like that with other women.
But most of all, I know what I feel in my heart.
“I don’t care about the girls in his past,” I say, letting my heart speak aloud.
“Sluts,” Nana interjects knowingly. “Those other girls are sluts. And they’re irrelevant, Livy. Remember that.”
“Puck Sluts?” Dad adds helpfully.
I shove the thoughts from my head. I don’t want forever from Landon today. I simply want to be with him. After what happened with Troy, I have to go slowly. I’ll never surrender my heart so quickly again. I know exactly what I’m getting into with Landon.
And it’s a chance I’m more than willing to take.
“Livy?” my mom asks.
I clear my throat. “Just say hello and let us go on our way, okay? Please?”
The doorbell rings.
And my heart leaps because I know it’s Landon.
The fear disappears. The butterflies return.
“Oh, do I get to let him in? So you can make an entrance?” Dad teases.
“No!” I say, headed toward the hallway. “And small-talk only!” I call out over my shoulder.
My boots echo down the hardwood floor of the foyer. I don’t rush, even though I want to. I take my time so I don’t appear as anxious as I really am to see him.
I reach the door, take one calming breath of air to try and settle my nerves, and then pull it open.
Okay. I need about twenty breaths of air to even begin to get my heart rate down. No, make that an oxygen mask.
