I give him a one-shouldered shrug. “Maybe. Because there’s cake.”
His answering grin is fast, and it does nothing to settle my humming nerves. “I’ll meet you when you’re finished, and we’ll walk together.”
“Okay.” I realize I’ve typed the same number twice. “Now go away. You’re distracting me.”
“Oh, yeah?” He raises his eyebrows, openly flirting. “Like a good distraction?”
“Go.”
Done for the day,I lock the office. As Landon walks with me to his site, he tells me how Hunter dropped their dad’s expensive camera this afternoon. It seems to be in working order, but Hunter’s still pouting, so I’ve been warned that he might not be in the best mood.
Though, with Hunter, how can you tell the difference between a good mood and a bad one?
“You okay?” Landon asks when we’re close to the campsite.
I’ve been around the Tillmans dozens of times now, but for some reason, I’m incredibly nervous this evening.
I almost jump at the question. “Hmm? Oh, I’m just preparing myself. I’m still new at this fake girlfriend stuff.”
He gives me a funny look, like he wants to say something but changes his mind.
“I’m a little nervous,” I admit.
“It will be fine,” he answers, looking ahead. “Just pretend it’s real.”
Becausethatwill help.
Then, for the sake of the ruse, Landon takes my hand. I swallow back a surprised giggle.
McKenna runs toward us as soon as she spots us walking up the road. Tethered to her leash, which is attached to the picnic table, Candy yelps, trying to follow. To her dismay, she realizes she can go no farther than the trailer door.
George lifts his head to see what the racket is all about. He wags his tail a few times when he sees us and then yawns and goes back to napping.
The most delicious-smelling campfire smoke wafts our way, making my stomach growl. Judging from the spicy, sweet aroma, Mr. Tillman’s ribs are going to be amazing. All the nearby campers must be jealous.
“Hey, Lacey.” Landon’s dad raises a pair of tongs in greeting. “Glad to have you.”
“Thanks,” I say, though I’m hit with another bout of nerves.
Landon lightly touches my shoulder after he lets go of my hand. “Want something to drink?”
I nod.
“Did you throw extra drinks in the cooler?” he asks his Dad.
“Yeah, there’s all kinds of stuff in there. I think William and Barbara are going to stop by in a bit, so I wanted to make sure we had plenty.”
Landon digs through the ice in the cooler and pulls several options to the top.
“William and Barbara from Site Fifteen?” I choose a bottle of lemon-lime soda, hoping sipping it will ease my nerves.
Mr. Tillman opens the tabletop smoker, letting out a billowing cloud of barbecue-scented heaven. “That’s right. Barbara has been helping Sarah piece together the quilt she’s been working on down at the community center.”
So that’s where Mrs. Tillman has been sewing that quilt. I wondered how she managed it in the RV. Gray Jay’s community center is tiny—just a restored Victorian house on Main Street, but it’s a favorite hangout for crafty ladies much older than Landon’s mother.
“Hi there, Lacey,” Landon’s mom says, walking through the camper door with a massive bowl of potato salad in one hand and a tossed salad in the other.
Caleb comes running out behind his mother. “I got a geode!” he tells me.
