“Did you really just say that?” I whisper back.
I’m rewarded with a swift grin, and we hurry to catch up with the tour.
Even I can admit the caves are spectacular. They’ve added lighting, so it’s not too dark, and it makes the different minerals easier to see. Parts of the cave are extremely moist, and we pass a pool of water. Just above it hangs dripping stalactites made of calcite.
Occasionally, when the passages grow narrow, I have to remind myself to breathe. Landon, however, is fascinated. He spoke ahead of time with the tour company, and they’ve allowed him to take footage of the cave for his family’s channel.
We stop several times, and our guide tells us about specific minerals and rock formations. Every time, Landon finds a wayto connect with me. Sometimes he pulls me next to him. Other times it’s just a hand resting on my back or an arm around my shoulder.
It’s so natural with Landon, so comfortable.
Before we go home, I’m going to tell him how I feel. That I’m ready to label this—us. I want to be his girlfriend. I want to hear him say it out loud.
And I know the Tillmans are going to leave at the end of the summer, but we’ll deal with it then. At least we have now.
We reach the very last cave, and our guide thanks us for joining him for the tour. Before we rejoin the rest of the world, a few people ask questions, Landon included.
I stand here, feeling pretty proud of myself. The caves were interesting enough; I’m almost sad to reach the end.
Almost.
Just as we’re stepping into the glorious Colorado sunshine, both Landon and I receive texts.
“No service in there,” Landon says, nodding toward the mountain we just exited.
I glance at my phone. Paige wants to know if I was stolen away by Gollum.
Still alive, I write.Call you later.
When I look up, I see Landon’s still staring at his phone. His expression is different. I can’t place it because I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
A ball of ice forms in my belly, and it spreads through my veins, chilling me despite the hot day.
Landon pockets his phone. “It was my dad.”
“Okay,” I say, waiting for him to elaborate.
He stares at the mountains across the Colorado River, looking at the red hillside and deep-green pine trees that growon it. “There’s a big meet up and RV convention in California. This morning, someone invited us to speak at it.”
I wrap my arms around myself. “When’s the convention?”
But I already know it’s soon from the look on his face.
Slowly, Landon drags his gaze from the mountains and meets my eyes. “It starts next weekend.”
“Nextweekend?” I ask, feeling like the air has been knocked out of me. “Like seven days from today next weekend?”
Landon nods. “The first of August.”
“And your parents want to go?”
Again, he nods.
I knew he’d leave—I never denied it, not even to myself. But I didn’t think it would benow.
“When do you leave?”
