Seven
New plan: avoid Landon Novak at all costs.
Why? Wasn’t that pretty obvious?
First day of “marriage” and he got the raw end of the in sickness and in health deal when I accidentally poisoned him with peanuts. Now, I didn’t know what his finances looked like except that he had a steady job and maybe made some extra on the side for apps he’d designed that he didn’t offer as free downloads. But if we continued our current trajectory, I’d have him filing for bankruptcy before the five days were over. Definitely the poorer of the for richer or poorer.
At least he hadn’t actually said till death do us part. Imagine how that could turn out.
The bagel I’d put in the toaster popped up, and I plucked it out, tossing it between my hands because—ouch! It was hot right out of the toaster. Annie had placed a nice spread out on the countertops for breakfast. Fruit, bagels, bread for toast, jams, cream cheese…no peanut butter.
I glanced back at the closed door of the bunk room. When I awoke this morning, the other beds were already vacated and the shower in the adjoining bathroom was running. My gaze swept the large glass windows that made up the majority of the back wall. Noah and Claire sat snuggled together on a couple of Adirondack chairs on the back patio, plates in their laps. Which meant Landon was showering.
Perfect.
I dipped the tip of a butter knife in the tub of cream cheese and spread it over my plain bagel. If I hurried, I could sneak out the front and find a nice fallen log to sit on while I ate my breakfast. I’d hide out in the woods for as long as possible, then maybe sneak around the perimeter of the group. I’d be in the periphery, close enough no one would wonder where I was, but far enough away that I couldn’t cause anyone else bodily harm.
Footsteps descended from the loft.
“Good morning.” Annie smiled at me as she rounded the couch and entered the kitchen, pulling down a mug from one of the cabinets. “How’s that husband of yours doing? No lingering effects from yesterday, I hope.”
I cringed. Honestly, I didn’t know. The Benadryl had knocked Landon out, although I had peeked at him before crawling into my own bed last night. The lighting hadn’t been great, considering I hadn’t turned any on, but he’d seemed to be doing a little better. And this morning…
Well, I was going with another plan, remember?
I shoved my bagel into my mouth and then smiled around my bite, nodding and shrugging. She could make of that what she wanted.
Annie smiled as she poured coffee into her cup. “That’s good, dear.” She brought the mug up to her lips and tilted in a small sip. “Ken and the kids are on the back deck. Go ahead and join them.”
I dabbed at my mouth with a napkin. “Oh, I don’t want to interrupt.”
She waved me away. “Nonsense. And when that good-looking man of yours comes out, I’ll send him your way.”
Great. Shuffling my feet, I walked out the glass door to the deck and eyed the seating options. Or lack thereof. Unless I wanted to appear rude, the only thing I could do was plop my behind down at the picnic table across from Ken. Which was fine. I’d cooled toward him. Or warmed. Depended on how you wanted to look at it. Either way, I only wanted to say half the things that had come to mind after Claire told me about him.
No, the real problem was that when Landon came out, he’d pretty much be forced to sit next to me.
I didn’t believe in curses or hoaxes or anything like that. Not a superstitious kind of girl. But I was careful, and I did think people should pay attention to patterns. And I was determined to derail the current trajectory before it became a pattern. Plan B: Avoid Landon Novak couldn’tbe a success if we were thrown together side-by-side. There needed to be a buffer of either people or space, otherwise I could ruin him like Mr. Rochester’s crazy wife had. And I didn’t really want to get locked up in an attic.
“Good morning,” Ken greeted.
I nodded and smiled, because I’d shoved another bite in my mouth.
“So, what are the plans for today, Pop?” Noah asked as he threaded his fingers through Claire’s.
“Your mother wanted to head to the farmer’s market and shop around a bit.”
“That sounds like fun,” Claire said. “With school and homework and stuff, I don’t get to go to many farmer’s markets, although I’ve been to Pike Place Market a few times.”
“Great.” He rubbed his hands together. “I’ll go tell her it’ll be a group event.”
I swallowed my bite and wished I’d grabbed a cup of orange juice or something to wash it down with. Especially when I looked up and Landon stood at the head of the picnic table. The morning sun slanted through the tree branches, casting him in this ethereal light. I could practically hear the choir of angels singing in a collective “Aaahh”. His hair still looked damp from the shower, and as I swept my glance down his body, I couldn’t help but appreciate the way his checkered flannel shirt fit across his broad shoulders. Of course, my inspection was purely driven by concern. Obviously, I only studied him to make sure his allergic reaction had passed and he wasn’t experiencing any residual effects. I blamed a lodged piece of bagel in my throat for the inability to swallow at the moment.
“How’re you feeling?” Claire asked.
“Better, thanks.” He scraped his nails through the side of his beard. “Still a little itchy, but not nearly as bad as it was yesterday.”
“Glad to hear it,” Noah said. “We’re headed to the farmer’s market in a bit. Want to come along or hang out here and finish recouping?”
