Landon spun her around and into him like a top, the same way he had when they’d danced for the first time. “You love my family?” His dark eyes, which had been so playful all day, searched hers.
Rose laughed. “Are you kidding?”
“I’m not kidding,” he said, deadly serious.
She took a breath, evaluating him. “Oh, Landon.” Rose grabbed his hand, tracing exactly where she knew the lifelines on his palms branched. Her chest rose and fell with the telltale signs of emotion begging for release. “Landon—” It rose, fell, rose, fell, until tears sprang loose. “Landon—” she said again, but he’d already smothered her into his chest.
“It’s okay,” he said. “You’re okay.”
“No.” She pushed off his chest just enough she could look him in the eye. “No,” she said again. “That’s not what I want to say. I don’t want to talk about that.” Landon did not press, making clear he understood exactly what she meant bythat. “I want to tell you—” She ran fingers through her hair, then tightened them into fists. “I want you to know that I didn’tknow. I didn’t know it could be like this. I forgot this was an option.”
“Whatwas an option?” He said it softly enough he could have denied it, no doubt still trying to give her the space to say what she needed to.
“This!”she said, throwing her arms out again. “Being part of something. I didn’t think to want anything, because nothing lasts. Nothing good lasts. But you—” She stood on her tiptoes and reached for his head, which he lowered for her. She cradled it between her hands. “You have this. It’s all still here.Eighteen yearsof tradition.” Rose spun out, then sat in the grass. The pool house was in view; she could see the twin lights on either side of the door. “What if I could have this?”
Landon lowered himself into the grass beside her. “You can.”
She spread her arms like she was making a snow angel. “It’s not that simple.”
“It is.” Then it was him cradling her head in his hands. “I love you, so it is.”
Worlds flashed before her eyes: birthdays, and Easters, and Christmases; scavenger hunts, capture the flag, and buried treasure; births and deaths. “Where did you come from?” she asked.
“Wherever it was,” he said, “I think I knew you there, too.”
How was it he made everything so simple, even the unexplainable? She latched on to him, twisting their legs together. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
“I have a feeling I’ll be grateful all my life.”
Time. What was time? The world spun, and the stars danced, and Rose didn’t care the hour, or the day, or the year. She was where she was meant to be, regardless.
Chapter Thirteen
Landon was sick with himself for admitting it, but Graham’s roast was some of the best food he’d had in years. It was the kind of meal that makes good on the clichéd promise to warm you from the inside. Halfway through, he’d broken down and asked Graham for one of his incredible gin fizzes, which regrettably tasted exactly as good as it looked. Landon wasn’t sure what the man couldn’t do. The strength of the cocktail softened the blow enough that he’d lingered all the way through dessert—an undeniably delicious tiramisu. But as the buzz faded, so did he.
Most of the crew dispersed to the living room. Fox and Maria announced their intention to smoke cigarettes on the roof, which they all seemed to understand was code for some sort of semi-public sexual encounter. Dave, apparently not one to overstay a welcome, said his goodbyes, hitting theJin Jamie a little harder than he needed to when he asked if Landon would like to walk back to the hostel with him. Landon wasn’t sure that he should stay, but he wasn’t quite ready to leave. “You go on,” he said. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“You’ll stay and play charades, won’t you, Jamie?” Rose asked, her pupils large enough to swim in. “It was Isolde’s turn to pickthe game, but truthfully, no matter who’s picking, it’s almost always charades.”
“Sure,” he said, second-guessing himself almost immediately. “Mind if I excuse myself for a minute?” Lights twinkled on Graham’s balcony, calling to him. “I just need to make a quick phone call.”
“Take your time. We’ll go on and start without you, but it’s easy to jump in.”
“Perfect,” he said. “That’s just what I’ll do.” She flashed him a smile so pure his heart splintered. Landon slid the glass door to the balcony open and shut it behind him. It took her one ring to pick up.
“Oh my God, Landon,” Jess said. “Are you okay, are you—”
“I’m fine,” he said softly, though he knew behind the glass door they weren’t listening, already absorbed in the act.
“Why didn’t you call, why didn’t you—”
“I’m sorry,” Landon said, because there was no way he would be able to find the words and it seemed the most appropriate substitute.
“We were so worried.” Her voice broke. “So fucking worried.”
“Hey, hey,” he said, “I’m okay. I’m fine. I should have called, but I’m calling now.”
“Will you please just let me help you? Mom cleared out the pool house for you—you can stay as long as you want, and no one will bother you. We would just feel better if you were close by. I don’t want to make this about me, or Mom, or Dad, but we’re just so worried. Please, Landon. Please, would you let us help?”
