Page 58 of Out of Place

“I’m taking Serena to Cowboy’s tonight,” I tell Landon as I strip my gloves off.

“Would you be mad if I met you there?” he asks.

“Of course not. I mean, you are my boyfriend, right?” I tease. We’ve never had the boyfriend-girlfriend discussion, so hearing him introduce himself like that took me off guard for a minute. But the more I thought about it, the more I liked it.

He smirks. “Yes, I am. And you’re my girlfriend.”

“Does being your girlfriend have any special perks? I don’t agree to things unless they benefit me.”

“Don’t I know it,” he mutters jokingly. “But yes, you get unlimited access to amazing sex, romantic dates, and constant princess treatment. I’ll even throw in bodyguard duty tonight while you’re at the bar. Wouldn’t want anyone getting handsy with you while I’m not around.”

I tap my chin like I’m thinking. “Hmm. I guess those terms are acceptable.”

“Good. Glad we’ve come to an agreement. I’ll see you tonight, then. Don’t get too crazy until I get there.”

I agree and kiss him goodbye. If he only knew how I used to act, he’d probably have a heart attack. Cowboy’s is the most tame bar I’ve ever been in, but I’ll allow Landon to feel like he’s protecting me if it makes him feel better.

After finishing my jobs, I head back to the house, where Serena is sitting at the table talking with Aunt Dottie. I hand over my basket of eggs.

“Are those like actual chicken eggs?” Serena asks.

“Yep,” I answer proudly. I’ve started to really like those chickens. Sometimes, I even talk to them while I’m in there. That probably sounds crazy, but being in the middle of nowhere will do that to you.

“Thanks, hun,” Aunt Dottie says. “So, I thought I could drop you girls off in town for the day. You can have lunch at the diner and maybe look at some of the shops, then call me when you’re ready for me to come pick you up.”

“That sounds great, Aunt Dottie. Thanks. Let me go shower and get dressed, and then we can go.”

I really make an effort to look like my old self today. I do full makeup even though I know it’ll probably melt off. I curl my hair in effortless beach waves, which actually take a lot of effort. I pick a white dress with black straps and black floral embroidery on the bottom.

When we’re ready, Aunt Dottie takes us into town and drops us off at the diner I’ve been to a few times with Landon. It’s one of my favorite places in town, not that there’s much competition.

“This place is so cute,” Serena says while looking out the window of the diner after we order our food. She ordered a salad, but I ordered a cheeseburger, which surprised her. Working as much as I do makes me ravenous, and Landon got me hooked on these damn cheeseburgers and fries.

Following her gaze, I look at the little brick buildings lining Main Street. “It really is cute,” I hear myself saying. Huh. Who knew?

“How are you doing here?” she asks. “Like for real.”

I think about it for a minute. “It was really hard at first. I was angry for a while. But I think I’ve gotten used to it.”

“Did a certain sun-kissed farm boy help with that?” She smiles at me.

I shrug. “Maybe.”

“Oh my god,” she says suddenly, hitting her palms on the table. “You’re going to stay here forever, aren’t you?”

“No,” I say quickly. Too quickly. “No. Absolutely not.” I can’t stay here. I can’t. This isn’t my home.

“I’ve seen this movie, Liv. You’re going to fall in love and move to this small town and I’m going to have to come visit you every Christmas to help you with your failing Christmas tree farm.”

“We don’t have Christmas trees, and if we did, I don’t think it would be failing,” I counter.

She points at me. “See! You just said we.”

“I’m not moving here. I’m waiting on my parents to tell me I can come home, and then I’m out of here.”

“If you say so,” she smirks.

“I do.” I think.