Page 180 of Worth the Trip

“That sounds far less poetic.”

“I can make it poetic.”

“I’m listening.”

I drew her closer.

“Every road between us gets shorter once I know you’re waiting at the end of it.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You prepared that.”

“Nah. You just make a nigga talk pretty.”

Nolani burst out laughing.

“Landon, you cannot follow something that beautiful with that.”

“Why not? Both statements accurate.”

“You are ridiculous.”

“I contain range.”

“Malcolm contains multitudes. Don’t steal his material.”

I laughed. “Fair.”

She touched my jaw.

“What do you actually want from this?”

Easy.

“Your ordinary days.”

The question left her face.

I kept going because that part mattered.

“I don’t want access to your best behavior, Hershey. I want your real life. Busy Tuesday. Irritated Wednesday. You calling me after payroll talking shit because somebody sent the wrong shipment. I want the days nobody dresses up for.”

Her fingers curled into my shirt.

“And yours?”

“You already in mine. You watched me coach. Met Mama and Daddy. Survived Lennox. Slept at a place that got half my childhood in it. I’m not asking either one of us to disappear.”

Nolani stayed close.

“What does your week look like?”

“Busy. Yours?”

“Monday is inventory. Tuesday, Nyla and I meet with the literacy nonprofit. Wednesday is production and payroll. Thursday night is usually mine unless the universe develops a grievance.”

“Thursday seven thirty.”

She leaned back. “Excuse me?”