Page 250 of Worth the Trip

Nyla’s voice carried from several cars away.

“Noli! If y’all are done building a Ted Talk around that hug, I’m ready to go!”

Landon looked toward her. “Why she assume I’m the one talking?”

“Pattern recognition.”

Malcolm called from somewhere nearby. “Bro, she been roasting both of y’all for five minutes. I’m trying to get her to admit she think it’s cute.”

“Malcolm!”

His laugh carried across the lot.

I shook my head.

“Come on.”

Landon took my hand.

We headed toward our vehicles, but I slowed before reaching mine.

The yellow and cream canopy was gone. The field where Landon had spent the morning coaching children was mostly empty beneath the fading light. The stage where I’d given him another piece of myself still glowed across the park.

Nothing had moved closer geographically.

Still, Self Springs didn’t feel like distance anymore.

It held customers asking when we were coming back. A librarian who wanted to talk about Scoops & Stories. His parents. A bookstore. A cabin. A stage where I’d looked across hundreds of people and sung to the man I loved.

Landon followed my attention.

“You good?”

“Yeah.”

“What you thinking?”

I threaded my fingers through his.

“That seventy-five miles ain’t as impressive as I thought.”

“Nah?”

“No. Roads get a lot less intimidating when you know who’s waiting at the other end.”

He lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles.

“My love.”

I smiled.

“Come on, baby.”

“Where we going?”

“Home.”

He glanced toward my SUV.