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Hailey went to bed and fell asleep praying the same prayer, and crying the same tears.
24
Landon stood in an empty apartment and turned around looking at the bare walls. It was smaller than his house in Twin Creeks, and the cost of living in Dallas was higher too. But what did he need a big place for? His new job would take even more time than before, and he would spend most of his time at the office.
And it wasn’t like he had a family to house.
The only family he had ever wanted was in Tennessee.
He turned to the property manager standing in the doorway. “I’ll take it,” he said. “Can I move in on the first?”
“Absolutely, let’s just get you to sign the paperwork.”
Landon nodded and followed the woman back to the apartment office. The first would give him three weeks to pack up and move. His boss had said he could have a month, and it had only been four days. Of course, he should have known they would ask him to fly out today to meet with his new boss and spend a few days getting to know the new office. He was still coping with the idea of moving, and now he would spend his weekend in a strange city where he knew no one.
At least it gave him a chance to find a place to live. Now that he’d done that, he could head to the office for the lunch meeting Scott had set up.
Once the paperwork was finished, he had nothing else to do but drive to the office. He turned his thoughts to the job. If he could focus on work and dive into his new role, maybe he could keep himself from thinking about Hailey and the kids.
And that was the best thing to do, wasn’t it? Hailey said they needed a clean break. He planned to go over and tell the kids goodbye before he left permanently, so they would know he was moving and not that he stopped coming by for no reason. But he hadn’t even heard from Hailey. When he walked out of her house and the door closed behind him, it felt like the end of that story.
Landon sighed as he turned his car onto the interstate toward the office. This would be the new path he would take to work. It was a different one than he had taken since he first started with the company. He should be excited about a new opportunity and ready to tackle the new job.
Instead, all he could think about was the pit in his stomach. The one that told him he was making a terrible mistake.
* * *
Hailey smiledand waved as the kids walked toward the school. She kept up the fake happy persona until they had turned and were out of sight.
She had made a promise to herself that she wouldn’t fall back into the darkness she had lived in before, and she was doing the best she could to keep spirits high for the kids.
But that didn’t mean she wasn’t hurting inside. She was the one who had told Landon they needed to say see you later that night and move on, and she had meant it. But as one week turned into two without so much as a text message from him, she began to wonder if there had really been anything between them at all.
The kids had been upset when she sat them down and explained Landon was moving away. She promised he cared about them and would come by to say goodbye before he moved, but he would probably be very busy until then.
Carter was taking it the hardest of all. He mentioned at least once a day that soccer practice wouldn’t be any fun without Landon.
Hailey sighed as she drove toward work. If she was honest, she would have to admit that a lot of life was more fun with Landon around.
“God,” she began to pray as she had made a habit of doing the last few weeks. “Thank You for today. I pray that You will be with the kids today, watch over them, and keep them safe. Watch over me too, and, Lord, please lead me today. I was so lost without Kyle, then I found my way. It was only surviving, but I was doing okay. When Landon came around, everything changed again, for the better. God, I know You have a plan, and I want to trust You. Help my heart as I get used to doing things without him. Thank You that even though he isn’t here, You are. Thank You for never leaving me alone. And God, I pray that You will be with Landon as he moves to Texas. Give him a wonderful and happy life. I pray that You will bless him.” She stopped short of praying that God would make a way for Landon to come back into her life. That wasn’t something she was going to ask for.
Even though it was the one thing she really wanted.
25
Landon stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked across the parking lot in silence. His duffle bag from the weekend was still in his backseat, since he’d driven straight here from the airport. The asphalt parking lot changed to grass under his feet, and he took a deep breath and blew it out.
He hadn’t been here in a long time. Not since the funeral. His heart pounded at a deafening rhythm in his ears as he moved past the gravestones. He hadn’t planned to come here, but when he picked up his car after the flight, something drew him here. Maybe it was time.
Slowly he moved through the cemetery, even though he wanted to come, now it felt like his shoes were made of lead as he neared the grave site. Sooner than he wanted it to, the headstone came into view, and he stopped at the foot as he read the words. “Kyle Peterson, loving husband, devoted father.”
Landon could have added two more words: “Best Friend.”
“God,” he prayed. “I could really use some advice right now. In the past, Kyle would be the one I asked. He counseled me about work, financial decisions, what house to buy, and everything else. I never asked him about relationships though. There was never anything to ask. I said I wasn’t going to get married or have a family, and I meant it.” He shook his head. “Maybe that was dumb. I saw how happy Kyle was. He had everything. The career, the family, and he made sacrifices, but they were always the right ones. I’ve made sacrifices, but maybe that wasn’t right. I’ve only made sacrifices to work more. I’ve never said no to the company because my job was what mattered.”
He ran his fingers through his hair and over his beard that desperately needed a trim. “God, I don’t know what to do. I’ve waited a long time for this promotion, and I’ve always been willing to move if necessary. So why is this happening now, just when I wanted to stay put?”
He turned and put his hands on his hips as he slowly paced back and forth. His mind reeled with thoughts of work, and Texas, and Hailey and the kids, until he let out a groan. Turning back to the grave stone, he spoke again.
