AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Saved by previous plans. Whew. “Oh, dang it, I can’t. I’m hanging out with my friends. Girls’ night.”
Erin still hadn’t left my side. “It’s okay, you can cancel. Trust me, Summer will understand.”
“But I don’t cancel. Ever.” I implored her to read between my words. This was death I was facing; I needed her support to walk away from it.
Landon stepped closer to the table. “Ladies, it’s all good. Monday afternoon works too.”
“She can go tomorrow. The weather’s supposed to be better.” Damn Erin for piping up.
“That’s true.” Landon searched my face for a response.
Erin’s bemused smile kept growing wider as she stood facing me. “And nothing’s even been set in stone, so you’re not cancelling anything anyways.”
“But Summer said—”
“That we were going to make some plans, but we haven’t yet.” She winked, finding a way around the words, and by proxy I guess, putting me into a more favourable light.
Resigned, I sighed, but Erin was going to get a tongue-lashing when Landon was out of earshot. Nervous energy shot through my arms and legs. “Fine. Tomorrow. Where?”
“I can come and pick you up.”
“I’d rather meet you.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
There was a slight narrowing to his eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. “Stewart Surf docks. I’m set up on north side of the marina, right near the parking lot. You can’t miss it. Be there by two-thirty please.”
“And if I’m not?” Cancelling on a scary-assed tour was way easier than bailing on friends.
“Then I’ll have to pay for the cookie.” He wiggled his brows, and before I could utter another word, he disappeared into the thick crowd.
“You’re going to pay for that,” I told Erin, who giggled like a schoolgirl as she stepped over to her booth to chat with a customer.
I flipped the card over in my hand. His number was on it. I’d call after the market to cancel. I had to. There was no way I was getting on a boat.
* * *
Despite the overwhelming urge to call and cancel, I hadn’t, and the next day I parked my car at the top of the marina overlooking Stewart Surf Bay. Along the docks were boats of various sizes, from little personal jet boats all the way up to some sizable yachts. I still hadn’t understood the driving force behind my desire to actually show up, but there I was, dressed in a long black sweater with black and white striped leggings, underneath a three-quarter length jacket. I’d even put my hair into a long braid to keep it somewhat contained, as I had no idea what to expect. The tour company’s website showed a mini-yacht-like boat they took out to the open seas, and honestly, I much preferred that to the little dingy they had also pictured.
Maybe if I passed out I wouldn’t have to go?
As it was, my heart pounded incessantly, and a cold sweat built across the back of my neck. It was nearly impossible to make my feet move toward the log-house style of building bearing Landon’s logo.
On second thought…
I opened my car door, ready to climb in and drive away. I’d apologize later. There had to be another way to meet Cedar, which was the only reason I accepted the freaking tour in the first place. Well, maybe the second reason. Landon was pretty damn easy on the eyes.
“Are you leaving, or did you forget something?”
Landon’s voice rang through my ears, and I put both my feet on the asphalt but still hadn’t let go of the door. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“It looked like you were getting back into your car.”
I sighed, a world-weary heaving sound, and hung my head. “I was.”
“Thought you didn’t cancel plans?”
“I cancelled on my girlfriends tonight, so there you have it. What’s another cancellation?” I put my foot back into my car.
He stepped a little closer but kept a respectable distance. “Oh, please reconsider. As I said, this is in exchange for the cookie.”
