Lies in Love by Ava Wood Page B

reminder of everything he was and
had been. For the first time, he actually regretted becoming an
escort. His predicament would be so much simpler now without his
profession in the way, but if it wasn’t for his job, he
probably would have never met Talia.
    He
was conflicted, unable to decide whether he even loved or hated
himself. He needed time to reevaluate his life to decide where his
future was taking him. Clutching his cup of coffee, he returned to
his room to slip on his running shoes. When he was on his runs, he
found time to think a little more, make the difficult decisions that
weren’t easy to make. His only problem now was knowing that the
only decision he could make would be a drastic one that he never saw
coming.

    Landon’s
motorcycle idled in Dawson’s driveway. He sat staring at the
olive two-story bungalow thinking about the thriving family inside.
How had his life ended up so differently from Dawson’s? They
were brothers, after all. It seemed ludicrous that his brother could
be so settled and well-adjusted while he lived his life in what was
truthfully a dysfunctional existence. He’d always felt he’d
been doing women a service, but in all actuality he was demeaning
them, using them for his pleasure. Sure they were also getting
pleasure and a few hours of companionship, but Landon was never
really opening up and being a true companion to these women. Most he
would never even see again. There were only a handful who returned
regularly. It was suddenly abundantly clear that he was no longer
proud of who he was, but ashamed. He wasn’t making his family
proud. He wasn’t the prized son/brother/uncle to the people he
cared about the most. And he definitely wasn’t someone his
brother’s kids could look up to. Landon climbed off of his bike
and plodded to the front door, watching the porch swing sway with the
evening breeze as he went. He stared at the dark oak door listening
to the sounds of laughing children inside then knocked. His brother
answered just moments later.
    “Twice
in one week?” Dawson was, per usual, dressed in his standard
teacher attire: a shirt and tie hidden beneath a sweater and smiling
profusely with his three-year-old daughter on his hip.
    “I
needed to talk. Mind if I come in?”
    “Sure.”
Dawson stepped aside as his daughter beamed at her uncle beneath
blonde messy curls.
    Landon
entered the house and deposited his leather jacket on a peg behind
the front door.
    “Daddy,
can I get down?” Dawson’s daughter asked.
    “Sure,
Millie. Why don’t you go find Alice and Derek and see if they
want to play?” Dawson kissed his daughter’s cheek and set
her on the floor. She ran from the room, giggling.
    “She’s
getting big.” Landon realized he’d been watching her from
the moment he walked in. As he entered, new thoughts afflicted him.
He wasn’t usually so enthused by Dawson’s kids; not to
say he didn’t care about them, but he’d never been a
hands-on uncle. Kids weren’t a feasible option. He had no need
to give them a second thought since he’d never planned to be in
a relationship. Now with thoughts of leaving the business and trying
to find something more with Talia, the idea of children wasn’t
so unrealistic. The idea was a little frightening, but he had to add
the possibility of kids to the list of things he would have to
consider if he decided to quit escorting. He took a seat on the
micro-suede couch with the sound of the children playing in a distant
room echoing through.
    “That
she is, and she’s a spitfire just like her mama.”
    “Where
is Mya? Did she have to work late?”
    “No,
since I had an early day at school today I told her to have a night
out with the girls. She works so hard and doesn’t get out
enough.”
    Landon
nodded. With every word, he could hear the love Dawson had for his
wife.
    “So,
you still troubled about that woman?” Dawson cut right to the
chase.
    “Yes,
no, well, I am, but…” Damn it, she had him