stirred, warming her. She hadn’t meant to hurt Landon, but she could see that she had. She’d hurt him all day long. She regretted it now.
His fingers cupped her chin, and he drew his thumb across her lips as if to rub away any trace of Tully. The gentle sweep of his thumb affected her more than Tully’s kiss. Her legs felt weightless, as if a gentle breeze could blow her over. She knew if he leaned down and brushed his lips across hers, she would let him. And she also knew Landon’s kiss would be unlike Tully’s. This one would turn her world upside down.
Instead of kissing her, Landon stepped back. He said good night, then turned and walked away as her heart splattered on the board porch. It wasn’t until the next morning that she remembered he’d come to fix the faucet.
Thirteen
T he next night, Sam and Caden ate supper alone. Landon had left after helping paint the living room’s wicker furniture in the backyard while Sam sorted through drawers and closets.
“Why can’t we eat at Landon’s? It’s more fun over there.”
Sam spooned a heap of macaroni and cheese onto her plate. “There’s no more to do over there than there is here.”
“He has games.”
“We have games at home, and you never play.”
“I can’t play them alone.” Caden stabbed the hot dog with her fork and dipped it in mustard.
“Caden, you know I have a lot of work to do. It’s not easy being a single parent.” She hated justifying herself to her child. How could her daughter understand all her responsibilities?
“You should get married. Then I’d have a dad, and you wouldn’t be gone all the time.”
Sam breathed a laugh. “It’s not that simple.”
“Bridget’s mom just got remarried, and now she has a new brother.”
Sam stabbed a piece of macaroni and aimed her fork at her daughter. Why did Caden think she had all the answers at the ripe old age of eleven? “Hey. It’s not like I’m not trying. I have dated, you know.”
Caden harrumphed. “Yeah. Jeremy.”
“There was nothing wrong with Jeremy.” Other than the way he called constantly and showed up at their door every day, invited or not. It occurred to Sam that Landon did the same thing, yet it didn’t leave her feeling smothered.
“He only talked to me when you were in the room.”
Sam had noticed that, but she wasn’t going to admit it.
“I went on a date yesterday, remember?”
“Amber said he owns a bar and has dated everyone except her mom. Sounds like a real winner.”
Sam clamped her mouth shut. Why did it seem like Caden got along with everyone but her?
“Why can’t you date someone nice like Landon?”
Sam wasn’t sure why it surprised her that Caden had thought of it. “He’s just a friend. Besides, I’ll find my own dates, thank you.”
They finished eating in silence, then she sent Caden to take a bath and decided to tackle the few remaining boxes in the attic. The sooner they finished, the sooner they could leave this place. Somehow, the thought left Sam disquieted.
She was surrounded by a pile of junk when Caden came in from her bath, smelling like a fresh and clean baby. Her daughter settled on the floor somewhere behind Sam. She wondered how long their silence would last.
The box in front of her held items unfit for a secondhand store. Sam shoved it to the door, then opened a bag of Christmas lights and decorations. They smelled musty. When was the last time anyone had put up a tree in this house?
“Mom, look!”
She hadn’t heard so much excitement in Caden’s voice in months. Caden was looking at a picture. Sam scooted beside her to see.
Sam’s mouth went dry. It was a photo taken right before they’d left for the prom.
“It’s my dad, isn’t it?” Caden asked.
Sam had given Caden a picture of her father when she was old enough to ask about him. It was cut from the yearbook Sam had taken from the island, and Caden kept it in a silver frame on her nightstand.
Caden’s lips curved into a wide
His fingers cupped her chin, and he drew his thumb across her lips as if to rub away any trace of Tully. The gentle sweep of his thumb affected her more than Tully’s kiss. Her legs felt weightless, as if a gentle breeze could blow her over. She knew if he leaned down and brushed his lips across hers, she would let him. And she also knew Landon’s kiss would be unlike Tully’s. This one would turn her world upside down.
Instead of kissing her, Landon stepped back. He said good night, then turned and walked away as her heart splattered on the board porch. It wasn’t until the next morning that she remembered he’d come to fix the faucet.
Thirteen
T he next night, Sam and Caden ate supper alone. Landon had left after helping paint the living room’s wicker furniture in the backyard while Sam sorted through drawers and closets.
“Why can’t we eat at Landon’s? It’s more fun over there.”
Sam spooned a heap of macaroni and cheese onto her plate. “There’s no more to do over there than there is here.”
“He has games.”
“We have games at home, and you never play.”
“I can’t play them alone.” Caden stabbed the hot dog with her fork and dipped it in mustard.
“Caden, you know I have a lot of work to do. It’s not easy being a single parent.” She hated justifying herself to her child. How could her daughter understand all her responsibilities?
“You should get married. Then I’d have a dad, and you wouldn’t be gone all the time.”
Sam breathed a laugh. “It’s not that simple.”
“Bridget’s mom just got remarried, and now she has a new brother.”
Sam stabbed a piece of macaroni and aimed her fork at her daughter. Why did Caden think she had all the answers at the ripe old age of eleven? “Hey. It’s not like I’m not trying. I have dated, you know.”
Caden harrumphed. “Yeah. Jeremy.”
“There was nothing wrong with Jeremy.” Other than the way he called constantly and showed up at their door every day, invited or not. It occurred to Sam that Landon did the same thing, yet it didn’t leave her feeling smothered.
“He only talked to me when you were in the room.”
Sam had noticed that, but she wasn’t going to admit it.
“I went on a date yesterday, remember?”
“Amber said he owns a bar and has dated everyone except her mom. Sounds like a real winner.”
Sam clamped her mouth shut. Why did it seem like Caden got along with everyone but her?
“Why can’t you date someone nice like Landon?”
Sam wasn’t sure why it surprised her that Caden had thought of it. “He’s just a friend. Besides, I’ll find my own dates, thank you.”
They finished eating in silence, then she sent Caden to take a bath and decided to tackle the few remaining boxes in the attic. The sooner they finished, the sooner they could leave this place. Somehow, the thought left Sam disquieted.
She was surrounded by a pile of junk when Caden came in from her bath, smelling like a fresh and clean baby. Her daughter settled on the floor somewhere behind Sam. She wondered how long their silence would last.
The box in front of her held items unfit for a secondhand store. Sam shoved it to the door, then opened a bag of Christmas lights and decorations. They smelled musty. When was the last time anyone had put up a tree in this house?
“Mom, look!”
She hadn’t heard so much excitement in Caden’s voice in months. Caden was looking at a picture. Sam scooted beside her to see.
Sam’s mouth went dry. It was a photo taken right before they’d left for the prom.
“It’s my dad, isn’t it?” Caden asked.
Sam had given Caden a picture of her father when she was old enough to ask about him. It was cut from the yearbook Sam had taken from the island, and Caden kept it in a silver frame on her nightstand.
Caden’s lips curved into a wide
Similar Books
