Chapter Thirteen
THERE HAD BEEN A few moments that had slipped through his fingers in which Landon had wanted to say something meaningful to Bailey.
I’m falling for you.
I can’t stop thinking about you.
This is beginning to feel real.
But he had fumbled the moment.
Out of nowhere, his stomach rumbled, drawing attention to the fact that they’d been working way too long without a food break. A quick look at his watch showed that it was almost seven o’clock. Their time together had flown by.
“I think my stomach is telling on me. I didn’t imagine I’d be hungry after all that pizza we ate earlier, but I am.”
“I could definitely eat something too,” Bailey said. “That pizza wore off a long time ago. We’ve been at it for a while now. I also need to feed Foxy Brown and take her out.”
“Should we order something?” Landon asked. “My treat.”
“Why order when I can whip something up well before the delivery would get here?” She got up and beckoned him to follow her into the kitchen.
The kitchen was all white and chrome, light and airy. He stood by and watched as Bailey stuck her head in the fridge and emerged with her arms full of ingredients. He stepped forward to help her, taking a host of items off her hands.
“What are we making?” Landon asked, eyeing the items on the counter.
“I like how you said we,” Bailey said as she took pots and spices from the cupboard. “I’m thinking quesadillas with Spanish rice and black beans. Sound good?”
He rubbed his stomach. “Sounds like my favorite foods all rolled out on one plate.”
Landon felt a huge smile tugging at his lips. It was amazing how being in Bailey’s presence made him feel as if he could leap tall buildings in a single bound. Being invited into her home was a big deal.
“Okay, if you could, please start chopping the onions and peppers,” Bailey instructed him. “I’m going to feed Foxy Brown, then get the quesadillas going.”
“Will do,” Landon said. He quickly rolled up his sleeves and got down to business.
After feeding the dog, Bailey went to grab Foxy Brown’s leash to take her out. The pup did a little happy dance of excitement.
“Hey, why don’t you let me do that?” He plucked the leash out of her hand and bent down to snap it onto the dog’s collar. “I’ve got it,” he said, as he walked toward the front of the house with Foxy Brown trotting beside him.
It was the least he could do, Landon thought, since she was making dinner for him. Plus, he’d once heard that the way to a woman’s heart was related to how much their dog loved a particular partner. Or didn’t.
Landon wanted Foxy Brown to be wild about him. And with any luck, Bailey would feel the same way.
What was this man doing to her? It was almost as if he were going by a playbook: How to Make Bailey Fall in Love with Me in Thirty Days.
Bailey fanned her face with her hand. Have mercy!
she thought. She was weak. He was really hitting all the marks now.
Sensitive. Caring. Swoonworthy. And loving.
The way he interacted with his grandmother said so much about him as a person.
As a man. And now he was showing Foxy Brown some love. Squee! Definitely swoonworthy.
By the time Landon and Foxy Brown came back into the house, she had finished making the quesadillas and had heated up the rice and beans. They sat down at her kitchen table and ate their meal while talking about anything and everything that came to mind.
“What’s your favorite movie?” Landon asked her.
“Mmm, I have so many,” Bailey said. “I’ve always loved going to the movies. Let’s see. Wizard of Oz is a classic, as is Mildred Pierce. I absolutely love the Godfather movies and Sounder, although I cry each and every time.”
“Good choices,” he said, nodding. “I’m a big fan of the Star Wars movies, and the Fast and Furious films are so action packed I can’t resist.”
“Okay, now books,” Bailey said. “My favorite of all time is Their Eyes Were Watching God.”
“By Zora Neale Hurston. Right?” Landon asked. “I remember reading it in high school English class.”
“Yes. Me too. The book was deeply moving and impactful. What are your faves?”
“I don’t read fiction a lot, but I’m a huge fan of thrillers,” Landon told her. “I’m in the middle of one right now.”
“Same! I love them too.” She let out a chuckle. “I can’t read them at night because they make my heart race way too much for a restful night’s sleep.”
“I hear that,” Landon said, laughing along with her. “I’ve scared myself silly reading thrillers. Although I have to admit I love the rush.”
“We’ll have to go to the movies sometime,” Bailey said, feeling flirty.
“I would love that,” Landon said. “Let’s make a date for this week. You pick the movie.”
“So, I’m curious about something. Your mom raised you and your brothers, but I don’t recall seeing your father much in Moose Falls.
Did he live in Arizona?” she asked. She had been curious about Red Stone ever since seeing him at Hattie’s holiday party.
He was a man of mystery according to most people.
“No, Red was traveling around the world a lot. Every now and then he would come to visit us and stay here in Moose Falls with Hattie, but he wasn’t a permanent fixture anywhere,” Landon explained. “Kind of like a nomad, I guess, seeking out adventures.”
“That must have made it difficult to have a relationship with him.” She took a bite of her quesadilla, waiting for his response.
“Yes, but I’ve moved past it. Nothing gained by reliving the painful moments.”
Her heart bled for Landon and his brothers. It must have been incredibly hurtful. “Did he ever explain himself?”
“He’s been through his own trauma. He watched his father fall to his death when he was a boy. That certainly doesn’t give him a pass, but at least I understand it a little bit now.”
“No, it doesn’t let him off the hook,” she said, anger radiating in her voice. “Three sons going without a dad is quite the hardship.” She and her three sisters had gone without their dad, but it hadn’t been by choice. Her dad had been a victim of a drunk driver’s selfishness.
“It was really hard,” he acknowledged. “We saw him very infrequently,” he admitted.
“A few graduations here and there. He would send birthday gifts from time to time, cards, surprise boxes. Nothing consistent. Nothing we could count on. Sort of like seeing a flash of the northern lights. Impressive and mind-blowing. Yet when those things happened, it felt like magic to me. Being in Red’s presence was intoxicating.
“I would’ve given anything to have had him present in our lives. In the end he missed out, too, because there were some amazing moments. Caleb starring in several plays. Xavier being drafted by the NFL.”
“And I have the feeling you had some epic moments yourself. Right?” she asked.
A smile hovered around his lips, as if he was remembering special times.
“I’ve had a great life. Getting into MIT was a highlight.” Landon was a humble guy, and she knew he wasn’t name-dropping. Clearly he’d been working all his life to achieve scientific success.
“You sound as if you didn’t resent him at all. Can that be true?” She was a bit flabbergasted. Either Landon wasn’t telling the truth, or he was an actual saint.
Landon let out a dry chuckle. “To be honest, Xavier and Caleb felt so angry toward him that it almost seemed unfair for all three of us to be against him, so I didn’t allow myself to give in to those bitter feelings.” He shrugged. “I guess that’s just how I’m wired.”
She found it hard to believe Landon had forgiven his father.
He was so calm and rational about it. It made her furious to know that Landon’s father had shirked his fatherly responsibilities while her own dad hadn’t been given a choice in the matter.
And yet there would’ve been only one path for her dad.
The best girl dad in the world. He would have gone to the moon and back for all four of them. And he had, time after time.
“So now that you’ve grilled me, it’s my turn to ask you something.”
Bailey immediately felt bad. She hadn’t meant to ask him so many questions about Red, but she’d been so curious about how a man could walk away from his fatherly responsibilities the way he had.
“Sorry about that,” Bailey said. “Especially if I over-stepped.”
“It’s not a big deal,” he said, shrugging. “I’m an open book about Red. You can ask me anything.”
She wished that she felt the same way about her own father. Bailey wasn’t sure if there would ever be a time when she would invite questions. It still felt like a topic she needed to be guarded about.
“Well, I’ve been meaning to ask you about that thing you told me about not liking Christmas. What’s up with that?” he asked, a look of curiosity stamped on his face.
Ugh. Why had she ever mentioned it? She should have just kept her mouth shut. Of course, since Landon was Mr. Christmas, he wanted to know why she felt this way about the holidays.
“I just don’t enjoy it. Period. End of story.” She knew her tone was abrupt, but this wasn’t the time or the place to discuss it.
“Aww, come on. There’s got to be more to it than that. Fess up.” There was a teasing note to his voice that rubbed her the wrong way.
She felt a burst of anger toward him. Why couldn’t he just leave this alone?
“Not everyone is fa-la-la, googly-eyed over Christmas. Some of us don’t own ugly Christmas sweaters and go door to door belting out Christmas carols.
Some of us hate fruitcake and holiday pajamas and exchanging gifts.
” She looked around. “Did you see a Christmas tree anywhere? Nope. I don’t put one up. ”
Landon let out a chuckle. “Wow. You’re like a combination of the Grinch and Scrooge. What happened to you? Did Santa forget your house one year? Did he leave coal in your stocking?”