Chapter 28
Shay
The next morning, Landon was quieter than normal.
He drove me home so I could check in with Mom.
I felt bad leaving her alone the night before, but I was still so confused about how I should’ve felt toward her.
My mind hadn’t stopped spinning, and the only thing that seemed to slow down my thoughts was being in Landon’s arms. He silenced the loudest parts of me with his touch.
After Landon pulled into my driveway and parked, he hopped out of the car and gave me a tight hug. He’d never held me so close. He’d never held me so tight. I didn’t want him to let go.
“Thank you for staying with me last night.”
I smiled. “I’ll always stay.”
He gave me a lopsided smile. “You’re everything good in this world. Do you know that?”
“Ditto.”
He looked my way, and I began to read him. There was something he wasn’t saying, something he was holding back to himself, and I hated that I couldn’t tap into it. I hated that I couldn’t tap into that part of him. It was as if he’d put up a wall to keep me from reading his current chapter.
“What is it?” I asked.
“What is what?”
“What’s going on in your head?”
He snickered and tapped his temple. “Not much goes on in here,” he joked.
“Landon, really. What is it?”
“Don’t worry so much, Chick. I’m OK. I’ll talk to you later, all right?” He pulled me into a hug and kissed my forehead. “I love you, I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I couldn’t get the knot out of my stomach, though, based on how he said his words. Why did his “I love you” feel like he was saying goodbye?