13. Nolani
By the time the final Crème & Chill bin disappeared inside the refrigerated trailer, evening had wrapped Self Springs in string lights, warm air, and saxophone notes drifting from the stage.
Families still lingered over final plates, while vendors broke down tents, and children chased one another between adults who looked several hours past ready to go home.
Nyla came from the trailer carrying two bottled waters while Malcolm followed with the folded canopy strapped across one shoulder.
I looked from him to her.
“Don’t, Noli.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were preparing to.”
“I was admiring your volunteer labor.”
Malcolm adjusted the canopy. “See? Somebody appreciate me.”
Nyla looked back. “You volunteered yourself.”
“And you ain’t stopped me.”
“I’m conserving energy.”
“Whatever help you sleep tonight.”
She handed me a water.
Landon appeared beside me, twisted off the cap, and gave it back.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Nyla made a face.
I ignored her.
Malcolm set the canopy down and wiped his hands against his shorts.
Nyla looked at him. “You really didn’t have to stay and help.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you?”
His eyes moved to her.
“Wanted to.”
That caught her faster than any slick line had all day.
Her expression softened.
“Thank you.”
“You welcome.” Then his grin returned. “Don’t let gratitude make you fall in love, though. We only got one festival day together.”
Nyla’s softness vanished. “See? You ruin everything.”
“I was getting nervous. You looked sweet for a second.”
“I am sweet.”
“Shit, could’ve fooled me.”
She laughed and pushed his shoulder as she passed.
Malcolm looked down at the spot she touched.
I saw it.
I valued my life enough to say nothing.
Landon’s palm settled at my back.
“You ready?”
“I think so.”
Nyla called from ahead of us. “Come on, Noli. My feet are done with everybody.”
“We’re coming.”
Malcolm fell into step beside her. Whatever he said made her look up at him with an expression that promised retaliation.
Landon and I let them move ahead.
By the time we reached the edge of the vendor lot, every step reminded me exactly how many hours I’d spent on my feet.
Landon looked down.
“You tired?”
“A little.”
“Feet hurt?”
“Yes.”
I barely finished the word before one arm slid behind my knees and the other came around my back.
The ground disappeared.
“Landon!”
My arms flew around his neck as he lifted me against his chest.
He laughed. “What?”
“You could’ve warned me.”
“Would’ve ruined the surprise.”
“I can walk.”
“I know.”
The answer came easily.
I ran my fingers across the nape of his neck.
“Then why are you carrying me?”
His eyes found mine.
“’Cause you don’t have to need me to do something before I’m allowed to want to do it for you.”
That was all.
No addendum.
No dissertation.
He kept walking.
I rested my cheek against him.
“This feels nice.”
“I know.”
I lifted my head.
His expression betrayed him immediately.
“You were waiting to use that on me.”
“Absolutely.”
I laughed and kissed beneath his jaw.
Landon’s step faltered.
Barely.
Enough.
“Oh.”
His eyes cut toward mine. “Hershey.”
“What?”
“You kissed me while I’m carrying you.”
“I kiss you frequently.”
“Current positioning made it hostile.”
I did it again.
His arms tightened securely around me.
“Nolani.”
“Hmm?”
“You enjoying yourself?”
“Very much.”
He stared.
I smiled.
“See? Now that answer belongs to me.”
“Woman, you becoming a problem.”
“Selective problem.”
He stopped walking.
The parking lot lights caught his eyes.
“You really gon’ steal all my material?”
“Available resources.”
His laugh came low.
Then he kissed my forehead, my cheek, and the edge of my lips.
I turned my face.
The next one met him fully.
When we separated, his forehead rested against mine.
“You still want me carrying you?”
“Yes.”
No consideration necessary.
His smile spread.
“As you wish, baby.”
I laughed against his shoulder as he resumed walking.
By the time we reached our row, Nyla had turned around.
Her hands flew to her hips.
“Oh, absolutely not.”
I closed my eyes.
Landon laughed beneath me.
Nyla looked at Malcolm. “Do you see this?”
He glanced at us. “I see a man solving a transportation issue.”
“A transportation issue?”
“Her feet hurt.”
“You don’t even know that!”
“Context clues.”
Nyla pointed at Landon. “Put my sister down before she forget she got legs.”
Landon looked at me instead.
“You want down?”
I considered my sister.
Then his arms.
“No.”
Nyla gasped.
Malcolm bent forward laughing.
“You see how four minutes of seniority get abused?” she demanded.
Landon’s head turned toward me.
“Four minutes?”
I groaned.
Nyla pointed. “That woman has been holding four minutes over my head since we could count.”
Landon looked down at me, delight spreading across his face.
“You the older twin?”
“By four minutes.”
“Damn.”
“Don’t.”
“My woman got seniority.”
“Landon.”
“I respect hierarchy.”
Nyla threw both hands up. “See? Now she got backup.”
Malcolm looked at her. “You want me to carry you so it’s even?”
“No.”
“Had to ask.”
“You did not.”
She started walking.
He followed.
“That no sounded rushed. I can circle back later.”
“Circle back to your car.”
“You know what I drive?”
“No.”
“So you interested.”
“Malcolm.”
“I like when you say my name.”
Nyla kept walking.
I buried my face against Landon’s shoulder before my laughter embarrassed her any further.
A few feet from my SUV, I touched his shoulder.
“Okay. You can put me down.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
He lowered me slowly.
Far too slowly.
My body traveled the length of his until my feet reached pavement, and by the time I was standing, my arms were still around his neck while his hands rested at my waist.
I looked up.
“That was unnecessary.”
“You asked me to put you down.”
“You know what part I meant.”
“Nah. Clarify.”
His expression radiated innocence so false I nearly laughed.
“You enjoyed that.”
“Immensely.”
I smoothed one hand over his chest.
“I can tell.”
His eyes lowered toward my fingers.
“Careful.”
“With what?”
“My self-control got an excellent record, but you keep filing appeals.”
I laughed.
“There’s my intellectual thug.”
“Intellectual?”
“Yes.”
“Thug?”
“Occasionally.”
He leaned closer.
“Your thug?”
The question came softer than the joke.
I held his eyes.
“My man.”
His breath left differently.
Then his fingers slid around mine.
“Yeah.”
No swagger.
Just satisfaction.
“You coming back to Self Ridge tonight?”
“Was planning on it.”
“For how long?”
“Tomorrow afternoon, probably. Got film Monday morning and recruiting stuff I wanna finish before the week gets ugly.”
“You could stay through breakfast.”
“I could.”
“And maybe lunch.”
“I could do that too.”
“Traffic gets bad around lunch.” Landon stared at me. “What?”
“You trying to extend my visit with traffic analysis?”
“No.”
“Hershey.”
“Traffic is real.”
“My love.” That ruined my argument. He stepped closer. “You want me to stay longer?”
No coded answer.
“Yes.”
His face changed.
Something almost boyish moved through all that grown-man confidence.
“Then I’m staying longer.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
I looked at him. “You keep making the trip.”
“So?”
“So say it again.”
His brows lifted. “What?”
“That I’m worth it.”
His hand rose to my face.
“Nolani, you’re worth every mile I’ve driven to you. Every mile I’m gon’ drive after tonight. Every early morning, every late ride home, every tank of gas, every playlist I’ve run out of songs on trying to get back to you.” My throat tightened. “And if the road doubled tomorrow, I’d still make it.”
“Baby.”
“I mean that.”
“I know.”
“Good.”
My palm settled over his chest.
“For the record, I’d make the trip too.”
His brows rose.
“Yeah?”
“Every time.”
His smile broke open.
“Careful, baby. You keep talking like that, and I’m gon’ start thinking you like me.”
I laughed, then gave him the truth again because I loved what it did to his face.
“I love you.”
His breath caught.
He pulled me against him.
“See, now you showing off.”
“You said you were gonna keep saying it.”
“I am.”
“So am I.”
His lips touched my forehead.
“Please do.”
I stayed there until music from the festival shifted into another song.
Eventually, Landon looked down.
“You know what I liked most about today?”
“My wildly successful business venture?”
“Impressive.”
“My custom flavor?”
“Sacred.”
“The song?”
“Almost killed me.”
I laughed. “Then what?”
He studied me.
“You looked free.” The laughter left. “I watched you enjoy your own damn day. You let your people work. You listened to what folks had to say about Self Springs without turning every question into a five-year plan. You made me something because you wanted to. You sang because you wanted to. Then you told me you loved me because you were ready.” His thumb moved across my cheek. “You looked free.”
I leaned into his hand.
“I think I’m learning the difference between being careful and being afraid.”
“That sound right.”
“And loving you doesn’t feel like something I need to protect myself from.”
His eyes closed briefly.
“My love.”
“I mean it.”
“I know.”
He kissed me once.
Then again.
“Are you spending the night?”
“Thought we established extended residency.”
“At my house.”
“Yes.”
“You brought clothes?”
“In the truck.”
I leaned back. “You were already planning to stay.” The innocence he attempted deserved an award for poor execution. “You are shameless.”
“I prepared for favorable outcomes.”
“You let me invite you like this was my idea.”
“It was your idea.”
“You packed a bag.”
“Preparation doesn’t invalidate choice.” I stared. He kissed my nose. “You like me prepared.”
“I can’t stand you.”
“You love me.”
My smile betrayed me.
“I do.”
He exhaled.
“Damn, that sound good.”
“You’re gonna be unbearable.”
“Baby, I’m in love with a woman who made me custom ice cream, sang directly at me in front of half of Self Springs, asked me to stay, and voluntarily let me carry her through a parking lot. Humility facing serious structural obstacles.”
I laughed into his chest.
Nyla’s voice carried from several cars away.
“Noli! If y’all are done building a Ted Talk around that hug, I’m ready to go!”
Landon looked toward her. “Why she assume I’m the one talking?”
“Pattern recognition.”
Malcolm called from somewhere nearby. “Bro, she been roasting both of y’all for five minutes. I’m trying to get her to admit she think it’s cute.”
“Malcolm!”
His laugh carried across the lot.
I shook my head.
“Come on.”
Landon took my hand.
We headed toward our vehicles, but I slowed before reaching mine.
The yellow and cream canopy was gone. The field where Landon had spent the morning coaching children was mostly empty beneath the fading light. The stage where I’d given him another piece of myself still glowed across the park.
Nothing had moved closer geographically.
Still, Self Springs didn’t feel like distance anymore.
It held customers asking when we were coming back. A librarian who wanted to talk about Scoops & Stories. His parents. A bookstore. A cabin. A stage where I’d looked across hundreds of people and sung to the man I loved.
Landon followed my attention.
“You good?”
“Yeah.”
“What you thinking?”
I threaded my fingers through his.
“That seventy-five miles ain’t as impressive as I thought.”
“Nah?”
“No. Roads get a lot less intimidating when you know who’s waiting at the other end.”
He lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles.
“My love.”
I smiled.
“Come on, baby.”
“Where we going?”
“Home.”
He glanced toward my SUV.
“Self Ridge?”
“Tonight.”
“And tomorrow?”
I looked once more toward Self Springs.
Then at Landon.
“We’ll see.”
He nodded.
That was all.
At my driver’s door, he opened it for me.
I stopped before climbing inside.
“Landon?”
“Wassup, love?”
“I love you.”
His laugh broke open beneath the evening sky, warm and boyish enough to pull mine with it.
“Say it one more time.”
“No.”
“Hershey.”
“Drive safe, baby.”
“Nah. You done created a monster.”
I slipped behind the wheel.
“My monster?”
His expression changed.
“Careful, love.”
I smiled.
“Good night, Big Lando.”
“That nickname got you entirely too comfortable.”
I laughed and closed the door.
A few minutes later, Landon’s headlights appeared behind mine and stayed there as I turned toward Self Ridge.
The road remained exactly as long as it had always been.
It just didn’t resemble separation anymore.
It was simply the way home.