Page 29 of Your Love
I shake my head, my gaze returning to the stuffed car before us. “Nothing. It’s almost finished.”
“Excellent. Let’s go treat ourselves to some ice cream,” he suggests cheerfully. “We’ll be back in time for dinner with your grandparents in a couple of hours.”
“Ice cream, you say? That sounds great.”
As soon as we step through the doors of The Scoop Shop, the sweet and creamy aroma of ice cream hits me. The shop is bustling with customers, but luckily, there’s a small opening at a table for two. I scan the menu, taking in the variety of flavors and toppings before settling on a hot fudge sundae. Landry opts for a classic banana split.
We take our first bites, savoring the rich and indulgent flavors. “This is amazing,” Landry exclaims, his spoon clinking against the glass dish. “But I should probably cut back if I want to keep up with the Mavericks.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You’ve been hitting the gym pretty hard.”
“Yeah, I’ve been going regularly and adding in some runs. Taz swears by it for clearing his mind, so, I’ve been doing it for that reason, too.”
Landry has never mentioned running before. My curiosity tugs at me, and I ask, “Since when do you run?”
Landry’s lips press together in a thin line, his expression guarded, and he doesn’t answer.
“Since when?” I repeat.
He hesitates, then confesses, “Since you told me about what happened.”
My heart twists with guilt, knowing that my pain has caused this.
“Normally, I can drive around to clear my head,” he continues, “but that wasn’t helping. So, I started running, and I’ve gone every day since.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, my voice heavy with regret for being the reason he’s been struggling.
“Don’t be,” he reassures me with a small smile. “It’s good for me.” But then his tone shifts, becoming more serious. “Kerri, if that guy ever comes here, I will kill him. You know that, right?”
“He won’t show up here. He doesn’t know where I am. And even if he did, he’s a coward. He can’t control me anymore, so I’m not worth his time.”
Suddenly our ice cream isn’t as appetizing. “Are you ready to go?” he asks.
I nod and follow him out to the truck.
We have some of our most important conversations while driving down the long, dark dirt road to my grandparent’s farm. So, after ice cream, it seems like the right time to talk to Landry about something that’s been on my mind.
I turn to study him. His large hand is wrapped around the steering wheel, and his jaw is set in determination as he focuses on the path ahead.
“What?” he asks, his eyes still fixed on the road.
“You and your damn peripheral vision,” I tease.
He shrugs nonchalantly. “It’s a goalie thing.” With a smooth motion, he shifts the truck into park, and I turn my body towards him, tucking my legs under me.
“I want to try something,” I say softly, meeting his intense gaze with determination in my own.
His eyebrows quirk up in curiosity, a small smile playing on his lips as he leans in closer. “What kind of something?”
My heart beats against my chest as I gather all the courage I have left in me and finally speak my request. The words come out in a rush, barely audible but enough to convey my desire. “No questions, just trust me.”
I can see the surprise flash in his eyes, quickly replaced by intrigue and something else that I can’t quite read. “Absolutely,” he responds without hesitation, his voice low and smooth like melted chocolate.
Taking a deep breath, my pulse races in my ears as I prepare for what is about to happen. My palms are slick with nerves and anticipation. “Will you kiss me?”
For a moment, his expression betrays shock before softening into something entirely different. He doesn’t need to ask any questions. His gaze says it all as it drops to my lips before he moves towards me with purpose and intensity.
His warm hand glides over my cheek like a gentle caress, tilting my head towards his. All rational thoughts vanish as his lips meet mine in a soft yet urgent kiss. It’s like being struck by lightning and engulfed in flames at the same time, a feeling so intense that I can’t help but surrender to it.
