Landon: I miss your voice. I miss you like crazy. Is this a good time to talk?
There was a real risk that I’d start rambling again if I heard his voice. Sure, he wasn’t in front of me to distract me with those sinful eyes or lips of his, but even so, who knew what I might spew out. But I’d missed his voice too. I missed all the ways in which he made my life better. I missed making him happy, and I wanted to hear what he had to say, so I typed back Yes.
My screen flashed right away with an incoming call from him. I plopped my ass on the floor, crossed my legs in front of me, and took the call.
“Hey, beautiful.”
“Hi, Landon. I got your flowers. You did send them, right?”
“I don’t know. You think anyone else is missing you like crazy?”
“I have to check my long list of suitors,” I said dryly. “How are things with the takeover?”
“I’m making plans now. They’ll be on the right track soon.”
“That’s great.”
“How are you, Maddie? I’ve been hearing some worrying repo
rts.”
I gulped. “What?”
“Val called me after you dropped by her house. She insists you look as if you don’t sleep much. Lori swears you’re thinner. Hailey insists those are signs you miss me.”
I loved that the Connor sisters were worrying for me, but I was still going to murder them for breaking girl code and telling him. Then again, what did I expect? He was their brother, and the Connor clan was tight. If this had been about Grace, I’d spy for her like it was my job.
“Maddie, I don’t like how I handled things when I left. I’m sorry about that. I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“You did,” I said quietly. “But I didn’t do any better either. I was so awkward.... I didn’t know what to say.”
“What we have is real and beautiful, and I feel so connected to you that I can’t stop thinking about you every moment. About us. You’re part of me.”
“Really?” I whispered.
“Yes, really.”
I didn’t know what to say to that, so I said the first thing that popped into my mind. “I miss you so much that I don’t know what to do with myself.”
“I’m coming to LA next week,” he announced, and I swear my entire body responded to his statement. Energy coiled through me. I felt like a live wire.
“For how long?”
“I’m thinking Thursday to Sunday. Do you have time for dinner on Thursday?”
“Sure. I can do dinner.”
“It’s a date.”
My heart tripled in size. I was so thrilled that I’d be seeing him, and so hopeful that it didn’t even occur to me to ask what the dinner was about. Only after hanging up the phone did I wonder if it was about our future or getting closure. I wasn’t sure my poor heart could handle the latter.
I admired the flowers on my coffee table some more. He wouldn’t have sent flowers if he wanted closure, or called and said all those sweet things. I smiled, deciding to allow myself to feel hopeful.
Chapter Thirty
Maddie
On Thursday evening, I put on one of my fancier dresses, dark pink and bandage style, and paired it with black heels. I was equal parts giddy and nervous. Landon had sent me flowers every day. Every day.