Page 19 of If the Summer Lasted Forever

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

We rip apart, eyes wide, staring at each other for several incredulous seconds before Landon leaps back and jumps for the sink. He’s innocently washing out his shirt when Mom and Mark walk into the kitchen.

Mom’s eyebrows jump when she sees Landon shirtless, but I lounge against the counter like it’s no big thing.

“McKenna accidentally dumped an entire cake on him,” I explain, the picture of nonchalance. “I told him he could use our washer so the stain doesn’t set.”

Mark gives me a look that says he’s onto us, but Mom’s face softens.

“Oh, of course,” she says as she boots Landon out of the way. “Here. Let me take care of it for you. Lacey was such a mess when she was younger. I can get out just about any stain you put in front of me.”

Usually, I’d be irritated with her blabbing that kind of information, but now I’m so relieved, I only pretend to look embarrassed.

“Thanks, Mrs. Mo—” he cuts off when he sees the look on her face. “Cassie.”

“It’s no problem. You’ll probably want to head back to your site before it gets too chilly. If you wait, you’ll freeze.”

If Landon’s half as warm as I am, he’ll be fine.

“I thought you were going to a movie,” I say absently.

“Nothing was playing.” Mark pulls out a chair at the table. He’s still watching the two of us with suspicious eyes.

“That’s too bad,” I murmur, and I mean it with all my heart. Then I say to Mom, “I’m going to walk back with Landon.”

“That’s fine.” Mom glances over her shoulder at my fake-but-starting-to-seem-real boyfriend. “Will you ask your mom if she wants to come over for coffee tomorrow morning before we go into town?”

“Will do,” Landon promises.

We say our goodbyes, and I breathe a great big sigh of relief as soon as we’re out the door. We walk a few yards before I peek at Landon. “Are you cold?”

He gives me a sideways look, smiling in a satisfied sort of way. “No. You?”

“I’m good.”

“Do you think your mom noticed the chocolate in your hair?” His smile grows just the tiniest bit wicked.

Frantic, I raise a hand to my head. It must have smeared on me when we were…doing what we were doing.

“Oh my goodness,” I say, groaning. No wonder Mark was looking at us like that.

Landon laughs and wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me to his side as we walk. A breeze blows through the trees, and he holds me tighter, feigning a dramatic shiver.

“Cold?” I ask, snuggling next to him with the excuse of keeping him warm—it’s bad business to let our campers freeze to death after all.

“Frigid,” he bluffs, meeting my eyes. Then there’s another cool breeze, and he shudders for real. “Okay, that’s actually pretty cold.”

I laugh as we continue to his campsite.

“Could the two of you be any cuter?” Paige demands.

I shift my phone and continue watering the planter in front of me. If I move even a foot, my cell will drop the call. The petunias are about to do the backstroke, but I don’t care because Landon’s weaseled his way into my life and become my very favorite topic of conversation.

“And have you read the comments they got on that last video? You’re public enemy number one for a whole group of girls who were hoping Landon would fall in love with them.”

I stay away from the comments. It’s better that way.

“This is the part where you admit to your best friend that you’re head over heels for him,” she coaxes.

Not happening. If I say it out loud…well, then I’ve said it out loud. And you can’t take that sort of thing back.

No matter how true it might be.

I’m doomed.

“We’re excellent actors,” I hedge. “Seriously, I should make a career out of it.”

“Liar,” she says with a laugh. “You are so gone for him.”

I roll my eyes. This is why you shouldn’t have best friends—they know you too well.

“Oh!” Paige exclaims suddenly. “I think Tanner’s here. I have to get the door before Trenton.”

“Why exactly do you have to beat your brother to the front door?” I ask.

“He doesn’t care for Tanner.”

“ Really. ”

“Stop. You know very well none of my brothers have ever liked anyone I’ve dated.”

Which tells you the stellar taste Paige has in guys.

“Best hurry then,” I tease. “Run little rabbit, beat your brother to the door.”

“Bye!” she chirps, and then she’s gone.

“Ladybugs are our friends.” Landon comes up behind me and pulls me into a hug, surprising me. “And we shouldn’t drown our friends.”

Sure enough, a poor little rosy, spotted beetle is fighting for its life, clinging to a leaf that’s hanging in the pool of water I created.

I shoot Landon a look over my shoulder and free myself from his arms so I can move the insect to safer territory.

“Hi,” he says when I look back, his light green eyes bright. Spring eyes, that’s what they are. The color of soft, new grass and inviting meadows.

Knock it off, Lacey.

“Hi.” I slip my phone into my pocket and tug the hose down to the next barrel.

Landon follows me. “Any reason in particular you felt the need to make a swamp in that barrel?”

“I was talking to Paige.”

“That doesn’t make a lot of sense.”

“Did you come to criticize my gardening skills, or did you need something?”

“Mostly, I came to criticize your gardening skills.”

He leaps back when I point the hose at him and use my thumb to direct the spray. Recovering from his surprise quickly, he darts forward, soaking wet, trying to wrestle the hose from me.

“No!” I yelp, laughing as he manages to point it right at me. The water is cold.

A car slowly makes its way down the road, and we immediately stop, afraid we’ll spray it instead of each other. A man about my uncle’s age scowls at us as he rolls down the window. “That’s an irresponsible use of water.”

“Sorry,” I say, biting back a different sort of response.

Landon nods, looking contrite.

With a beady-eyed glare, the man continues.

Landon glances at me once the camper is out of earshot, trying not to smirk. “See that? You got us in trouble.”

I shoot him a look.

He leans close. “Imagine how horrified he would be if he knew you tried to murder a ladybug—one of the most beneficial of the garden insects.”

Before I go back to my chore, I point the hose at him again—just for a moment. “Go away.”

He holds up his hands, grinning as water drips from his chin. “Want to go into town and try out the miniature golf course after you get done working?”

“It’s pretty run down.”

“So that’s a yes?”

I go back to watering the flowers instead of Landon and grin because my back is toward him. “Yes.”