Page 24 of If the Summer Lasted Forever

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Unbeknownst to Uncle Mark, and much to his chagrin, Mom and Mrs. Tillman already planned a family outing to tonight’s concert before he mentioned it to Landon and me earlier. He’s now stuck here with us, listening to violins, violas, and that big stringed instrument that’s too big to hold.

He fell asleep five minutes ago, stretched out on a picnic blanket.

Candy is intrigued by his light, whistling snores.

Every time he inhales, she inches a tiny bit closer and then jumps back when he breathes out.

She’s standing over him now, one paw extended, looking like she’s ready to smack him on the nose.

I wait, enjoying this particular show more than the music.

The quartet announces they’re going to take a small intermission, and they exit the stage.

Immediately, as if he’s been waiting all this time, Caleb plops onto the grass in front of us and unfolds a map. “Look what I found.”

It’s a local trail map, and I recognize most of the areas he has circled. The one he points to is the shanty Landon and I took him to at the beginning of the summer.

“Hey, good map reading skills,” Landon says.

Caleb beams, and he points to another spot not far away. “Look at what this says.”

“Prospector’s Demise,” I say, knowing what it is but waiting for him to tell me because he’s so excited.

“Demise means death, right?” Caleb says, excited.

“In this case.”

“This is where Gideon Bonavit went off the cliff with his gold!”

I nod. “It’s the spot they think he went off. It happened so long ago. No one really knows for sure.”

Excited, he points to several more circled locations on the map, all nearby places where gold was mined.

“I copied them from the map in the book. Isn’t it cool?” He gives us a big, hopeful grin. “Maybe we can go for a drive tomorrow? Check some of them out? There’s gotta be gold somewhere .”

I glance at Landon, not wanting to be the one to tell Caleb we’re not going to be here.

“Hey, bud, Lacey and I are going on a short day trip tomorrow,” Landon says gently. “Maybe we can try for next weekend.”

“Oh…okay.” Caleb’s face falls, and he carefully folds up his map. He looks back up, a spark of hope still in his eyes. “You promise?”

Landon glances at me, and I nod. Mom won’t mind if I take another Saturday off. Honestly, I could probably take the rest of the summer, and Mom and Mark would be relieved I’m working on my social life. You’d think I was a hermit from the way those two talk.

Caleb grins and runs off, going who knows where.

“Thank you for humoring him,” Landon says, tracing my hand with his finger.

I don’t know what’s going on between us exactly, but I’m happy, and I think he is too.

Paige appears behind us and nods to Mark. “I see your uncle is riveted by the show.”

I turn, relieved to see her out. It’s been two weeks since she discovered that Tanner’s a toad, and she’s spent most of that time at home.

“Hi,” I say, scooting closer to Landon so she can sit next to me on our blanket. Nervous, I glance about. I saw Gia towing Thomas around earlier, so there’s a good chance Tanner’s here too.

“He’s not here,” Paige says, reading my mind.

“Are you sure?”

“I haven’t seen him.”

I frown, wondering if she wants to see him. But I know Paige too well to question that. Now that she knows he has a girlfriend, she won’t touch him with a ten-foot pole.

“Did Trenton come with you?” I ask.

Her brother came home last weekend, and she told me on Wednesday they’ve been helping their dad with odd projects.

“Trenton is here with some girl he met yesterday. Dad’s with Diane.”

There was a time when we were younger that we thought her dad and my mom might get together, but it never came to pass.

Now he’s seeing a lady that works in the travel center.

I’m not sure how Paige feels about it. My mom has never seemed interested in dating, so I have trouble picturing how awkward it would be.

“I’m going to grab something to drink, and then I’ll be back,” she promises.

I turn to Landon. “I’ll go too. You want something?”

Sensing I need a little time with Paige, he hands me a five and asks for a soda. “I’m going to talk to the musicians,” he adds. “See if they mind if I film a little of their performance.”

Paige and I walk toward the food carts parked along the grass. They’re all busy, so we pick the shortest line and wait.

“Brace yourself,” Paige says when Gia, Thomas, Jarrett, and Tanner amble our way.

Tanner won’t even look at Paige—guilt is written all across his face. But as always, Jarrett can’t look at anyone else. There are questions in his eyes, concern. But I barely notice the sweet way he studies my friend because Thomas is looking at me .

“Hey,” Thomas says when their group joins us at the back of the line.

Gia frowns, not liking the attention Thomas is showing me. She sidles next to him and tries to slide her arm through his, but he subtly steps to the side, avoiding her. Apparently, despite how hard she’s trying, they haven’t gotten back together.

Anger and hurt flash in her eyes, but she tries to mask it.

“We need to talk, Lace,” Thomas says, using the shortened version of my name like he did when we were together.

“We’re good, Thomas,” I say, and as soon as the words are out of my mouth, I realize I mean it. I’ve moved on, and I’m finally in a place where I can forgive him for how he hurt me. Even if he doesn’t deserve it.

“But I’m not good,” he says, stepping toward me, even farther away from Gia.

On instinct, Paige steps closer to my side, protecting me, showing him it’s two against one should he push too hard.

“I miss you,” he says, lowering his voice. People around us glance our way, curious.

Jarrett, uncomfortable, clears his throat.

“I just want to talk,” Thomas pleads.

Gia crosses her arms, glaring at me—like this is somehow my fault.

“I’m with Landon now,” I tell Thomas firmly. “What happened between us last summer is done. Finished. That’s all there is to it.”

Thomas starts to argue, but Jarrett steps forward. “Enough, Thomas. Leave her alone.”

“Why do you care?” Thomas says, shaking Jarrett off. “You don’t want her. You’re too enamored with her easy friend.”

Gia’s mouth drops open, and Paige sucks in a gasp. Tanner’s eyes go wide, and he looks around, almost as if he’s planning his escape. Slowly, like a viper, Paige turns to face Tanner. “What exactly have you been telling people?”

He holds up his hands, shaking his head, looking guilty, guilty, guilty.

And then the strangest thing happens. Calm, quiet, sweet Jarrett turns on Tanner. With narrowed eyes and a deadly calm tone, he demands, “What have you been telling people, Tanner?”

“Oh, come on,” Tanner says to Jarrett, desperate to defend himself. “It’s not like everyone doesn’t already think she’s a?—”

And before he can complete that horrific thought, Jarrett punches him.

Gasps break out around us as Tanner recovers from the initial shock and charges his cousin. The two boys end up on the ground. Paige and Gia scream at them to stop, but there’s no need. They’re already being pulled apart by several of the men who were standing nearby in the concession lines.

A crowd has gathered—gawkers eager to see what all the commotion is about. Blood runs from Tanner’s lip, and the skin is broken by the side of Jarrett’s eye. It’s going to be black in the morning.

“What is going on here?” Paige’s dad’s big voice booms as he cuts through the crowd. People part for the sheriff, murmuring to themselves.

“What happened?” he demands.

Jarrett looks at the ground, and Tanner refuses to answer.

Paige, bravest girl I know, crosses her arms, defiantly raises her chin, and stares at Tanner.

“He’s been spreading rumors about me—crude, hurtful rumors.

Lies .” She looks like she’s about to slap Tanner.

..or maybe kick him while he’s down, but she controls herself and turns to the bleeding boy who defended her. “So Jarrett punched him.”

Paige’s poor dad looks taken aback—and for good reason. Quickly masking his shock, he stares down the two boys. “Are you done?”

They nod, though Tanner still looks livid. Jarrett seems uncomfortable but determined—like he doesn’t regret what he did and would do it again if he had to.

“Let them go,” Officer Hilden says to the men holding the boys. Then, to Tanner and Jarrett, he adds, “You two go at it again, and I’m taking you in. Understand?”

They both give him curt nods.

“You okay?” he asks, turning to Paige.

Her lower lip trembles, probably from fury as much as humiliation, but she nods.

Before he goes, Paige’s dad turns back to Tanner and points at him, his face deadly serious. “And you will stay away from my daughter.”

Embarrassed and angry, Tanner shoves his way through the crowd. Thomas shoots me one more look, and then he follows with Gia on his heels.

Officer Hilden watches them, and then he awkwardly pats Paige on the shoulder, past uncomfortable, and heads back to his spot on the grass.

“I’m going to get such a talking to tonight,” Paige mutters. She turns to our crowd, waving them away like she’s shooing sheep. “Show’s over. Go on now.”

Most everyone goes back to minding their own business, but they’re probably still listening. It doesn’t matter. Gossip is going to spread no matter what.

“You’re bleeding,” Paige says to Jarrett, frowning at his eye.

Jarrett shrugs.

“Come on.” She takes his hand. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

And I try really hard not to whoop for joy. She flashes me a knowing smile over her shoulder as she heads for the parking lot, reading my mind yet again. “I’ll call you later, ‘kay?”

I clasp my hands to my chest, elated that something good came out of this catastrophe. “Okay.”

Paige rolls her eyes at my enthusiasm, but she’s smiling despite everything, and I am over the moon happy for her.

I head back to our spot on the grass and sit next to Landon, who’s already returned. He looks at my empty hands and gives me a crooked grin. “Did you forget something?”

Instead of answering, I press a firm and fast kiss to his lips.

“What was that for?” he asks. He’s kept his promise, and we haven’t kissed since the roof.

“Thank you for being one of the good ones.” I set my head on his shoulder.

Landon chuckles under his breath, a bit baffled, and says after a moment, “You know, I’m still kind of thirsty.”

Growling but not meaning it, I yank him up. “Come on then. You can stand in line with me this time. Just try not to punch anyone.”

Without missing a beat, still unaware of what happened, he loops his arm around my shoulder and says, “I’ll do my best, but I can’t make any promises.”