“What’s…Up?”
“I really do need someone with a truck to get me and my girl outta here. She’s not in good shape. Might even be written off at this point.”
I put my paintbrush down on the easel.
“Oh.”
It wasn’t enough; Last night wasn’t enough to make him want to stay.
This isn’t how this was supposed to go. Our connection, the way we made each other feel, I really thought it would be enough to make Landon stay. Who would walk away from this?
“Can you help me find a ride out to Jethrow? It’ll be the last favor I ever ask of you, I promise.”
That statement cuts me more deeply than he’ll know. I want him to ask favors; I want him to ask them of me every day of his life, please. I’d willingly, happily oblige every time.
Even still, it can’t and won’t happen. Anxiety creeps back in. The happy bubble I’d been in only minutes earlier had burst, dropping me with a hard thunk back down to real life again.
Landon’s leaving.
Landon’s leaving soon.
These are truths I have to accept.
Either I let him go or I suffer more.
I have one task left and that is to help him get out now before we grow closer. I’ve been reckless— My heart can’t take this roller-coaster anymore. I want him to remember me, but what would I say if he did? How could I explain keeping our history a secret? Would he forgive me?
I drop my gaze to my palette.
“Got any ideas?” he probes while wiping his hand on an old rag. “I wanna see if I can get out of here tonight.”
“Um…Um…Yeah, sure. I—I’ll see what I can do.”
“You’re amazing. Thank you.”
Truth be told, I knew exactly who to call. Todd would be happy to help Landon get out of town… And the thought of it made me sick inside.
I was in no hurry.
I wanted to draw it out: Go do my six hour shift, come back home to Landon, pretend we’re still together… Let him hold me… Make him remember…
And if he doesn’t remember, he leaves me.
And then I’m alone.
And then I’m sad.
I don’t wanna imagine any further than that because all that comes to mind are those stones slipping off the side of that cliff and the splash no one would hear.
“I’m only going to be a few hours away, Lucy. What happened last night… It doesn’t have to be a one time thing.”
“I’ll think about it,” I reply, as if I hadn’t spent the whole day thinking about it already…
I give him a tight-lipped smile as he returns to more work on his bike. Once he’s breached the door, I toss my paintbrush hard against the wall to my right with a clack. The girl’s shiny eyes I’d just given her — they taunt me. Suddenly, I’ve given her this glowing, hopeful air. She’s a relic of a future and feeling I’m not allowed to have.
Chapter 14
I go to work at ten o’clock. The busy lunch shift allows me a good distraction from my thoughts, at least.
“So?” says Billie. We haven’t talked much since our fight and she hasn’t been coming over to mine anymore to collect me for my shifts.
“I’m getting him a ride for tonight.”
“How?”
“I’m going to ask Todd to give him a lift… I’m sure he’d be happy to help send Landon down the road…”
“I certainly hope so. This has been a very weird time for you, Lucy. Don’t just think I’m gonna go quiet about this when he’s gone. I need to talk to you about this week and what the fuck you were thinking.”
Her firm tone makes me nervous even though I know I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m an adult. Plus what else more can I say to her? For me to move on, I have to keep up this charade of Lucy Rivers. And Lucy Rivers has never had a boyfriend called Landon come back from the dead.
“I have to take this order out,” I say to her.
She puts her hands on her hips and throws me a look of fury.
“Afternoon.” Todd appears behind me. I swallow nervously, having not spoken much since our awkward run in at his house. His body language isn’t giving too much away.
“H—Hey.” We give each other a quick hug and I back away, fully cowering in the awkwardness of the situation.
“Lucy, I want to apologize for the other day.”
“For what?”
“I was out of line. I shouldn’t’ve snapped at you like that. I know you get nervous and I should’ve been better to you about it.”
“No, I’m the one who’s sorry. Really. I was a bitch. I just…We were on different pages…”
“I’m patient, Lucy. I know you can get a little crazy sometimes.” Todd rests a hand to my shoulder.
“Why do you like me?”
“I ask myself the same thing.” He gives a toothy grin and pushes some hair behind my ear. I release it back when he turns away.
Through the rush of dinner customers, a welcomed face appears at the bar. Landon beams at me, smiling with his eyes. He’s dressed in his leather jacket and jeans— He’s ready to leave. I feel this urgency, this panic wash over me and suddenly I’m coming up with more plans on how to keep him here.
“Did you sort that ride out?” he shouts over the hum of the room while I’m busy pouring out pints of beer.
“Um… Yeah. I’m going to ask Todd to help you out as soon as his shift is over.”
“Oh,” he shouts again. He’s crestfallen. “You’re not coming along to say goodbye?”
“I have work to do here in the morning…” I reply, the lie burning my tongue. Landon seems to pick up on it, and his whole demeanor changes.
“Luce, look…I have to get out of here tonight whatever way I can. When does Todd get off? I can’t keep delaying this.”
“Here you go, Sir,” I tell another customer.
“Luce?!”
“Yeah?! Um…I’m sorry! Just… Let him finish his shift… He’s off at two in the morning.”
“And what if he isn’t up for giving me a ride?”
“Then we’ll figure something out in the morning,” I reply, secretly hoping he’s right.
I don’t give him a chance to respond, turning away and pulling out a bottle of wine to give to Billie.
“Young man, if you’re too blind to notice, Lucy is a little too busy for your shenanigans right now.” My stomach creases.
“Gimme a few minutes. I’m only looking for a quick ride outta here.”
“That so?” she says sharply. “Well then, there’s always the option of leaving in a cop car if you wish. Free-of-charge.”
“Billie, quit it.” My cheeks turn hot.
“Son, where y’headed?” says an elderly man, a little rough round the edges with white, shoulder-length hair and a long beard.
“Jethrow.”
“That up north?”
“I’m not sure on that one, Sir,” Landon says.
“It is,” I add. “About three hours drive.”
“You been there, Lucy?” Landon says with an air of surprise.
“I looked it up on a map,” I lie, “to see how far it is.”
Landon holds a weary look on his face as the older man keeps talking. “When you leavin’?”
“As soon as possible. I might have outstayed my welcome here…” he says, his eyes falling hard on me.
“Welp, son, that truck out there is mine if you don’t mind a slow trip through the hills. I’m headed all the ways up so it ain’t no trouble.”
“I’ve got a hog in about three pieces. If you can fit the both of us, I’d appreciate it… I’ll try to find a way to pay you back once we hit Jethrow.”
“Hell, my miles are on the company and I got plenty o’ room in back. Be good to have some company.”
Landon tosses his hair as he considers it.
I can’t hide my sad eyes glistening at him through the amber-lit bar.
“Fuck.” We let our gazes drop from each other. “If you’re offer
ing then I will take you up on it.”
“Right then. I’ll be leaving after a little feed. I know it’s late…or early dependin’ how you look at it but if you don’t mind a red-eye run we can get you up there before the sun’s up.”
Landon looks back at me. I’m silently plotting to slash the trucker’s tires or call the company he works for to claim he’s a hazardous driver. I bite my lip and wring a towel between my fingers.
“Luce?” he asks. “Are you going to talk to me?”
“I’m busy.”
“Whenever you have a break.”
Billie begrudgingly gestures her head that it’s alright. I take off my apron and wave Landon toward the back door.
Chapter 15
It’s cold tonight. I don’t want this to be the place I say goodbye, in the darkness of a parking lot. But what I’m coming to accept here is that there’s no version of my life with Lucy in it.
I only have one little trick left up my sleeve.