Page 53 of Hero for the Holidays

“I can respect that.”

The evening slowed after that, and when it got late, she walked out to the porch with Lila and Landry. Lila went straight down the steps and headed to the truck. Landry paused, and Fia took that opportunity to try to introduce the idea of Lila staying with her.

“She could spend the night next time,” said Fia.

“Let’s just wait.”

She knew a moment of absolute annoyance.

But she let it go, and instead she tapped her foot on the porch.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

But she wished it was nothing. Because right then the porch light caught the hollows of his face, and she had a strange moment where she seemed to exist in two realities.

It was like she was back then and firmly now.

Looking at the boy and the man all at once.

Yes, they’d had chemistry. That had never been their problem.

But this strange feeling she had now wasn’t a memory. Landry King had never stood on this porch, like a date waiting to kiss her good night. They had skipped all that.

They had never really been boyfriend and girlfriend in that way.

But she could easily imagine it. What could’ve been. Far too easily.

“Good night,” she said quickly, and she turned and raced inside before she could do something extremely dumb. Something she would only regret.

Because if there was one thing about Landry King that she knew, it was that he was a mountain rife with her potential regret. And very little else.

CHAPTER TEN

“LANDRY. IHAVEmy period.”

Landry stopped, his shoulders going tight. “What?”

“I got my period,” she repeated. “I need some supplies.”

He frowned. “Supplies. What... What kind of supplies?”

It was seven in the morning, and Landry was dumbfounded. Not because he didn’t know that women had periods, and that it was reasonable and likely that Lila would have hers. She had been with him nearly a month now, and it hadn’t really occurred to him, though, until just now. And he also didn’t quite know what to get. His sister would. But...he had no idea. He’d never been in a long-term relationship with a woman. He’d never lived with a woman.

But by God, Lila was telling him and she wasn’t bashful or embarrassed in the least, and he’d be damned if he made her feel weird about it just because he didn’t have experience.

“What do you... What do you use?” he asked.

“I like period underwear.”

“I...” He did not know that was a thing.

There was only one thing to do. He texted Fia. I need some kind of feminine products over here.

Feminine products?

Lila has her period.

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