Page 105 of Landon & Shay: Part Two

“I’ll stay the night with you,” I whispered.

“What? No. I’m fine, really, Shay. There’s nothing to worry about. I’m good.”

He kept lying, and I kept at him.

“Please, Landon, let me stay tonight. Just until morning, and then you can kick me out. Cross my heart and hope to die.”

He stared at me with his shoulders back, showcasing his strength, but in those blue eyes of his, I saw his pain. It came in flashes, and he oftentimes tried to blink it away. His heart was broken for Karla, and I wasn’t sure how it would ever heal if he kept everything inside.

The truth was, the pain hurt less when you let it out. Then it wouldn’t have time to simmer too long and burn you.

“I’m okay,” he whispered, this time his voice a little shakier than before.

“Yes, I know, but still,” I took his hands into mine, “Let me stay.”

He took in a deep inhale and nodded slowly. His forehead pressed against mine and he closed his eyes. “Can you lay with me until I fall asleep? I don’t want to talk, but if you can lay beside me, that would be great.”

“Yes, of course.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

He led me to the bed and offered me one of his T-shirts and a pair of shorts. It was way too big for me, but somehow it seemed to fit perfectly against my skin.

He lay down in the bed and I allowed him to wrap his arms around me. Even though I was there to make him feel better, somehow, I ended up being the one who felt safe. In his arms, I felt it happening. I felt my cold heart start to defrost, all because of the man I once loved.

The room was filled with silence, even though neither of us were sleeping. I knew his mind was running fast, and I didn’t want to blink just in case he needed me to remind him to breathe.

I didn’t know how long we’d stayed in that position, pressed against one another, quiet as night. I didn’t know how long his mind kept spinning. I didn’t know how his thoughts were being tamed. But the moment I heard his breathing calm, and realized he was sleeping, I too, faded into a slumber.

* * *

The next few days,I’d made it my responsibility to check in on Landon and make sure he was keeping his head above the water.

Shay:How’s your heart today?

Landon:Somehow still beating.

Shay:Do you need company?

Landon:It’s okay. I’m sure you’re busy.

Shay:Too bad, I’m already at your hotel door, so you might as well let me in.

As he opened it, he smiled wide. “Not going to lie, I’m pretty happy you’re here.”

Me too, Landon. Me too.

We headed into his hotel room. Landon shut the door behind me as I took off my shoes. “I was planning to order takeout, sit on your couch and do nothing. If you’re down for that, I’ll make sure to order enough food for two.”

“That sounds perfect,” he said.

I raised an eyebrow. “Do you want to watchFriends?”

“Hell yeah, I want to watchFriends.” He grinned ear to ear and headed to the couch to take a seat. I grabbed my phone to order dinner and sat down beside him. We ended up ordering more Chinese food than we could’ve ever possibly eaten, and as he watchedFriends, I watched him.

It felt like the olden days. When we’d eat junk food and watchFriendsand forget that the world outside of us was crumbling for a little while. We’d laugh, and snuggle, and hold onto each other in order to keep our broken puzzles together.

---