Page 71 of If the Summer Lasted Forever
“Wednesday.”
“Are you going to come back when it’s over?”
He looks away again, and his eyes are troubled. I’ve never seen him like this, not even when Evie showed up out of the blue. I don’t like it.
“I don’t know,” he finally answers.
After that, we walk back to my Jeep, neither of us speaking. Landon doesn’t start the engine right away. We both sit in our seats, staring forward, trapped in our own heads.
What a strange life he leads—always leaving, always saying goodbye. Maybe it’s not so bad being stuck in Gray Jay.
But I’m lying to myself. If I could go with Landon, I would. I would love nothing more than to see the things he’s seen, do the things he’s done.
And though we just met, the idea of doing those things together is incredibly appealing.
But I still have a year of school, and Landon’s leaving now. Not to mention the fact that I can’t abandon Mom and Uncle Mark. They need me. I know they tease me, but I do so much forthe campground. Maybe they don’t realize how hard it would be without me, butIknow.
Landon finally turns the key, and we head back on the highway, toward home. It’s earlier than we planned, and we still haven’t eaten dinner, but Landon must feel as out of sorts as I do.
“Where are you going?” I ask when he takes a random exit.
He follows a few signs, and we end up parked in front of a hiking trail in National Forest.
“I could use some fresh air. What about you?” he asks.
I study him for a minute, memorizing the flecks in his pale green eyes and the way his dark blond hair just brushes the tips of his ears. He already needs another haircut. “Yeah.”
As a last-minute thought, Landon grabs a water bottle and leads us onto the trail. Though it’s now evening, there’s still plenty of light left. With Daylight Savings, the sun doesn’t set until nearly nine this time of year.
We take our time, talking little, until Landon spots a tall outcropping of granite. We veer off the path, making our way to the top, and dangle our legs over to watch the sun sink lower in the sky. It’s a picture-perfect view of the mountains in the distance, but Landon doesn’t take out his camera or his phone.
Eventually, he turns to me. “I’m not sorry I met you, even if we didn’t have a lot of time together.”
My heart shatters.
“Me too.” I blink quickly.
Landon tugs me next to him, and together we watch the sunset. We have a long drive ahead of us, but I don’t mind putting it off.
He doesn’t try to kiss me. I don’t try to kiss him. We just sit together, coexisting, soaking the moment in.
It’s well after dusk by the time we finally make it back to the Jeep. Just as I’m unlocking the doors, Landon’s cell phone rings.
“Hey, we’re on our way back,” Landon answers. “I know it’s getting late—” Landon frowns. “What do you mean he’s missing?”
I stand by the hood, growing worried because of the look on Landon’s face.
“How long has he been gone?”
From the sound of it, George must have gotten out.
Landon rubs a hand over his face. “We’re still about three hours away, but we’re on our way. We’ll hurry.” Before he hangs up, he assures the caller on the other line, “Yes, I promise I’ll drive the speed limit—we’ll be careful.”
“Who was it?” I ask. Though a dozen questions are on the tip of my tongue, I catch myself before I bombard him with all of them at once.
“My dad.” Landon gets into the Jeep, and so do I. I don’t know what’s going on, but I know we need to get back. As I’m buckling up, Landon starts the engine and heads for the highway. “Caleb’s missing.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
