Page 114 of Best Year Ever
“I think I can forgive you.” The words come out slowly, as if he’s judging them in real time. “Try to move forward. It just may take a beat for me to digest everything.”
Oh thank god. “I understand. Whatever it takes.”
His eyes level on mine, intent and open. He finally looks more like the Landon I know.
“Let me be clear about something though. I need to trust thatif we’re in a serious relationship that we’ll always have each other’s back. That we’re not going to break apart anytime the world around us is shaken up a bit.”
While his words are partially a warning, they’re also a promise from him of what he’s willing to give. It’s hitting me exactly how much I might’ve lost because of what I did to him.
I’ve never been a crier, but somehow all the events of the last few weeks have cracked that part of me open. Tears start running down my face as I fight to hold in the sobs I feel coming.
“I want that too, Landon. I want that too. I’m so sorry,” I say, the tears falling.
“Then we’ll try again,” he says in a softer tone, stepping forward to pull me into his arms. “Apology accepted, Rori.”
It feels like a miracle when he wraps me up tight, and I throw my arms around him in turn. He starts swaying us in a comforting rhythm, our bodies glued together.
A few minutes pass with us holding each other, everything quiet other than the muffled sound of the band’s music. My tears subside, and I find the calm, centered feeling that being with Landon inspired in me so often before I stupidly ended things.
“So what now?” I finally say, my voice still smothered a bit because I’m speaking into his shoulder.
He breaks apart our hug just enough to look down at me, our arms staying secured around each other.
Not answering my question, he leans down to connect our lips in a firm kiss. In response, I press my body against his, but his big hands lock on my hips to hold me in place. He breaks the kiss and looks down at me.
“Not tonight, I need a minute,” he says. “We know we’ll get that part right. I can’t believe that I’m saying this, but let’s not go there tonight. I need everything else to catch up.”
I nod because I understand. I’m still feeling very raw emotionally, and I know he might have even further to go to feel back to our norm.
“I’m leaving for the U.S. Open this weekend. I’ve got a coupleof appearances before the tournament starts on Monday,” I explain. “But I could drive up again tomorrow night for a last time before my trip?”
“You would do that?” Landon asks. “You sure?”
“Absolutely,” I say, as I give him a firm peck on the lips.
Anything to show him that I’m all in.
CHAPTER 42
Landon
When I wake up, I remember last night like it happened in slow motion.
Every conversation, every moment—piece by piece—working towards Rori’s apology and plea to forgive her.
Idoforgive her. And damn, holding her in my arms last night felt so right. Released some of the pain she caused.
Her words did too. I know Rori has baggage, just like me. She’s new at this, just like me. The fact that she laid herself bare, owned up to her mistake, was major. Especially now that I’ve had some time to process all that she said.
Still, I want to be crystal clear tonight about where we stand. I feel like I did a solid job of laying out my expectations last night, but it was an emotional conversation. Before I can completely let go of what she did, I want to be certain that she knows how I feel about us.
Rori had gone back to the cottage last night soon after we made our plans, so she could sleep at a reasonable hour before her training today. Even with so much to work through, we’d slipped into our normal texting.
She’d texted me about how things had gotten sorted withJulie and how her training was going. I caught her up on our preseason so far and what was next for the team.
It was nice to experience some normalcy and be reminded of all we have in common after the intense emotions earlier in the evening. This natural connection we have—it’s not like anything else I’ve experienced.
I also texted Grace last night, because I was certain she was dying for an update.
