Page 27 of Desolation

He doesn’t take his eyes off me. I find my cheeks warming under his gaze but I avoid all eye contact.

“So Marianne, where are you from?” he asks.

Georgia and Violet give each other a knowing look and I know they are enjoying this.

“Umm, I’m from Chicago.”

“Hmm. Never been there. Well, no I was in the northern suburbs for boot camp when I joined the Navy but never made it to the city before I was assigned to San Diego.”

“That’s nice.” I could slap myself right now. Who responds like that?

Landon smirks at me. And dammit, it’s a perfect smirk. The way the left side of his mouth curls up to his cheek just enough to cause a tiny dimple. If I weren’t a thirty-five year old woman I probably would have taken my panties off already.

“So are you a deep dish or thin crust kinda girl?”

I blink at him a few times. What did he just ask? “Umm… I’m sorry what?”

He bites down onto his full bottom lip, trying to hold back a smile. “Deep dish pizza or thin crust?”

This time I actually pay attention after scolding myself for staring at him so hard. “Thin. I might be from Chicago but I never got into deep dish. Too much soggy bread. A pizza should be crisp.”

“Noted.”

I raise a brow at him, about to ask his preference to show I know how to have a conversation but Georgia cuts in. “Good Lord, who ever thought deep dish pizza was a good idea, committed a sin.”

We all laugh and I am once again mesmerized by the throaty chuckle from Landon. It’s not a full laugh, almost like he is forcing himself to laugh. I wonder what his true laugh sounds like. I scold myself at the thought.

Get it together, girl. He’s a distraction you don’t need.

“Y’all should go to that pizza place over on Nobel after this. I love when my kids come to visit and take me there.”

“That’s not a bad idea, Georgia. I would love to take this beautiful woman here on a date.”

I roll my eyes at him, finding my inner strength to push him away. “Too bad I have somewhere to be after this,” I say nonchalantly.

“You can’t squeeze in a bite to eat?” Landon asks me.

I look him straight in the eyes as the attitude I used to have as a girl from the west side comes back full force. “With you? No.”

Georgia puts her hand to her mouth, trying to cover a laugh. “Mari, you should take that boy for a swing, heaven knows I’ve tried multiple times. You’re more his flavor.”

I bark out a laugh as Georgia tries to get me to go out with Landon. Of course, her words mean a lot more than just getting pizza. “He ain’t my flavor.”

“How about you stop trying to hook these two kids up and we play the damn game,” Violet stammers.

“Alright, alright,” Georgia says. “But I am putting my money on you two that you will be gettin’ into some backseat bingo at some point.”

“Georgia, I like the way you think,” Landon says and I know if I were to look at him he would have that smirk on his face.

“Ay, me vale madres,” I mutter under my breath. My sass coming out full force.

Landon looks over at me, a brow raised but Violet cuts in before he can speak.

“Let’s play the damn game. If I wanted to have social hour, I would have hung out with the boring ladies knitting inside,” Violet shouts.

I pull myself together and play the game. Luckily, Georgia doesn’t talk about setting me and Landon up anymore and we play the game together in peace.

When I realize it’s after seven I excuse myself to leave. I give Georgia and Violet a hug and a brief nod to Landon and make my way to the door.

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