Page 182 of From Now On

Meaning when Conor is out of town. But Landon has had plenty of chances to visit just me in the past, and he’s still never taken me up on it.

“Can I get you anything to drink?” One of the bartenders has appeared in front of us.

I look at Landon. “You should try one of Aidan’s beers,” I suggest, pointing to Evergreen Beer Company on the laminated menu. “They’re really good.”

“Yeah, sure,” he says. “I’ll have the IPA, please.”

The bartender nods and then glances at me. “Just a water,” I request.

As soon as the bartender walks away, Landon glances at me. “Congrats again.”

This felicitation sounds more sincere than his startled “Wow, congratulations” after Conor’s speech that got a little lost in Anna’s crying and Eve’s cheering and Aidan’s “Now our kids can be best friends without a weird age gap!”

“Thanks. Pretty adult, huh?”

“Very adult,” he agrees.

I play with the edge of an abandoned napkin. “I always assumed you’d be like an uncle to my kid. I’m happy I can drop thelike.”

Landon looks startled. Since he and Conor act more like acquaintances than half brothers, I’m positive it didn’t occur to him that he’s related to the tiny bump I’m sporting. I, more than anyone, appreciate that love is as strong of a familial bond as blood, but it means something that the people I consider family will be biologically related to my baby.

“One water and one Hot Tub IPA.” The bartender delivers our drinks and then continues to serve the next customers.

Landon gives me a confused, slightly concerned look.

I laugh. “That’s just Aidan. It’s good, really.”

Landon tries a sip. “Yeah, not bad.”

I smile and swallow some water.

“Harlow?”

“Yeah?”

“You could have dropped thelikeno matter what, you know.”

My throat feels thick, my eyes hot. Freaking hormones.

“It’s weird with Conor. You know why it’s weird, and maybe it always will be. But I consider you my sister, and I’m sorry I ever let my shit with him mess with that. You were right about him. I wasn’t trying to saytold you so, I was trying to protect you, but I should have trusted your judgment.”

“Thanks, Lan,” I manage to say. Then swallow a couple of times to clear the lump in my throat. “It’s not that serious with him, though.”

Landon lets out a surprised laugh, then shakes his head back and forth a few times. “Right, yeah. I won’t get my hopes up or anything.”

I smile. “Think about visiting, okay? I think it would be good.”

“Yeah, I will.”

“Over the summer?”

“Florida in the summer?” Landon makes a face, but then he nods. “I’ll think about it. Promise.”

“Good.”

Landon picks up his beer. “I’m going to play some pool.”

I glance at the pool table. Smirk. There’s a group of women crowded around it, and two of them are looking this way. “Have fun.”

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