Page 106 of Landon & Shay: Part One

“Is it because you just met my dad? I know he can be a bit intimidating, but—”

I shook my head. “No, it’s not that. Just first performance nerves.”

She stretched her lips into a grin. “Oh my gosh, of course. I’m so stupid. It’s your first time performing in front of an audience. I get that nervous energy, but you have to use it to fuel your show. Okay? Use that energy to launch your first scene. Feed into it and let it help you put on your best show possible.” She leaned in and kissed my cheek before grabbing my hand and squeezing. “You got this, Landon. You’re going to be amazing. I have to go get ready, but break a leg tonight.”

“You too. Go ahead…” I smirked a little and nodded. “Break two.” I winked, and her cheeks went rosy.

She walked away, taking her light with her as she left, leaving me sitting in the dark with information I didn’t have a clue how to deal with. I didn’t know how to process what I’d seen, what I knew.

KJ, the asshole who fed teenagers drugs, was Shay’s father.

KJ, the asshole who had another daughter, which meant Shay had a sister she had no idea existed.

Even if Shay didn’t know it, her worst nightmare had come to life, and I was the only one who possessed that information.

* * *

The show went on,as shows always did. I delivered all my lines, hit my cues, and when it came time for me to kiss Shay, my lips fell against hers. The parents howled and applauded at the end of the performance and brought flowers for their kids to celebrate the show. All I could think was how I needed to get out of there. How I needed to skip past greeting anyone and head home where I could collect my thoughts.

When Shay stopped my hasty exit by grabbing my arm in the hallway, I knew I couldn’t keep running.

“Hey, you were amazing tonight.” She smiled and stepped forward. “Mima came to the show, and we are going to get ice cream. You’re more than welcome to come if you want.”

I scratched the back of my neck and took a step backward. “Nah, I think I’m going to call it a night. I want to brush up on some of the scenes before opening night.”

“Are you kidding?” Shay laughed. “You can’t get much better than that. It was a perfect performance.”

I shrugged. “You know what they say about artists—”

“We are our worst critics,” KJ finished, walking up behind his daughter.

I wanted to punch him square in the face.

“Yeah. Well, it was nice seeing you all.”Except for you, asshole. “Shay, I’ll see you back at school on Monday.” I walked off quickly before she could reply. I didn’t look back until I was a few feet away from my car. I stared at Shay and her family walking out of the auditorium with the brightest smiles on their faces. Shay was very chatty, and her father was taking in all of her words like he wasn’t this double-life-living scum.

I thought my father was bad news, but compared to KJ, Ralph Harrison was looking like a damn saint.

“Landon.” A voice called my way, and I tensed up as I heard it. I turned around to see Mom standing there with a bouquet of flowers in her hands. I wasn’t certain I could’ve been any more confused about life that day, but there I was, confused about fucking life.

“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in Rome or something?” I snapped, still obviously hurt by her abandonment at my birthday.

“I landed earlier today, and Mrs. Levi told me about parent’s night. The show…you…” Her eyes watered as her hands grew shaky. She looked broken-down. Sad, even. And even though I was working really hard to hate her, I still wanted to walk over and wrap her in my arms to make sure she was okay.

Damn.

I wondered when that would go away. I wondered when I’d stop being a mama’s boy and be strong enough to hate her.

Never.

I’d never hate my mother.

“You were amazing,” she said. “You were absolutely astonishing on that stage, Land. What you did was beyond words. I didn’t know you had that in you, but then again it makes sense. I always knew you’d be good at whatever you decided to do. I’m so proud of you.”

I didn’t say anything because my mind was still spinning. I still wanted to hug her like the fool I was, I still wanted to hate her, but currently I was so happy to hear that she was proud of me.

“You missed my birthday,” I shot at her, and I hoped the bitterness of my tone hit her heart.

“Yes…I know.”

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