Page 23 of Best Year Ever
We both shake our heads no, the intensity of our conversation evaporating with her appearance.
“Well, this will be fun,” I say as she walks away from the table, trying to shift the mood to a lighter direction. “I love trying different foods.”
“Me too,” Landon replies. “When we were in Alabama, it was All-American food, all the time. I love being in Orlando now with so many cuisines represented. What’s your favorite?”
“Indian, but it’s too rich for me to eat often when in training,” I reply. “Other than that, anything with cheese is a winner for me. I even make my own charcuterie boards sometimes for fun. I can’t cook, but I can do that.”
“Those are the plates with all the meats and cheese?” he asks, and I reply with a nod. “My sister sometimes preps those for me. I would’ve had one of those daily at college if you were there to make them.”
I smile at the thought of Landon and me hanging out over charcuterie at his college when we were younger.
“Did you graduate from Alabama?” I ask, pretty sure that I’d seen somewhere that he’d left a year early. “That’s one regret of mine, not going to college at all. It feels like such a rite of passage, you know? And a time to find your lifelong friends.”
“You can still go when you’re done with tennis,” Landon volunteers. “I promise you didn’t miss that much though. It isn’t a dream come true when you have a twenty-page paper to write for Philosophy, and need to leave at six in the morning to travel for a match the next day.”
I laugh at his description, probably more in line with the reality I would have experienced in college.
“No, I haven't fully graduated yet,” Landon continues. “I need a few more courses. It’s pretty normal for the pro football guys to come out early and finish school in pieces. I hope to get my degree in the next few years as I space out those last classes. In my family, getting a college degree is a big deal.”
“That’s great,” I say. “Sounds like you’re juggling a lot.”
“Nah, nothing I can’t handle,” he says, his hazel eyes dancing in the light.
As I stay quiet for a beat, Landon excuses himself to ask for another beer from the server, who is standing off to the side.
Moments later, when he sits back down, I can’t help but admire the sexiness that is Landon. I’m so glad he’s growing out those curls again. Greek God status, for sure.
Not just because of his hair. His jawline and cheekbones are cut in strong, masculine lines that make him look a little older than twenty-three. You can tell that he’ll stay handsome for decades with that bone structure. His age is more evident around his eyes, which are still unmarked by any of the crinkles that the older men in my life seem to wear.
My eyes dip down a bit. The thin white shirt that he has on leaves nothing to the imagination about his incredible upper bodymuscles. His shoulders are to-die for—no really, I know a lot of guys that would kill for them.
Suddenly, I remember gripping those same shoulders on New Year’s as he pressed his body to mine.
How rock solid he was underneath my hands as I moved my body with his, chasing my own release. One of many that night.
“So you’re close to your dad?” he asks, interrupting my Rated R trip down memory lane.
“Yes, I am. How about you?” I ask.
“I’m not super tight with my parents. Like we don’t talk day to day. They had a really bad breakup when I was a teenager, and our lives pretty much changed overnight. I still go to my mom’s for holidays, but my family unit is more my siblings and me.”
I nod. “It’s awesome that you guys have each other.”
“I try to be a good role model for them, even playing parent in some ways. I used to take my brothers to their practices and games when I was still in high school. Coached my youngest brother’s flag football team when he was in elementary school too.”
“It sounds like you had to grow up fast.” His brothers must worship him. “Your sister didn’t play sports?”
“Oh, Grace was a college track star and still to this day loves to compete in road races. But she was so self-sufficient, she didn’t need much help. She was always the perfect one. My brothers caused more problems.” Landon laughs.
I smile. “And what are your brothers up to now?”
“My brother Rawley’s a sophomore in college. He plays wide receiver, actually. Probably coming out for the draft after next season. My agent is going to inherit him too, whether he likes it or not.”
I give a light giggle at that quip.
“And then Connor, he’s the baby. He’s a senior in high school. He always loved soccer and is going to try to make the U.S. National team. The high school football coach tried changing his mind a few times, but he’s rejected football pretty consistently since turning fourteen.”
“So the Battle family’s a little athletically talented?” I tease.
