Page 70 of Feels Like Forever

“So I don’t think it’s weird for you to think about—about—you know.”

“Yeah.” Damn it, I’m still nodding. I jerk my hands up and forcefully still my head since it can’t do it by itself.

And, wow, that probably makes me lookfuckingstupid.

Indeed, Liv bursts out laughing.

I feel the burn of humiliation until I realize just how openly she’s looking at me. It hits me that she’s not making fun of me. In fact—but no, surely not. I’ve got to be reading that expression wrong. She doesn’t actually think—

“I’m so sorry, but I have to say,” she manages through her laughter, “that you are—Landon, you arecute.”

I’ll be damned.

I really wasn’t reading her look wrong. It was as charmed as I thought it was.

I guess it shouldn’t flatter me all that much, since she told me the other night on her couch that I’m handsome as hell—that’s a bigger compliment than this, isn’t it? Yeah, it might be one of the greatest compliments of my life, considering who gave it to me. Even in my torn-up state, I fully enjoyed hearing her say it.

But I’m enjoying this, too. Who knew I’d like being told I’m cute?

I’m opening my mouth to finally thank her and compliment her, too, when she quiets out of her laughter and says, “I should’ve hugged you when I had the chance.”

I ask, “Should you have?” like new delight isn’t springing up in me, along with agreement and hope.

She nods and looks at where her hands are folded in her lap. “I think so.” After a second, “It wouldn’t—it wouldn’t be crossing a line, right? If I hug you because I’m in a good mood and I generally appreciate how nice you are and everything?”

She lifts her eyes to where Rae is playing.

Softly, she muses, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Rae hug an adult other than me—I don’t even remember the last time she hugged her own mother. So if she went for it with you, why shouldn’t I?”

Man, the delight and agreement and hope arefucking realright now. These considerations of Liv’s are encouraging, plus she just said my hug from Rae was extra special.

It’s hard to tell her calmly, “Friends hug each other all the time, so no, it’s not a bad thing to do.”

She nods again, looking thoughtful.

And although I’d like it if she decided to scoot over here for even just a quick second, I add quite truthfully, “No pressure, though, ever. We’re good no matter what.”

Just as she shoots me a small smile, I hear Rae calling to us. We look out and see her heading this way, her ponytail mussed and her cheeks red from playing in the heat.

When she’s close enough, I ask, “What’s up, Doc?” in my best Bugs Bunny voice, which is pretty good, if I may say so.

She doesn’t seem very impressed. She looks confused, really. “What?”

“What?” I ask, too.

“Who is Doc?”

Liv snorts. I look at her, wide-eyed with bewilderment, and she says, “Believe it or not, she’s never been introduced to Bugs Bunny.”

My jaw drops. “No way is that true!”

“It is! Isn’t that weird?” She hands Rae a cup they must have brought from home, and the kid drinks deeply from it. “I don’t know how it’s never happened.”

“Weirdest thing I’ve heard all day!” I look at Rae and shake my head. “Well, hot da—uh—well, hot…dog.”

Whoops.Maybe I should get out of the habit of cussing if I’m going to be around a kid.

“Nice,” Liv chuckles under her breath. Then she asks Rae, who has handed the cup back, “Okay, missy, were you just thirsty or are you done playing?”

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