I brush the tears off my cheeks. I push away from the table and head upstairs in search of some food. I am due for a nap but think a light snack is a must. In the kitchen, I start preparing a bowl of fruit. I have just taken a giant bite when Landon walked in, shirtless, making me choke on my surprise.

“You okay, Beagchaithnini sneachta?” His smirk is endearing.

I nod through my coughing and reach for my water. Landon opens the fridge making a small humming sound.

Inspecting him while his back was turned, I notice his hair is slightly damp. He is wearing old gray sweatpants and his feet are bare. Clearing my throat, I mumble, “I didn’t know you were home.”

He places the ingredients for a sandwich, a slice of ham hanging out of his mouth. He nods his head.

“Yhheah,” his voice muffled by the ham. After he finishes the slice, he gets to work on his sandwich. “I just got back.”

I continue to pick at my bowl of fruit. The silence between us seems anxious. Or maybe that is just me because Landon continues to hum as he ate his sandwich.

After about ten minutes, I decide it would not be considered impolite to leave. I rinse my bowl and went to exit the kitchen.

“Where are you going?” he asks.

“To take a nap.”

He grunts. “Of course, you are.”

“Is that a problem?” I snark back.

He shrugs. I roll my eyes.

“It shouldn’t be.”

“And yet you seem to think it is.” My patience? Gone.

“Well, maybe, if you didn’t lock yourself away in there every time I enter the house, it wouldn’t bother me.”

“I don’t lock myself away every time you enter the house.”

Like a light switch, Landon goes from mildly annoyed to outraged. “You literally lock your door at night, Brooke!”

“So?”

“So? So? Not only is it super offensive to me, it is also dangerous. What if you went into labor? Or passed out again?”

I had not even thought about that. “Well, then, you shouldn’t have threatened to enter my room in the middle of the night,” I retort.

“It wasn’t a threat! Jesus, what did you think, I was just going to come in and attack you against your will?” He pushes his hand through his hair. “Is that what you think of me?”

I shrug.

Landon looks offended. Guilt immediately racks me, but before I can apologize, Landon storms out.

CHAPTER 17

First Dates

Brooke

As I hesitate on the outer side of Landon’s office, I ponder how I found herself here again, about to cross the forbidden threshold for the second time in just a few short months’ time. I have been fighting with myself to come apologize all day, my mind too restless to nap.

Maybe I should not apologize. Maybe it is better he was mad at me. That way he will not want to talk to me. I could handle the silent treatment for the next few months. I shake the thought from my brain. That would just be cowardly and wrong. Reaching up, I give the wimpiest knock known to man. A little shocked when I hear a voice bode me to enter.