raced to keep up with her, Hannah continued. “You had the night out at the inn. You brought her to your birthday dinner. You saw her here and there over a few weeks. And then the fire happened.”
“Right.”
“So since the fire, what have you done to re-spark the romantic portion of the program? Pardon the fire pun. And giving her a place to stay is only part of it. That was nice of you. I’m sure she appreciates it, but does she know you did that because you want your friendship with her to be more than friendship?”
“I, um… Well, I sort of assumed she’d figure that out when I offered to let her stay with me.”
Hannah cracked up laughing. “How can you be so cute and so stupid at the same time?”
Landon frowned at her. “Mommy is being mean to me, Callie.”
The baby responded by whacking him in the head with the spoon.
“That’s right, Cal,” Hannah said. “Hit him upside the head. He needs it.”
“Is this supposed to be helping?” Landon asked.
“You have to do something to make her realize you’re interested in her as more than just a platonic roommate.”
“Like what?”
“Take her out again, to start with. When was the last time she was out of the house?”
“She hasn’t been out since she left the hospital. I figured with the crap weather we’ve been having, she was safer at home while still on crutches. And besides, you guys made so much food for us, we can live off that for two more weeks.”
“And isn’t that romantic! Leftovers for days and days. Take her out, Landon. Take her somewhere nice and romantic and spend some money on her and make her feel special. While you have her attention, mention you want to be more than friends with her. The poor girl probably can’t figure out whether you’re putting her up out of pity or if you genuinely like her.”
“She knows I like her.”
Hannah propped her chin on her upturned hand. “You’re sure of that, rock star? Or have you finally met a woman who isn’t doing gymnastics to get your attention, and as a result, you have no idea how to get hers?”
Landon scowled at her. “That’s not what this is.”
“Oh, no? You don’t think so? I think that’s exactly what this is. You’re so used to women falling all over themselves to get close to you that you have no earthly clue how to deal with one who doesn’t do that.”
“If she doesn’t do that, maybe she’s not into me.” And why did that possibility make him so sad? Probably because he really liked her, and he didn’t want to blow his chance with her.
“I’ve seen her with you. That’s not the problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“She likes you.”
“How could you tell?”
“She pays attention to everything you do and say, and she stays close to you the whole time you’re together.”
“And you don’t think that has anything to do with being intimidated by our massive family?”
“Amanda doesn’t strike me as an easily intimidated sort of woman. Look at what she does for a living.”
“I can’t even think about that,” he muttered.
Hannah giggled behind her hand. “You’ve found the female version of you—someone who could have any guy she wants—and you have no idea how to win her over because you’ve never had to try before. The same thing happened to Luc with Dani. I talked to Gramps about it. He said he told Lucas that when it really matters, you have to try. Same goes for you, sport.”
“You seem to be enjoying this a little too much.”
Her laughter made Callie chuckle, too. “Are you kidding? I love it! I’ve waited all your life for this moment. From the time you and your equally adorable brother were born, people have gravitated to the two of you. After you became teenagers, it was mostly female people. Neither of you has ever had to work for it before.”
“That’s not true.”
“Yes, it is. Female attention has come too easily, which is why nothing ever stuck for either of you until Lucas found someone who mattered enough to bother. Why do you think Dani and Savannah are with him now? It’s not because he casually said, ‘Hey, babe, you want to come home with me?’” Her impression of Lucas was shockingly good. “It was because he made the effort to have a real relationship with her. That’s the secret sauce, Landon. It’s called effort.”
“Effort. I can do that.”
“Can you?” Hannah asked warily. “It means