feeling follows us into the pool room, down the hallways, even back into my room. We say goodbye to Harley with a minimum of words, although she's all chatty good humor, and then, once again, it's just us. Eyeing each other.
Why is it even awkward now, anyway? Is he actually that pissed that I turned him down for a second time?
Is that all this is to Landon - just about getting his way with me? No, I'm probably just jumping to sleep-deprived stupid conclusions. Although he isn't saying anything.
"Goodbye, then," I say, with a light wave.
"Bye," he says, no wave.
Back in the too-bright fluorescent-lit bathroom, I try not to look at my wan-faced reflection. I know how crap and uncertain I feel without having to look at it in the face.
What just happened? Why is this relationship such a continual mindfuck?
And after he was so sweet and perfect with me and Maddy...
Something annoying Mom said about rinsing out chlorine from my swimsuit echoes in my head, so I rinse it off and sling it into the shower to dry.
Better not think about it.
**
"Wakey, wakey, Mom!" Maddy trills at some ungodly hour.
My eyelashes flutter a smidgen open, then think better of it. Then the light scorches red brightness through my lids.
Yes, Madison, my dear merciless child, has opened the curtains all the way.
"What time is it?" I manage to groan.
"7:30," she chirps.
"Maddy!" I could've chucked a pillow at her if I felt like moving. "You know it's our vacation."
"We gotta get out there early," Madison says in a firm 'mom' voice that makes me scowl. "Otherwise the lines will be super long."
I just lie there. Maybe if I don't say anything, just lie here and pretend to be asleep, she'll give up and I can -
"Mom?"
I sigh, glaring open my eyes a crack. "Fine. Give me a minute."
I end up needing about fifteen. Five to wrestle myself into a half-upright position, another five to down the coffee Madison so kindly brought me. A final five to change into something more public-appropriate than silly yet awesome sheep PJ bottoms Madison bought for Christmas last year.
"Know what rides you want to go on?" I ask Maddy after I've downed another coffee and feel a little less like walking death.
One bonus is that Madison's so excited that she even dressed herself, complete with a not-terrible ponytail and her way-overpacked backpack.
We'll deal with that later, though. As well as the talk we're going to have about wake-up times if I'm going to survive these next few days. Who knows, maybe I should've splurged for those skip-the-line passes so this wouldn't be a thing. Whatever. Right now, we - I - need food. And lots of it.
After a failed attempt to find the buffet ourselves, we end up just following some hungry-looking family there. It's filled with weary parents and excited kids, and, at a table by the window, with Greyson and Harley, and Landon.
Greyson and Harley are side by side, sharing a mountain of blueberry and strawberry pancakes, while Landon's busy wolfing down a full plate of eggs and bacon. Seeing us, he waves.
"Whoa, where did you get that?" Maddy asks, eyes on his chocolate croissant plate.
Landon points to a far-off station with a pyramid of aesthetically-arranged chocolatey confections. "Over there. Quick, though, they only had two left when I snagged this one."
That's all Maddy needs to zip off with a "Be right back, Mom!"
A smile quirks on Landon's face as he turns to me. "She's independent."
"That she is," I say, more stiffly than I intended.
OK, so it's morning now and last night was last night, but still. It ended off weird.
"Listen," he's saying now, leaning in so only I can hear, "about the other night - "
"It's fine," I interrupt him. Now isn't the time. Or place. "Really."
"No." His hand squeezes mine as he soldiers on. "I was upset. I didn't want the night to end and then you - "
"Ended the night." I exhale. Is it really that simple? It is.
I find myself smiling. "Alright, thanks for explaining."
I can't say that I blame him. A few times, as ridiculous as it is, I've felt a bit resentful for him having to leave earlier than I expected. No one likes to end a good time.
"Yeah?" he's saying now with a small smile.
"Yeah," my own smile says.
Damn it, that smile of his is infectious!
Now there's a mischievous twitch to his lips too, surrounded by their sexy stubble. "Did we just... have our first successful almost-fight?"
I