Landon's Desire (Book Three of The Pulse Series 3) (41 page)

Landon laughed because they were all adults having an adult conversation, however Emmitt felt the need to spell out sex as if it were a dirty word.

“They are far more open today,” Patrice said. “I wish our generation hadn’t been such sticks in the mud. Everything was kept behind closed doors and in closets…closets are for clothing not a place to hide.”

“Well said mom,” Landon gave her a shoulder hug.

Tiny was in charge of security for the night, and was waving from the front entrance trying to get Landon’s attention.

“Pssst…Lando,” Tiny called.

“Excuse me a moment, I’m obviously needed,” Landon said, giving Carl a peck on the cheek before heading over to Tiny.

“There’s a lady at the door without an
invite,” Tiny announced. “She said you know her, and she just wanted to stop in and say hello.”

Landon nodded, giving Tiny a slap on the shoulder. “I’ll get rid of her. By the way, you’re doing a bang up job tonight. Thanks. All the guests are here now?”

“Yep, all accounted for.”

“Well then, I’ll see to the mystery guest and lock up, you join us for dinner and drinks.”

“Alright, thanks,” Tiny happily turned in the direction of the bar.

With her back to Landon as he walked beyond the clubs threshold, she stood looking out the door at the traffic. There was nothing familiar about the woman, he couldn’t place her from this view. She looked like any other woman dressed in a black coat, simple black shoes and a head of dark hair. He cleared his throat and she turned. His heart nearly stopped when he saw Hanna, Steve’s mother, standing in front of him. She smiled and stepped towards him.

“Hanna?” he asked, as if she was a part of his past come back to haunt him at a time when he was most happy.

He looked down at the ground and closed his eyes, squeezing them tight, willing the lobby to be empty when his eyes finally opened. He was shaking, a shiver ran up his spine as she spoke, his eyes flew open and the harsh reality he was not alone was like a cruel slap to the face.

“Landon…if this is a bad time, I can come back next time I’m in town,” she said.

“No,” he shook his head. “We’re having a party.”

He wasn’t sure why he told her that, it was the first thing that came to mind, he was feeling terribly uneasy.

“I heard you got married.”

“I did,” Landon confirmed, but took the conversation no further.

Afraid to ask why she was there, what brought her all these miles to his doorstep, why now, he stood uncomfortably silent.

She had never blamed Landon for Steve’s death, in fact, she helped Landon get the help he needed to deal with what happened and even helped pack up Steve’s things and donate them to charity. It was Landon who chose to create a distance between them, he stopped calling and stopped taking her calls and when he moved to Boston, he never bothered to tell her.

It was guilt that was making him feel so awkward now. He swallowed back a lump in is throat.

“I’m sorry I never kept in touch,”

“Don’t be silly, you had your own life to consider, you didn’t need to be bothered with me. I understand.”

Hanna put her hand on Landon’s arm. “I have no ill feelings, there is nothing to forgive. You got on with your life…and I got on with mine.”

Landon was thankful for the kind words, but they didn’t make the guilty feeling go away. They had been close at one time, a time when he called her mom and she considered him one of her own.

“I wanted to bring you something,” she fiddled in her handbag. “I should have given this to you the day of Steven’s funeral, I just couldn’t part with it at the time…I was going through some boxes before I move and found it…It should be yours.”

The small brown leather case had a familiarity that brought back rich memories of a time so far in his past, that it felt unreal. The hinge groaned as he opened the box to reveal the charm inside. The shiny silver St. Michael charm hung from a simple chain. Landon could visualize it hanging around Steve’s neck, he had given it to him on their first anniversary, to keep him protected. The irony was agonizing. Landon closed the box and slipped it into his breast pocket.

“Thank you,” he forced out. “I’d forgotten all about it.”

“That’s probably because I hid it from you, but I’ve discovered that inanimate objects won’t bring him back or make it any easier.”

“I never stop thinking of him,” Landon told her.

“Nor do I,” she smiled and took a deep breath. “The last thing I wanted to do was come here to depress you…it was good to see you.”

Hesitating for a moment to think, he stepped forward and gave her a hug. “It was good to see you too.”

“Go back to your friends,” Hanna said, pulling from his arms and opening the door. “And Landon?”

“Yes?”

“Steven would be pleased knowing you’re so happy.”

Landon nodded and watched in silence as she walked out the door and it slowly closed.

“Are you okay?” Carl asked, stepping out of the shadows.

“Fuck, you scared me,” Landon tittered. “Come here.”

Wrapping his arms around Carl’s waist, he kissed his forehead. “How long were you standing there?”

“Long enough,” Carl admitted.

“That was Steve’s mother,” he told him. “But you’d know that.”

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

“I wasn’t accusing you of eavesdropping,” Landon hugged him tighter. “Do you know how much I love you?”

Of course I do,” Carl grinned. “To the moon and back, right?”

“No,” Landon whispered against Carl’s ear. “My love for you reaches far beyond any galaxy known to man, it’s far deeper than the depths of any ocean and brighter than the brightest stars in the sky.
You
are my world, my every breath I take, you’re the reason I wake each morning and I love you with every beat of my heart.”

“So I’m a keeper?” Carl joked when the moment was threatening to bring him to tears.

“I’m keeping you alright,” Landon said, as he turned them both to the clubs doorway.

“Yeah well, I love you more,” Carl beamed.

This was it, it couldn’t get much better, life for them was grand, and they were truly blessed. Landon and Carl stood wrapped in each other’s arms, looking at their family and friends, laughing and dancing. All the people they loved, who loved them, gathered together to celebrate a new beginning for
Pulse
, the place where it all began.

The End

About the author

Jennifer Rose lives the glamorous life in Canada working as a part-time office clerk/manager. A mother of three grown boys, she decided to give up cleaning, cooking and day to day household chores in favor of sitting with a favorite beverage, be it coffee or wine and her trusty laptop, after a friend and author convinced her that she had what it took to write romance novels, so she took a creative writing course and finally started writing.