Love Reunited

by Renee Andrews

  “How do you mean?”

  “Your eyes are as stunning as ever, Georgie. A marbled brown and green, with tiny bits of gold making them look like you’re gazing into the sun at all times.” He hesitated, then added, “But it’s like they are looking through me, instead of at me.”

  She nodded, as though already suspecting—or knowing—this trait. “And does that make you feel weird? Does it make me look weird?”

  “You know what it feels like to me?”

  “No, but tell me, please.”

  “It feels like of all of the people in the world, you’re the only one who looks at me and doesn’t see the physical. You see more. You see the soul.” He nodded, knowing that was exactly the right way to describe what he felt when those eyes peered at him. “That’s exactly how it feels.”

  “Thank you.”

  He smiled. “You’re welcome.”

  She ran her teeth across her lower lip, and Landon remembered the gesture well. She wanted to say something.

  “What is it, Georgie? What else do you want to know?” he asked, then coaxed, “Come on. You never held back from asking me questions before. If we’re going to be that close again, you’ve got to tell me what you’re thinking.”

  “It’s a little embarrassing.”

  “Try me.”

  “I’ve got to admit, I’ve been wondering more than what I look like.”

  “Okay, I’m listening.”

  Her cheeks tinged with pink as she explained, “I’ve been wondering what you look like now, Landon.”

  He blinked. Not what he was expecting.

  “Mom said you still look the same, like Matthew McConaughey,” she said with a slight laugh.

  “Your mother said that?”

  “Well, that was how I always described you in high school,” she said. “So she said you still looked the same.”

  “I never heard you describe me that way.” He was floored by the honesty. Landon had thought he and Georgie didn’t have any secrets back then, but obviously they had more than he realized. One, he’d never told her he’d fallen for her, not until it was too late. And two, she’d never told him she thought he looked like a movie star. Matthew McConaughey at that.

  “All right. Don’t go getting all conceited on me. Is your chest swelling?”

  “I’ve gotta admit, yeah, maybe the chest is swelling a little.”

  “Just never mind,” she said, shaking her head as she started to sit up from the rock.

  He laughed. “Never mind about what? You tell me you thought I looked like Matthew McConaughey and then you tell me to never mind? Oh, no, you don’t.” He tapped her shoulder. “What else were you going to say? I’m all ears.”

  “It wasn’t what I wanted to say,” she said, her voice quivering slightly. “It’s what I wanted to do.”

  The nervousness in her tone let him know she wasn’t joking. He sobered. “Hey, what is it, Georgie? What do you want to do? I’ll help you if I can. You know I will.”

  “I want to touch your face, to feel what you look like now.”

  His eyes widened. Again, not what he was expecting. But he should have thought about it, the fact that she couldn’t see him anymore, and the only way she’d really know if he’d changed over the years was via touch. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of that,” he said, sitting up and then scooting toward her on the rock. “Okay.”

  “Okay...what?”

  “Okay, see—feel—if I’ve changed.”

  One corner of her mouth lifted, and she made no move to reach for him. “Great,” she said.

  “What?”

  “Now I’m too embarrassed that I asked to actually have the nerve to do it.”

  Have mercy, she was cute. “Here,” he said, reaching for her hand. “I’ll help.” A tiny tremor rippled from her hand to his, and he smiled. “Hey, don’t be so scared. You’d think I was a wild animal or something.”

  She laughed at that. “You’re saying you won’t bite?”

  “I won’t bite.” He brought her fingers to his face.

  She leaned toward him, her sweet apple scent filling the air as she brought her other hand to his face as well, then eased her fingertips across his forehead. Her eyes were mere inches from his, but she couldn’t see a thing; instead, those eyes appeared to be studying, memorizing details as her thumbs ran gently across his brows.

  “You always had thick brows,” she said, and gave him an easy smile.

  “That a good thing?” he asked, closing his eyes as her perusal moved to his eyelids.

  “Yes,” she whispered, while she softly caressed his lids and lashes. “And long lashes too. I remember them. Long, dark brown lashes.”

  “You told me back then that you thought it was a sin for a guy to have long lashes.”

  She laughed. “Yeah, I said that, and I meant it.” She touched his cheeks, traced his jawline. “Smile,” she said.

  Landon did as she asked, as if he wouldn’t give her anything she requested now, and Georgie ran a finger across the indention beneath each cheek.

  “My mother said they should outlaw the Cutter dimples.”

  “Did she now?” Landon asked, smiling broader.

  “Yes, she did.” She eased a single finger across his mouth.

  Landon noticed her breathing grow deeper, and saw that she moistened her lips when she touched his mouth. He wanted so badly to kiss her, but he wasn’t certain if this was the right time. And he didn’t want to interrupt her while she was obviously studying everything about him. So he held his desire in check and waited while her hands slid to his hair, then pushed through.

  “Your hair is shorter now.”

  “Kind of goes along with the whole army thing,” he said jokingly.

  “I like it,” she said. “It’s odd, I always thought your hair would be soft and silky, but it’s more coarse and kind of springy, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah, I guess it is.”

  “I don’t think I ever touched it in high school. Isn’t that funny? I mean, you wouldn’t think about it back then, but we never really touched, did we? A hug every now and then, but nothing like this, huh?”

  “Trust me, if you’d have ever touched me like this, I’d remember it,” he said, and was rewarded by a sweet flush of pink to her cheeks.

  “Still charming,” she said softly.

  “I try.”

  Then she chewed her lower lip again, and her hands moved to the sides of his neck before her palms slid across his shoulders and down his arms. He heard a tiny gasp when she reached his biceps. “What is it?” he asked.

  “You’re, well, really muscled now, aren’t you?”

  He laughed. He couldn’t help it. “Georgiana Sanders, you’re doing amazing things to my ego.”

  She took her hands from him and said, “I probably should stop now.”

  He nodded, “Yeah, you probably should.” Her touch was way too tempting, and even though he knew he wouldn’t take things too far, it never was good to tempt himself too much.

  “But there’s one more thing,” she said.

  “What is it?”

  “Can you put my hand on your tattoo? The one for your friends?”

  Nothing she could have asked him would have touched his heart more. “Of course.” He moved her hand to his inner wrist then guided it along the path of the tattoo. “This is where the image starts, with their death dates. And then here is the rifle,” he trailed her finger across the gun’s length, “and the helmet.” Again, he moved her finger along the path and found a shiver of sentimentality covering him as he shared the meaningful emblem. “The dog tags are here.”

  “It’s so sad,” she whispered, as a teardrop fell from her eyes to land in the center of the death dates on his arm. Then she d
abbed at her cheeks and looked up at him, astonishment clearly etched on her features. “I’m crying.”

  Landon wiped another tear from her cheek. “It’s okay, Georgie. I know they’re in a better place.”

  “You don’t understand,” she said, shaking her head. “I haven’t cried in a very long time. Years. I haven’t been able to.”

  “You haven’t been able to cry?”

  “No,” she said. “I—I fought it for years, because Pete said how horrible I looked when I cried, that it made me even less appealing. So I fought tears. And then, after a while, I stopped being able to cry anymore.” Her lashes were spiked from tears now, and even more droplets steadily fell down her cheeks. But she wasn’t frowning anymore; she’d actually started to smile. “But I’m crying now, with you.”

  Landon’s anger bristled through him, but he controlled the impulse to tell her exactly what he thought of his old friend right now. Instead, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. “I know this is going to sound odd,” he said, “but I’m glad I made you cry.”

  “Doesn’t sound any more odd than me saying I’m glad you got shot.” They laughed and her tears slowed. She brushed the final one away before turning her face to his. “This afternoon has meant the world to me, Landon.”

  “It’s meant the world to me too,” he said. She had no idea how much this had meant, to see her laugh again and even to see her cry, especially since he now knew those tears meant that she was breaking free of Pete’s attempt to degrade her.

  Thank You, God.

  She shivered in his arms. “Landon, it feels like it’s getting late.”

  “Yeah, the sun’s heading down quick. We should probably get started back before it gets...” He stopped short when he realized what he’d been about to say. But she’d already completed the thought.

  “Before it gets dark?” She gave him a soft grin. “It’s okay. I don’t want you trying to watch everything you say in front of me. You would be surprised how many times people ask me if I want to see something.” She shrugged. “No one says it to offend me, and I don’t take it that way. I promise.”

  “Still...”

  “Abi says it all the time. Doesn’t bother me, except when I think about how much I do want to see whatever it is she has to show me. Usually I can tell a lot about her crafts, her toys, or whatever by touch. And she seems to like describing everything to me. I think it makes her feel important.” She stood, and Landon did as well. “Come on, let’s walk back. Abi’s probably wanting to tell me about her riding lesson.”

  They made their way back through the trail quicker than they had found their way to the ridge, with Georgie taking her steps assuredly rather than timidly like before. Landon attributed the boost of confidence to their talk and said another silent prayer of thanks to God for letting her feel comfortable with him again.

  As they neared the house, sure enough, Abi waited by the barn and started yelling and waving as they came into view. A few feet from her granddaughter, Eden looked up from brushing Fallon and smiled at Landon.

  Abi darted toward them at a full run. “Momma, I did so good! Grandma said so! She thinks I might be ready to ride the trails soon, like you used to do. Do you think you’re ready to ride again too? Do you want to go on the trails with me?” She wrapped her arms around Georgiana with such force that Landon thought the two might topple.

  Georgiana laughed. “Slow down, Abi. Take a breath.”

  “I will, but I’m so excited. I’m going to ride the trails!” She looked to Landon. “And Grandma said maybe you would want to come too and bring your horse and help Momma ride too. Would you want to do that? Go riding with me and with Momma? You are going to come, aren’t you, Momma?”

  “I don’t think I have a choice.” Georgiana squeezed her daughter and smothered her face in Abi’s curls. “Yes, I’d like to come. Soon I’ll go ride the trails with you. I promise.”

  Abi smiled to her cheeks. “I love you, Momma.”

  “I love you too.”

  “Landon, did you walk over here?” Eden asked, glancing at the darkening sky.

  “Yes, I did, and I should probably head back while I can still see the path.”

  “I could give you a ride over, if you want,” Eden offered. “Or you could take Fallon or Sugar, if you like.”

  “Nah,” Landon said. “I think I’ll walk.”

  “Want a flashlight?” Abi asked. “We’ve got a bunch of flashlights in the barn. I could get you one. Do you want a black one or a red one or a blue one?”

  Landon grinned at the sweet little girl, so much like her mother. “I don’t think I’ll take one this time, Abi. But thank you.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure,” Abi said.

  “Hey, Abi, how about if it doesn’t rain tomorrow, you and me and your mom can go walking on the trails, so you’ll know the routes we’re going to take when we ride. I bet we might even see some animals on the path.”

  “What kind of animals?”

  “Oh, you never know. I’d guess squirrels, chipmunks, maybe a fox. And maybe even a baby rabbit.”

  “A baby rabbit? I’d love to see a baby bunny! I saw some rabbits at the zoo, but they were big. I haven’t seen a baby one.”

  “Then we’ll go looking for one tomorrow if the weather is good,” he said.

  “Okay!” she said excitedly.

  “Abi, why don’t you come help me finish up?” Eden nodded toward the barn.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Landon. And don’t forget about us going to look for those animals. Especially that bunny. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “What time will you get here?”

  “I don’t get off of work until 3:00, and then I’ve got a few things to do around the farm. How about 5:00?”

  “Okay!” Abi darted into the barn after her grandmother saying, “Did you hear that, Grandma? Mr. Landon is coming tomorrow at 5:00. Make sure I remember to be ready at 5:00!”

  “Oh, I feel certain you won’t forget,” Eden said, her voice fading as they moved farther into the barn.

  “You sure you don’t want a flashlight?” Georgie asked.

  He glanced up. The sun was barely visible, and it’d be pitch black soon, nothing but the stars to guide him through the trails. “Yeah, I’m sure. You see, there’s this very special person who has to navigate the dark at all times, and I want a chance to see the world the way she sees it.”

  She smiled. “Well, in case you’re wondering, she sees it a little brighter today, thanks to you.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “Ooh, look, I see it.” Abi’s attempt at a whisper was so pitiful that Georgiana nearly laughed out loud, but Landon sounded completely serious when he responded.

  “See how fuzzy his hair looks now?” he whispered back, squeezing Georgiana’s hand when he spoke. “As he gets older, it’ll look more like regular rabbit hair and not just fuzzy.”

  “How do you know it’s a boy?” Abi asked. “’Cause he’s brown?”

  “No,” Landon said, still as serious as before, without a hint of laughter or mockery in his tone, “I’m guessing. It could be a girl.”

  “Oh, okay,” Abi said, her whisper a little better now. “Well, I think its face is sweet, like a girl’s face. So I think she’s a girl, and I’m gonna name her Trixie.”

  “That’s a great name,” Landon said.

  Georgiana stood rock still while she listened to the exchange. Obviously they had finally located the tiny bunny—or one of its brothers or sisters—and she certainly didn’t want to ruin the moment for Abi. They’d had to wait through two rainy days before they’d been able to take on the trails, and Abi had even forgone her Saturday morning cartoons to get an early start.

  The wait hadn’t been too bad though, because Landon
had followed through with his promise of coming over to visit every day. Consequently, he, Georgiana and Abi had spent the past two afternoons playing games on the front porch while the rain fell all around them. It’d been soothing and enjoyable, with lots of laughter and plenty of fun. The way family time should be, in Georgiana’s opinion. And it’d made her realize that she and Abi had never had real family fun before. Then Landon had stayed each night for dinner and had seamlessly become a regular fixture in Abi’s world...and in Georgiana’s.

  She could really get used to this, had already begun to get used to it, truth be told.

  “Oh, there she goes,” Abi said. “Look at the cute way she hops. Can we follow her?”

  “Nah, we should probably let her go find her burrow and see her momma. We’ll look for her again next time we’re on the trail.”

  “Okay,” Abi said, her voice back to normal volume now. “Mom, we saw the cutest bunny. It was light brown and fuzzy, but it’s gonna have regular hair one day. Did you hear?”

  “Yes, I did,” Georgiana said, happy to be included in the conversation. She understood that there were times that she simply couldn’t be included due to her inability to see, but her sweet daughter always drew her into the event as soon as possible. And Georgiana loved her even more because of it. “She was cute?”

  “Oh, yes, Mommy. She was so cute! I think I’d like to have a bunny. Do you think Grandma would want a bunny at the barn?”

  “I’m sure she would probably be fine with it,” Georgiana said.

  “Your grandmother let your mom keep rabbits when she was little. One of my favorite parts of coming over to visit was getting to play with them. You know, I bet she may still have that old rabbit hutch out in the barn. We’ll look for it when we get back, and if your grandma says it’s okay, I can pick you up some rabbits from the Claremont Trade Day next Friday.”

  “Some rabbits?” Georgiana asked. “I thought we were talking about one bunny.”

  “Don’t you remember, Georgiana,” Landon started, “how you wanted your rabbit to have playmates? I’m sure Abi feels the same way.”

  “Oh, yes!” Abi said. “I want my rabbit to have lots of friends.”