“You could have, but you didn’t. And I’m sure she’s very grateful.”
“Yeah, well, believe it or not, I didn’t do it so I could collect a debt from her later.”
“I know you didn’t, and so does Loren.”
“I’m not sure anyone thinks that much of me,” I mutter.
She laughs softly. “Well, I used to think you walked on water. You probably couldn’t have convinced thirteen-year-old Tenley Robin that Landry Reed was anything less than future-husband material.”
I roll my eyes. “Until he made a total ass of himself in front of everyone in Camellia and proved he was a terrible kisser, right?”
“No,” she says to my surprise. “Your fall from grace actually had very little to do with you and a lot more to do with the guilt I felt after ditching Lo and throwing myself at you on the same day I found out my dad had cancer.”
“What do you mean?”
“You weren’t the bad kisser, Landry—I was. I was also the one who practically begged you to make a move and got upset when you followed my lead, and that wasn’t fair of me. I’m not flattering myself by thinking any of this had a lasting effect on you or that you even remember it at all. But I’m still sorry for setting you up the way I did,” she offers, reaching over to pat my hand. “You knew about my crush for a long time, and you were only ever kind to me. You deserved better.”
I furrow my brow. “Well, um, thank you for that. But I still regret the way I treated you that night. I’m sorry, too.”
“See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?” She smiles.
“What?”
“We’re all bad at this, Landry. It’s not just you. The thing is, we can’t stop trying to love and understand one another. And it’s never too late to apologize or explain how you really feel.”
I frown again. “Did Daisy put you up to this?”
“I actually came out here to spare you from having to deal with my husband,” she admits, chuckling. “He can’t stand lingering conflict, and the guilt is already eating him alive. But I didn’t think he’d have been well-received right about now, especially since he seems to think he owes you a hug.”
I snort. “Yeah, thanks.”
“And that last bit of advice was mostly paraphrased from what your sister told me that time I was in a similar predicament. But Daisyispretty upset back there. She must care a whole lot about you.”
“Yeah,” I breathe. “I’m afraid she does.”
“Trust me, it’s so much easier once you stop letting your fears get in the way and just embrace it.”
“So I’m told,” I mumble.
“Once you allow yourself to finish falling for that sweet, little ball of sunshine in there, give me a call. I’m told I teach a very entertaining NFP class for marriage prep.”
“NFP?”
“Natural family planning … you know, Catholic sex-ed,” she says with a cocky grin. “You’ll need it if you want to get your marriage convalidated in the Church. And I promise I’ll only mention that time I let you get to second base in front of your wife again if it’s relevant.”
I can’t help the laugh that bursts out of me that time. “You know you don’t make a very good case for yourself with one of those things strapped across you.”
“Of course I do,” she says with a shrug. “It means my husband and I are doing it right.”
I cringe. “Maybe you guys are a better match than I originally thought.”
Tenley turns to reach for the door. “Yep. And from the looks of it, I’ve managed to make you feel uncomfortable enough to distract you and keep you from dwelling on your problems. Which is exactly what JD would have done.”
“Thanks for trying, anyway,” I tell her with a sad smile.
“We introverts have to stick together,” she replies. Then baby Jake stirs and lets out a loud grunt, and she sighs. “I’ll see you back inside?”
I press my lips together. “I don’t think so.”
