Landon (In Safe Hands Book 1) (8 page)

The
funeral director is very nice and helps me through the unfamiliar process.
Frannie helps me choose two coffins and plan the service. We pick a date for
the funeral and approve the obituary. When we leave, I still feel numb, but not
as overwhelmed or lost when it comes to what to do.

When
we return home, Ethan is just climbing out of Colin’s car. I turn to Fran
before she can get out of the car and hug her. “Thanks for everything today,
Fran, but I need to tell Ethan alone. We’ll be fine. I promise I’ll call if I
need you.”

“All
right.” She looks hesitant, but lets me go.

Ethan
handles the news better than I expected. Like me, he was never close to our
parents, they weren’t the kind of people who’d let you get close. In their
opinion, all they needed was the church.

After
I fill him in on everything that’s been done, we sit on the couch and talk.

“I
feel bad that I don’t feel bad enough,” he says with a sigh, sounding far older
than his age.

“I
know how you feel. Most people would be inconsolable if they lost a parent, let
alone two, but things are different for us.”

“I
think because we lost them a long time ago. I’d already accepted I’d never see
them again.”

“Maybe
you’re right.”

“What
happens to the house and all their stuff?” he asks.

“They
made a will years ago before we were tossed out. It’s still valid and leaves
everything to us.”

His
eyebrows shoot up. “Not their church? Boy, will they be pissed.”

A
smile cracks across my face for the first time that day. “I’m sure they will.”

“So,
maybe we could sell the house?”

“That’s
the plan. I figure I’ll go see what shape it’s in tomorrow. Do you want to come
and see if there’s anything you want?”

“I
can’t imagine they kept any of my stuff, but yeah, I’d like to see.”

I
wrap him in a hug before he can protest. “We’ll be fine, Ethan. We have each
other.”

His
eyes meet mine, wise and sad. “It’s all we’ve ever had, Zo, and it’s plenty.
I’m all right, really.”

“Well,
just promise you’ll talk to me if you need to.”

“I
promise.”

“I
think we need ice cream tonight. What do you think?”

“Hell,
yeah.”

Slinging
my purse over my shoulder, I open my front door and come face to face with
Landon.

“I
was just going to knock,” he explains, taking a step back.

“What
are you doing here?”

“I
just wanted to check on you.” He turns to Ethan and sticks out his hand. “Hey,
I’m Landon.”

“Ethan,”
my brother replies, shaking his hand. His gaze darts between us and he grabs
the keys from my hand. “I’ll wait in the car.” He’s off before I can protest.

Landon
face softens as he asks, “How are you?”

“I’m
fine. Just dealing with the funeral arrangements and stuff. My friend Frannie
has been a big help.”

“If
there’s anything I can do, let me know.” His arms wrap around me in a hug that
should be awkward, but isn’t. I find myself squeezing him back, breathing in
his warm scent. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“I
haven’t seen them in years. Makes things easier.”

“In
some ways. But grief can sneak up on you.” I step back, and he hands me an
envelope. “Take the week off.”

It’s
next Friday’s check. He’s giving me a paid week off. “I don’t need that much
time,” I protest.

“Well,
you have it if you need it. Please, call me if there’s anything else I can do.
Or if you just don’t want to be alone.”

His
sweet unexpected response puts tears in my eyes for the first time since I
found out. “Thank you. I should get to Ethan.”

He
walks me to my car, then waves to Ethan before he leaves. Ethan gives me a
sideways grin. “Dating the boss?”

“What?
No!” I slap his shoulder.

“Come
on, I know that look. That guy is crazy about you.”

“You’re
insane,” I reply, pulling onto the highway.

“Whatever
you say.” I kind of want to slap the knowing smile from his face. He’s sixteen.
What the hell does he know? Too much, obviously.

Our
favorite ice cream shop is only a few blocks away, and the wind makes it too
chilly to sit at the outdoor tables, so we head back home with our milkshakes.
Ethan disappears into his room. I’m worried about him, but the sound of him
laughing into his microphone tells me he’s on a game with his friends. Maybe he
is okay. Today has seemed endless, so after draining my chocolate shake, I drag
my ass to bed.

My
phone wakes me the next morning when it beeps with a voicemail from the funeral
director letting me know he has the copies of the death certificate I need. I
guess I can stop by there on my way to my parents’ house.

I
wake Ethan and we each shovel down a bowl of cereal before heading out. He’s
too young to have to deal with this stuff, but I’m glad to have him with me.

A
knot forms in my stomach when I pull into the driveway of the home where I grew
up. Judging by the look on Ethan’s face, he isn’t thrilled to be here either.
There aren’t many happy memories here. “You don’t have to go in.”

He
shakes his head. “I’m okay. I want to see if any of my old stuff is here.” Like
me, Ethan moved with nothing but a trash bag full of clothes. The house keys
were in the bag of personal effects that I was given by the coroner, so there’s
no problem getting inside.

It’s
been five years since I’ve entered this house, and I’m struck by how much it
smells the same. Other than some new furniture, not much has changed. Ethan
bounds upstairs, and I head down the hall to what used to be my room. It now
holds a sewing machine and baskets of material. The large walk-in closet holds
more sewing supplies, but I find a stack of boxes against the wall. They’re
full of trophies, awards, and pictures that belonged to me and Ethan. At least
they didn’t throw everything away.

“Well,
my room now holds a pool table,” Ethan says from behind me. “I guess they
tossed everything.”

“Not
everything. Help me get these boxes.”

Huffing
and puffing, we load them in the car. “They manage to keep me in a closet one
way or another,” Ethan mutters, looking pissed. “What are we going to do with
all their stuff?”

“Give
it to charity, I guess. I’ll start packing it up this week since I’ve got the
week off. Once it’s cleaned out, we’ll get a realtor to put it on the market.”

He
nods. “I’ll be right back.” He makes his way to the backyard and I give him a
few minutes before following him.

Our
old swing set and sandbox are still here. Ethan sits on the deck, staring
across the yard. I throw my arm across his shoulder. “Want to tell me what’s
running through your head?”

His
lips turn up. “Most of my good childhood memories are out here. They left us
alone. Do you remember playing out here? Catching lightning bugs? Playing on
the swings?”

“Of
course I do. I remember getting you down from that tree more than once when you
climbed too high and then got scared.” I gesture to the large oak with a laugh.

“Give
me a break. I was seven,” he defends with a grin.

“We
don’t have to sell this place.”

He
shakes his head. “No, we should. The bad outweighs the good. I’m happy to leave
this place behind if you are.”

“Far
behind,” I agree.

* * * *

The
funeral is two days later and after much inner debate, Ethan and I attend. The
snubbing response we receive from the other mourners isn’t a surprise. Everyone
here is from their church and well versed on how evil the Page family children
are. It doesn’t matter. We’re just doing our duty here.

As
soon as the coffins are lowered, Ethan grabs my hand. “Can we go?”

He’s
trying to hold it together, but the stress is clear on his face. Tears stream
down his cheeks when I pull him into a hug. “It’s stupid,” he chokes. “I
shouldn’t care.”

“Don’t
say that. It’s not stupid. You’re a better person than they could ever be. It’s
okay to care and to grieve.”

“I
just want to go.”

“Okay.”
We’re almost to my car when Dare approaches us. What the hell? “What are you
doing here?”

“Landon
asked me to come and see how you are. He…couldn’t make it.”

With
a sigh, I step around him and he follows me. “Does he always send you to do his
dirty work?”

“Hey.”
Dare grabs my shoulder. Ethan looks back at us, confused, and I wave at him to
get in the car. “He’s worried about you. And no, he’s never asked me to check
on anyone before. I’m sorry about your parents.”

“Thank
you. You can tell Landon I’m fine. Thanks for coming.” This time when I walk
away, he doesn’t follow.

I
spend the next few days packing and boxing up my parents’ belongings. Ethan
helps me donate most of the clothing and household items to the homeless
shelter that helped us. At least we can give a little back.

Ethan
leaves for a school trip on Thursday, and by Friday, I can’t stand to be home
anymore. It leaves me too much time to think. I haven’t told Ethan about the
life insurance money because it’s just too good to believe it’s true. I’ll tell
him when we actually have the money. Until then, I have to go back to work.

If
I’m being honest, I’ve missed Landon. It’s screwed up, I know. We agreed to be
friends, but he’s still my boss and I shouldn’t be so attached. That doesn’t
change the fact that I have a smile on my face as I unlock his front door.

He
comes out of his office and gazes at me in surprise. “Zoe? I didn’t expect you
back yet.”

Glancing
around the room, I grin. “But it looks like you need me.” An empty chicken
bucket sits on top of a pizza box on the coffee table. Has he eaten nothing but
fast food all week?

“I
can survive. Really, take the time to be with your family.”

“Thanks
for being concerned, but Ethan is my only family, and we’re doing fine. Sitting
around my apartment isn’t going to help anything.”

“If
you’re sure,” he murmurs. “Would you mind starting in the library?”

He’s
acting strange. And the reason just walked in. A thin brunette wearing nothing
but panties stumbles into the room and says, “There you are, baby. You coming
back to bed?”

A
pang I have no business feeling makes me wince. It’s his house and we aren’t
involved. It’s none of my business who he fucks. “Sorry, I’ll just get started
on the library,” I mumble, making a quick retreat.

I
don’t know whether to get to work or leave. He probably doesn’t want me here
today. I’m just turning to leave when Landon steps into the library. “I’m
really sorry. I know you told me to take the week off and you weren’t expecting
me. I’ll just come back Monday,” I babble, pissed at myself for feeling jealous
at the thought of him going back to bed with that woman.

“Don’t
be ridiculous. She just left.” He brushes a lock of hair out of his eyes. “I
didn’t mean for her to still be here. Guess I fell asleep.”

“Not
my business who you sleep with,” I reply.

His
smile is mischievous. “Then why are you upset? You jealous?”

“I’m
not jealous of some bar skank. Your pursuit of STD’s is your own business. Now,
do you want me to get to work in here or not?”

“Are
you still seeing Mr. Nice and Proper?”

“Who?”

He
shakes his head at my confusion. “The guy you were kissing a few weeks ago.”

Why
does he give a shit who I kiss? “Not that it’s any of your concern, but no. Are
we done discussing shit that has nothing to do with my employment?”

“You
mean stuff friends discuss,” he retorts, and I want to slap the cocky smile
from his face.

“Well,
I’m done talking about it.”

“Fine,
Ms. Difficult. I’ll leave you to it. I’ll be out of your way in a couple of
hours.”

Finally,
he leaves me alone with my roiling thoughts. I could’ve handled that better.

Landon

She
was jealous! Part of me is happier than a dog with three balls. It’s good to
know I’m not the only one struggling to avoid feeling anything. It doesn’t
change our situation, though, and I really don’t want to spend the night at
home with her glaring at me. As soon as it’s dark, I head over to Dare’s to see
what he’s up to.

“Raisin!
Come on in. I need someone else to witness this or no one will ever believe
me,” Dare exclaims, before I can even get through the door. It’s Friday night,
so Justus is probably working his stripper job, but maybe I can get Dare or
Jeremy to go out and get trashed.

“Witness
what?”

He
leads me to his empty bedroom and puts a finger to his lips. “Just shut up and
listen.” Through the wall, I can hear a faint buzzing noise. “Neighbor chick is
getting it on with her vibrator.”

Jesus,
this guy. “It’s probably an electric razor, you fucking pervert.”

“Just
keep listening.” A small cry is barely audible, but there’s no doubt it’s
erotic. “See, couple of times a week I hear her, usually when I’m trying to
sleep.”

“So,
you’re ear stalking your neighbor? Do you even know what she looks like?” He
follows me back to the living room and we flop onto his couch.

“Only
from a distance. Smokin’ body with an ass I want to bite. She’s a homebody,
though. Hardly ever see her out.”

“You
fuck her and you’ll be sorry. Won’t be able to get away from her.”

Laughing,
he shakes his head. “Wasn’t planning on it. Got some ass on its way over now.”

Damn,
so much for getting him out of the house. “Lucky bastard. Guess I’ll head to Chaos
and see what I can pull. Any word on the guy at the farm?”

“Doesn’t
look like anyone’s looking for him. Family pretty much disowned him when he
went to prison. His P.O. will probably think he bailed.”

“Good.
All right, I’m out. See you, man.” Rain pelts me as I make a mad dash for my
car. I’m torn between just calling it a night and trying to smooth things over
with Zoe, or drinking my problems away. Drinking wins. It usually does.

There’s
not much action at Chaos tonight, probably because of the rainy weather.
Sipping my drink, I try to forget the disgusted look on Zoe’s face when I left.
Why should she care if I fuck a different woman every week? And why the hell do
I care that she finds me disgusting?

She
doesn’t know me or my situation. With my restrictions, I can’t have a normal
relationship, so what am I supposed to do? Never get laid? Friends. That’s what
we agreed. My sex life is none of her concern.

Right.
So I need to stop obsessing over what Ms. Difficult thinks, and the blonde
smiling at me from the dance floor should do the trick. My phone buzzes with a
call from Jeremy, and I step outside to answer. “Landon, where are you?”

“Just
got to Chaos. You coming out tonight?”

“Nah,
I’m seeing Frannie. You watching the weather?”

“At
the club?” I snort. “No, why?”

“It’s
getting ready to storm like a bitch. There’s already been one tornado touch
down in Beech Grove, and they’re predicting more. Shit…sirens are going off
now.”

The
western sky is ominous and full of lightning. “I’m going home. Thanks for the
heads up.” I usually wouldn’t pay any attention to severe storms, but Zoe is
alone at my house. I’ve never shown her the basement and I don’t think there’s
a siren in my neighborhood to warn her what’s coming. The call drops and I
can’t get a signal. A tower must’ve went down.

The
drive home is an adventure as the storm picks up. Trees and power lines topple
into the road thanks to the strong winds. Torrential rain falls in sheets and
quarter size hail pelts me while I run to my front door.

“Zoe!”
I call, brushing water from my eyes and flipping on the T.V.

“Yeah?”
She rounds the corner, confusion wrinkling her forehead. The National Weather
Service breaks into programming with a tornado warning for our county, and when
it’s tossed back to the local meteorologist, he adds, “I repeat, there are two
confirmed tornadoes on the ground. If you’re in Marion County, take shelter
immediately. If you don’t have a basement, move to the innermost room and…”

Before
he can finish, I grab Zoe’s hand and drag her toward the kitchen. “We need to
get to the basement.”

She
comes along without an argument, and I usher her to the basement entrance. The
back half of the kitchen and the basement were added on after the house was
built. Instead of a regular basement door, there’s an access hatch in the floor
of the pantry.

Zoe
stands back while I pull it open, then follows me down the narrow stairs. When
I flip on the light, she giggles. “Really? Another man cave?”

“I
didn’t build this one. My uncle did. Stay put. I’ll be right back.”

I
ignore her protests and dart back upstairs to gather a few supplies. Who knows
how long the storm will last? There are a couple battery operated lanterns on
the front closet floor and a box of candles and matches on the shelf. Thank
you, Uncle Larry.

Zoe
is perched on the edge of the sofa when I return. “This is the biggest basement
I’ve ever seen,” she remarks. “I notice you’ve cleaned down here.”

“It’s
nice isn’t it? Jeremy loves to play pool so we hang out here sometimes.” I
gesture to the pool table in the center of the room. A large sofa rests against
one wall and a full size refrigerator stands in the corner. Soft brown carpet
blankets the floor.

“Yeah,
not exactly the spidery dungeon I thought you were leading me into.” She peeks
through the bathroom door before sitting on the sofa. “You even have a bathroom
down here.”

“So
trusting,” I tease, sitting beside her. She takes a deep breath and blinks a
few times, a frown on her face. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,
just a little light headed.”

I
feel it too, a faint dizziness. “Shit. Come on.” I grab her hand. “It’s the
drop in air pressure. It’s coming.”

Fear
widens her eyes. “A tornado?”

“Yeah,
innermost wall,” I order and have her kneel against it. I crouch behind her and
cover her body with mine. There are no windows to break, but who knows what
might fly around if the hatch doesn’t hold. She’s so tiny, I don’t want her to
get hurt.

“Landon,”
she whimpers when a dull roar reaches our ears.

“We’ll
be okay.” I have no idea if that’s true, but what else can I say?

The
roar grows deafening, punctuated by terrifying sounds of breaking glass and
shrieking wood. The electricity goes, leaving us in a pitch dark nightmare. Zoe
trembles beneath me, and I squeeze her tighter, murmuring comforting words in
her ear, though I doubt she can hear me.

After
what feels like an eternity, but was probably less than a minute, the roar fades,
leaving only the sound of rain and our anxious breaths. Her hands grasp at me
when I attempt to stand. “It’s over. I’m just going to grab a lantern. Stay
right there.”

“Don’t
leave me down here.”

“No,
sweetheart.” She’s terrified. The quicker we can get some light and check out
the damage, the better. Slowly, I feel my way to the table where I left the
supplies. The battery operated lanterns are surprisingly bright. With one on
each side of the room, they push back the darkness.

Zoe
gets to her feet and moves to the couch, and I sit beside her, running my hand
down her back. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”
Her voice is shaky.

“Let’s
go see the damage.” She takes my hand, and I grab a lantern before we head up
the stairs.

“I’m
kind of scared you’re going to open the door and see the sky,” she confesses.

“We’re
safe. That’s what matters. I can rebuild.” My first push on the trap door
alerts me we’re in trouble. It won’t budge. No matter how hard I shove, it only
opens about an inch. Water drips through the gap. Shit. That can’t be a good
sign. Zoe’s stargazing fear may not be far off.

Her
voice is small and fearful. “Are we trapped?”

Sighing,
I sit on the step and pull her down beside me. “Looks like it.”

“No…we…what
if the house collapsed on us? What if we’re buried?” She stands up and shoves
the door.

“Stop.”
I wrap my arms around her middle. “Listen to me. There’s plenty of snacks and
water in the fridge. Even if it takes a bit for rescuers to dig us out, we’ll
be fine.”

“We’re
trapped,” she mumbles.

“With
food, water, lights, and even a bathroom. There’s no reason to be afraid.”

Taking
a deep breath, she swallows her panic and says, “I don’t have coverage. Can you
get a signal down here?”

Good
question. I grab my phone from my back pocket and am greeted with one bar. When
I walk down two steps, it disappears. Returning to the top of the stairs, I
dial Jeremy. “Landon! You make it home okay? They said a tornado came through
your side of town.”

“Yeah,
listen, we’re trapped in my basement. I heard the windows break and…” My hands
drag through my hair. “Shit, I’m not sure the house is still standing.
Something’s blocking the basement hatch.”

“Holy
fuck! Are you hurt?”

“No,
we’re fine.”

“Who
is we?”

“Zoe’s
here.”

“Okay,
don’t worry. I’m calling 911 and letting them know where you are. I’ll try to
get to your house and call you back. Just stay put.”

“Like
I have a choice, asshole,” I snort, and he chuckles. “Let it ring until I
answer. I have to leave the phone on the top step where it has a signal.”

“Understood.
I’ll let you know as soon as I know something.”

“Thanks,
man.”

“Let’s
go back downstairs,” I suggest, disconnecting the call. We settle on the sofa
and before she can resist, I pull her into my arms. Her head rests against my
chest and I tighten my hold on her trembling body. It tears me up to see her so
frightened. “It’s over. We just have to wait for rescuers to get to us. Don’t
be afraid.”

“I’m
not. I just can’t stop shaking.” She cuddles into me, warm and soft.

“It’s
the adrenaline. It’ll wear off.” We spend nearly an hour cuddled there,
waiting.

“Sorry
I freaked out,” Zoe says, breaking the silence.

“You
didn’t freak out. We just survived a tornado. You’re allowed to be afraid.”

Her
fingers trace my collarbone. “Were you scared?”

“Terrified,
I knew you were here alone and I didn’t think I could make it in time.”

“You
came back for me?” Her voice is incredulous.

God,
she really has no idea. “Of course I did. I didn’t think you knew about the
basement hatch.”

“I
didn’t. I’d have stayed in the bathroom if I’d heard the siren.”

I
thread my fingers through her hair, and she responds with a low hum. “No sirens
here, they’re too far away to hear.”

“Oh.”
She’s quiet as she considers what could’ve happened.

My
ringtone shatters the silence and we rush up the stairs. “Jeremy, what’s the
news?”

“Are
you sitting down?” His voice is thick with emotion.

“Is
the house gone?” Zoe sits beside me on the step and slides her arm around my
waist.

“No,
but most of your neighborhood is leveled. Only the kitchen of your home is destroyed.
I’m in your office now. Other than broken windows and a little water damage,
everything’s good.”

I
let out a breath. “Can you see what’s blocking the basement door?”

“Landon…man…I
can’t get into your kitchen at all. You know the big house across the street
from yours, the one with the red roof? That’s what landed on you. Half that
house is sitting in your kitchen. It’s going to take them a while to dig you
out. Are you sure you two are okay?”

I
swallow the lump trying to form in my throat. “The Simmons live across the
street. They’re an elderly couple. Do you know if they’re okay?”

“No
idea, sorry. It’s like a war zone out here. I’ve never seen anything like it.
They’re trying to dig people out, look for survivors. National Guard is coming,
and The Red Cross is setting up.”

“My
neighbors on the right. They need to start there. Monica Wright and her baby.
It’s just the two of them.”

“I’ll
let them know.”

“Tell
them we’re fine. We have supplies that will last a few days at least. They need
to look for the others first.”

“I
understand.”

“Jeremy,
if it’s daylight when they get to us…”

“Already
got you covered. I found your spaceman gear and I’ll make sure they give it to
you first.”

“Thanks,”
I breathe. It’s time to explain my condition to Zoe as much as I hate the
thought.