Chapter 49:

"I can't believe I lost." My mother exclaims dramatically, huffing as she sat back in her chair.

I was currently on the phone with Landon-after his fourth time calling- and I gave my Mom a knowing look of success.

"Is everything okay?" Landon asked me, he sounded contorted of my whereabouts. "Embre?"

"Oh yes! I'm fine, sorry."

"Why didn't you answer my calls?" He asked and before I could answer my mother snatched my phone to press it to her ear.

"Because Landon, we had a bet that I just lost to." She handed me back my phone- not even hearing what he had to say-before walking out, probably to the bathroom.

"Hello?"

"I'm back, she just left the room."

"Care to tell me what that was about?" He questioned, I could tell he was amused.

"My mom and I placed a bet on if you would check up on me or not and she didn't think so, but I did so therefore I won."

"She's mad at me isn't she?" He sounded like he was telling me an important secret that was only meant for us to keep.

"Maybe just a little." We both busted out into a fit of laughter before it grew silent.

"I miss you."

"I saw you this morning." What was there to miss?

"You don't miss me?"

"It's hard to say.." I drawled out.

"When you go to sleep tonight I want you to have that same response."

"That's not fair."

"Life isn't fair."

"This is about me and you not life in general."

"You're part of my life right?"

"Don't get sentimental with me mister."

"Is it working?"

"No." Yes. "You're in trouble."

"Don't tell me I'm grounded?" He mocked. "I'll just sneak out to come find you."

"And where are you that you need to sneak out?"

"If only you knew-"

"PARTYY." I heard someone chanting through the phone and my eyebrows creased together in alarm.

"Let me guess.."

"Liam." We both said in unison.

"Sounds painful." I laughed into the phone before crossing my right leg over my left.

"Where are you right now?"

"Why?" It's my turn to question him.

"Where are you." He pressed his already profound question.

"Does it matter, I'm not there." I toyed with him, he knew I was with my mother.

"Don't make me come get you."

"Oh scary." I reply back with sarcasm, before uncrossing my legs.

"On my way." I hear the phone disconnect and my eyes widen..

"Well you asked for it." My mother commented walking back into the room.

"He's not really coming." I told her, more of me trying to reassure myself.

"We'll see."

Her having me on the edge and him hanging up made me decide to call him again.

"The number you have reached can not-"

Click!

"No pick up, pick up, pick up." I chanted to myself, calling again.

Straight. To. Voicemail.

I know his phone didn't die that fast. A few minutes turned into twenty and I tried calling him again.

"Hello."

"Did your phone die?"

"Embre."

"Yes?"

"I'm talking to you right now."

At this moment I wish the ground and swallow me whole. "Right.." I draw out, sounding completely dumb. "Well I wouldn't I've had to ask if you would have picked up."

"I am currently busy."

"With?"

"Trying to figure out why someone's headlights are still on in the middle of the night."

"What idiot would do that?" I saw a flash a beaming lights from the corner of my eye and I quickly ran to the window to peak outside. "Oh."

"You want to open the door for me?"

No.

"Landon. You did not come all the way out here, did you?"

"I would."

"You wouldn't."

"Come open the door and find out sweetheart." He hung up again.

Releasing my thumb and pointed finger from the blind, I let it slide back into place before looking to the doorknob, like I just witnessed someone not washing their hands in the bathroom.

I heard a faint knock and that's when I knew it was my man waiting at the door. My palms began to gather moisture as I tightened my fist together hard, trying to get rid of the giddy feeling I had in the pit of my stomach..

"Anytime now." He said, as if he could see me trying to make the decision if whether or not I wanted to open the door.

I pulled the door open and I found..

No one.

"Hello?" I stepped out onto the mat. "Landon?" I heard something shift to the right of me and I stepped back into the house preparing to shut it. "This better be a joke."

"Come find me."

"Landon it's late." I complain, already feeling half awake.

"Baby." He cooed at me, as if he were a ghost lurking in the shadows. I wonder if he had anything to drink on this late night.

"No don't 'baby' me, just come here."

"You're no fun." He stepped from behind the bushes and I tried not to laugh, seeing that he had a leaf in his hair.

"How? Because I didn't want to play hide and go seek?-" I started to say, lifting myself up on the tips of my toes to fetch the leaf that wanted to stay. He raised both of his eyebrows up and at me and settled back on my heels before showing him. "Well maybe if you wear another color I would see you, didn't you know it's bad to wear black at night?"

"Look at you already becoming a mother figure." He says, leaning against the brick wall.

"No that's just common sense, something you don't have."

"You're tired huh?" He sighed, folding his arms across his chest. "You tend to not think rationally when you are.. or are you hungry?"

"Thanks for paying attention." I don't know why I've been so irritated lately, maybe its the hormones.

"You're welcome." He nodded in my direction before he pushed off the wall to stand directly in front of me. "So, you didn't miss me?"

Of course I did. "What kind of question is that?"

"A question I want you to answer."

"Well Mr. Hale." I tapped my cheek with my pointed finger, thinking for a moment before I smiled. "It is nice to see you."

"Likewise." He pulled me into his arms roughly before descending down to capture my lips with his. The first thing I noticed was the faint smell of whiskey on his breath and it made me worry for him, he was drinking and driving? I secured my hands at his hips as his big hands enveloped my cheeks, drinking me in. He moved urgently and eagerly to have what was already his. We both fought for dominance but we already knew who held it. His right hand pulled back my head by my hair and I faint sigh escaped my lips. "Come home with me."

"I can't.." It was hard denying him, but I couldn't just leave my girls night.

"And I don't see why not." I look behind me to see my mother for the third time tonight.

"Mom!" I exclaim, realizing how intimate Landon and me looked, I pulled away from him like I just had been burned.

"Its nothing I haven't seen before and besides you're pregnant, which is evidence enough."

Landon laughs at that, and I slap his chest. "Shut up, it takes two."

"I'm not embarrassed, that's the difference."

"Mom, I think it's time for you to go to bed."

"Oh, your directing me now." She says, holding her hand to her heart in fake shock.

"N-no, I just meant-"

"I told her she was becoming a mother figure." Landon interjected and my Mother agreed.

I turned my attention back to him."You should be going to sleep too, you have a business to run."

"See." His eyes widen at my mother, proving his point.

"Mom, you're not suppose to take his side."

"I owe you money, so why would I take your side?"

"Fine." I stepped back in the house, realizing how cold it was becoming. "I'm going to bed."

"Don't be like that." He pulled me back so my back bumped into his chest. "It was a joke."

"Take her home Landon." My mother said with authority laced in her voice, leaving me to accept my fate.

"With pleasure."

"Fine let me get my things." I walked pass my mother who gave me enough space to enter the house, grabbing my bag that I hadn't touched since I've arrived. Opening it, I pulled out my jacket before slipping it on. There was no way I was going back out into that blizzard. "Alright."

"See you later Mom, I love you." I gave her a hug, and she gives me a gigantic squeeze- but it felt different. I should have listened to my first mind but I shrugged it off, everything was going to be okay.

"Drive safe, you two be careful. Call me as soon as you get in."

"I will."

But the call never came.. not from me.