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26. Presentation

I guess I fell asleep in my car because I woke up around 7, the sun was just setting over the horizon and I groaned.

Paige loved to watch the sunset. She was in awe of the colors that appeared in the sky and anytime we stopped to watch it, her finger would trace circles along the back of my hand.

My stomach grumbled and it occurred to me that I hadn't eaten all day, how was I not a scrawny twig by now? I forget to eat so often.

I turned the car completely on and backed out of my driveway. In search of something to eat, I spotted Ajax on the left and pulled into the closest spot I could find.

"One," I nodded at the boy who greeted Paige and I last time before he could even ask.

The familiar sound of Sandy's shoes sounded in my ears and I sighed before plastering a fake smile on my face and turning to face her.

"Where's the pretty girl that's usually attached to your hip?" Sandy grinned at me and squatted down beside my table.

"Under the weather," I murmured and flipped open the page of a menu.

"Send her my regards, sweet cheeks. What can I get ya?"

I gave Sandy my order and began to play some ridiculous game I had downloaded onto my phone ages ago. Left, down, up, right. What was the point of this?

"Landon?" A mans voice came from behind me and the hair stood up on my neck. I could pick that voice out of anywhere, even if I were deaf.

I scooted my chair back and threw a 20 and a 10 on my table even though I knew my check would not amount to that. Once I pushed my chair back in, I squared my shoulders and came face to face with my worst enemy.

"Dad,"

Paige's POV

"He called?" I heard myself shriek, I'm such a girl.

"Yes, but he sounded very jumpy and didn't want me to transfer him to you," Lily was standing in the doorway to my office and I dropped my head into my hands.

I should be furious with him, but I wasn't. He had just sort of broken up with me, right? And I just wanted to hear his voice on the other end of a phone.

"What did he want?" I mumbled into my hands and rubbed my temples.

"The name of the locksmith who replaced his locks, I didn't know it, I figured you would."

He probably forgot his key inside because he didn't put it on his keychain like I pestered him to.

"I do, he has so much damn pride," I stood from my swivel chair and grabbed my bag off of the chair in the corner.

"I won't be back tonight, I'll see you later," I would my arms around Lily's tiny body and walked briskly to the elevator.

We'd seen each other not even more than 12 hours ago and I missed Landon. I missed the way he smelled and the way he put his hands in his front pockets when he got nervous.

Was this a real breakup? He said a day or two, maybe I'm being clingy. But if this wasn't a real breakup and I was already getting mushy and sad, how would I handle a real one?

Landon's POV

"Dad," I croaked out, my mind raced with possibilities. What the hell was he doing here, back in town?

"Hey, son. Sorry about the house, I needed some things." He smirked at me and felt like puking.

I maneuvered my way around him and opened the door, inhaling all the fresh air until I felt like my lungs would explode.