Doing It for Love(39)

I'm shaking so bad I can't get my key in. The door wasn't bashed in or open, but I'm not ruling anything out until I see inside.



       
         
       
        

Finally jamming it in the lock, I twist and shove my way in, expecting to trip over a mess or to have my entire world pulled out from under me … but the floor is as spotless as I left it, the TV still hung on the wall, my laptop perched on the coffee table, and I run to the card table toward the hum of Landon's computer. I pick it up, hug it to my chest, and crumple to a complete heap on the floor.

"Oh, thank the Lord," Theresa says somewhere near me. I sit with the laptop and try to get the warmth of it to calm my crazy heartbeat. She takes a spot next to me, and I don't know why I'm the one getting emotional since all my stuff is still here, but I start to tear up, squeezing the computer so hard I make imprints on my arms.

"He would've lost everything," I whisper.

"Well, now we know what you would save in a fire."

I manage a laugh. It takes a few minutes for me to gain control of my senses, but I finally do, getting to my feet and following Theresa back to her apartment. I won't let go of Landon's laptop, though.

The cops show up, and Josh Happerfeld gives a very detailed inventory count of what was stolen from his gaming collection. Skyrim, Injustice, Forza Motorsport 4 and 5, Mass Effect 3, Resident Evil 6, and about a billion others that I'm not sure how the police woman keeps up with.

Theresa reports her missing things, and then gives a description of Johnny, "If in fact that is his real name," she says. "He's the big douche bag with the word ASSHOLE tattooed on his forehead." Needless to say, Alec was much more helpful in describing the elevator guy.

We all have to give reports, and I stick Landon's laptop on my lap and use it as a desk while I write up mine. I refuse to go anywhere without it.

I hand in my account of what happened to Officer Dawling, someone I'd expect Theresa to flirt with under normal circumstances, but Alec has hovered over her since we found her in bed, and she doesn't even seem annoyed by it. So I sit back a little bit and be the friend she needs when she needs me.

Something bangs down the hall by the stairwell, and Officer Dawling puts his hand on his gun but stops and goes back to organizing our reports, so I don't move from my spot on Theresa's floor.

"I can't believe I'm so stupid," Theresa says, pacing in front of Alec while he leans against her counter in the kitchen. "I'm going to have to background-check everyone I bring home."

"You're not stupid," he says. "Maybe you were just drunk."

She pinches his arm, he laughs, and I chuckle.

"I was actually sober tonight. Nice to know my judgment is just as bad with or without alcohol."

"Did you love him?" Alec asks. Theresa snorts in answer. "Well, then," he continues. "Just be happy he didn't steal your heart and your clock radio." 

"Ha. Ha."

"Liz!"

I jolt at Landon's voice, scrambling to my feet. His sprint down the hall sounds like a stampede of elephants, and he nearly takes Theresa's front door out when he plows into it. The largest sigh of relief I've ever heard escapes him when he sees me, crosses the carpet, and takes me in his arms.

"You scared the hell out of me."

"It's okay … I saved your laptop," I say into his shoulder. He pulls back and kisses my cheeks, my chin, my forehead, my nose, my lips, a million times over.

"I saw the cops and you weren't home." He pries the laptop from my hands and sets it on the couch upside-down, not even giving it a single glance. Then he kisses me more … and more … and I don't want to stop him, but I can tell we're making our friends uncomfortable, so I end up squeezing his palms twice, and he squeezes back twice, then I do it again, and he does it again, and we secretly say I love you over and over until Officer Dawling interrupts.

"We're finished up out here," he says to Theresa. "Thank you for your statements, and I'll give you a call if we find your things."

"Thanks, Officer."

He tips his hat, and he and his partner head to the elevator. Landon still hasn't let go of my hand.

I'd feel like one-half of strawberries and whipped cream if I wasn't so freaked out.

"I don't think I can sleep here," Theresa says, rubbing her arms with a cringe on her face.

"You can stay at our place," I say, and Landon nods.

"Thanks." Theresa picks up her pillow, strips off the case, and starts trucking down the hallway. Alec scratches the back of his head, and he and Landon share a look before we all follow Theresa.

"You guys take the bedroom," Landon says when we step inside our apartment.

"I don't mind the guest room," Theresa says.

"I'm staying with you." I cross my arms, because that is my final word. She can't be alone tonight, because I'm sure her night terrors will be a hundred times worse than normal. "But Landon, I can stay in the guest room with her."

He shakes his head a firm no. "I want to be close to the door."

Yep, there will be no arguing. And really, it's a stupid thing to fight about. So I stand on my tiptoes and kiss him goodnight, then drag Theresa to my bed. Alec and Landon's voices carry into the room, so I shut the door for privacy. Alec will probably end up on our couch.

"Can I take a shower?" Theresa asks, already stripping from her oversized T-shirt. "I feel really gross."

I toss a towel at her from our walk-in, and she covers herself and dashes across the hall to the bathroom. While the water runs, I fluff her pillow, make sure it's extra comfortable, and Landon sneaks into the room and wraps his arms around my waist.

"I wanted to say good night," he says into my ear. His voice is low and gruff, and I turn around in his hold and give him a hug.

"I'm okay."

"I know. I'll just miss sleeping with you."

"I'll tell Theresa to keep it in her pants."

He laughs, and for the first time in weeks it's a real one.

"Good night, Tumbles."

He kisses my forehead and leaves, and all I can think about is how lucky we are to have all our things, all of Landon's movie, and out of everything we could've lost today, he was only concerned about me.

Go figure. It's the first night in weeks that I'm ready to lose our bet.



       
         
       
        





Chapter 31


Theresa hasn't left my apartment since the robbery. She puts on a brave face around all of our friends, but I can tell she's still shaken. Last night she slept with a bat between our bodies and kept waking me up with, "Did you hear that?"

With two days till the wedding, I'm getting nervous about if she'll be okay in her apartment again, or if she'll end up bunking with Jaycee or Penny. She hasn't said anything, and I'm not sure if or when to bring it up. Don't want to seem insensitive.

Alec twists the lock on the front door of Bed Bath & Beyond and carries the umbrella over our heads while the snow pelts downward. I squeeze in tight and try to keep up with his long legs.

Headlights flash in our direction, and both Alec and I squint through the flurry to Landon's car as he pulls up and rolls the passenger window down.

"I'll take that beautiful woman if you don't mind," he says with a grin. But it's the grin that's not really a grin. More like he's trying to hold his lunch down.

Alec hurries me over and keeps the umbrella over my head while I get in. "Thanks!" I call out over the weather.

He nods and turns to leave, but Landon stops him, "Hey! Would you mind heading to our place and keeping Theresa company for a bit?"

"Sure."

"Thanks, man."

Alec shuts my door and jogs off to his car. I turn to Landon, swiping at my snow-covered coat. "Where are we going?"

"I want to show you something."

The snow lightens as we head downtown. Landon rarely drives in the city, so as I'm warming my fingers by the heater I start taking wild guesses on where we're going.

"You're not going to get it," he says after my fiftieth guess. He's giving me a real grin now. "And we're here."

I look at the building I totally knew we were going after guess three, but I was having fun.

"I thought you were done shooting."

"We are." He cuts the engine and squeezes my hand twice. "Come on."

I squeeze back before unbuckling and stepping out. There's about a pound of ice melt on the cement, so I'm not too worried about falling as we make our way up the stairs and into the side studio at the school.

It's pitch black, so Landon and I both pull out our phones and light up the hallway to a door a few feet down. He unlocks it and lets me in first, snapping the light switch on the side wall.

"Pretty awesome," I lilt, letting my gaze drift over all the high-techy stuff. Four giant screens light up with parts of Landon's movie, and the one in the middle is open to a Google account. I jolt when Landon knocks a zombie doll off the chair in the back. He quickly sets it on its perch. I try to move my eyes from the freaky thing. 

"It's ready," he says, tucking his fingers into my coat from behind. He helps slide it off, then he takes care of his. "I just have to push send."