Cherry Lips

The following afternoon, Landon left school twenty minutes later than she wanted and was rushing to meet Jason at La Paisanita. She texted him to let him know she was running late and headed towards the restaurant.

When she finally pulled into the parking lot, she saw him waiting out front. She waved as she crossed the lot and they joined the line of people there for lunch. They chatted while they waited and Jason paid for their food. They found a spot and sat down to eat. Landon watched Jason while he took the first bite of his tacos al pastor and smiled victoriously at the look of happy satisfaction that crossed his features.

"That is heaven," Jason said after he swallowed. "Absolute heaven."

They settled into their food after that, talking about places they liked in San Jose and alternatives that Landon had found in Dallas. They talked about their families and where they grew up and Jason's path to becoming a hockey player, and how Landon had gone from business manager to nursing student slash part time server for a caterer.

Before they left, he passed her two tickets to the Stars game the next night. "It's the least I can do to say thank you for bringing me here," he told her. "Plus Seggy really wants to see your friend again."

"Maybe we should help him out then."

"Yeah?" He asked in surprise.

"Cam deserves someone really great and even though he's got a total reputation, something tells me that there's a really great guy waiting for a really great girl."

"What about you? What's your story?"

"With Stevie?" Jason nodded as they stood up. "We've been friends for awhile; we just started dating six months ago."

"It's serious then?"

"We're not seeing other people but it's not like we're anywhere near moving in together or anything. He's a nice guy and I guess we're just seeing where it goes. What about you?"

"Single, always looking for the one. I had a girlfriend for a long time and then I found some things out that she had kept from me and I broke up with her."

"How long were you together?"

"Six years."

"Wow. That's a long time. Did you think she was the one?"

"At one time, yeah, I did. Then reality smacked me in the face when I got traded here. I realized that she probably never was the one and I've been on a quest to find the one that is ever since."

"I remember your interview on Stars Insider last year for Valentine's Day," she laughed.

"As you can tell, I'm very shy," he deadpanned. "Seriously though, you think Segs might be right for Camryn?"

"He was sweet on New Years, trying to convince her to come to a game."

"Let's meet after the game then. I'll even pick up yours and Cam's bar tab as her birthday present."

"Sounds like a plan to me. Where should we go?"

"I'll figure it out and text you."

"Great." They had reached her car and she leaned in to hug him. "See you tomorrow, Jason."

She waited until Jason pulled away and dropped her head to the steering wheel and let out a groan of frustration. Why did he have to be so sweet, so nice, and so damn cute? When Jason mentioned coming to Dallas from San Jose like she had, she saw a chance to show off the places she had found that reminded her of home with someone who would appreciate them the way she did.

It was easy to talk to Jason and become friends with him. It would probably be just as easy to fall for him. She didn't want to fall for him; she had a boyfriend, one she was happy with.

Except....she had clicked with Jason from their first meeting on New Years, and the more she got to know him now, the more she found herself comparing him to Stevie. Comparing her relationship with Stevie to whatever friendship she might be developing with Jason wasn't fair. Not to Stevie and not to herself.

But it stuck there in the back of her mind. She hadn't told Stevie she had run into Jason the day before. She didn't tell him she was having lunch with him. She wasn't trying to sneak around being his back but that's exactly what she was doing, no matter how she tried to reason it in her head.

She reached for her phone and called the one person whose advice she trusted and knew would listen without judgement.

“Mom?” Landon said when she answered. “I need to talk.”

“School or boys?”

“Boys.”

“Did something happen with Stevie?”

“No, things are fine with Stevie.”

“But?”

“I met this guy, Jason, on New Years.”

“I thought you and Cam worked on New Years.”

“We did, but Tom let us go early; they had too many people.”

“Oh, okay. So you met this guy,” she prompted.

“Jason. He was nice, didn't try anything funny. We danced, talked some but that was it. I didn't figure I'd see him again.”

“But you did.”

“Yesterday, at a red light. We got coffee and it turned out that he came to Dallas via San Jose too. So we started talking about places back home and I offered to take him to lunch today to one of the places that reminds me of San Jose.”

“Are you there now?”

“Just finished.”

“I guess it went okay then.”

Landon sighed. “Have you ever just clicked with someone right off the bat?”

She could feel her mom's smile through the when answered. “Your father.”

“That's not helpful, mom. I'm seeing Stevie.”

“Fate works in mysterious ways, Landon.”

“Really mom?”

“Do you love Stevie?”

“Yes.”

“Can you stop being friends with Jason for the sake of your relationship with him?”

“I don't understand why I can't be friends with Jason.”

“If you're attracted to him, I'd bet he's attracted to you too. That never works out well when there are significant others. Does Jason have a girlfriend?”

“No; he's been single for the last year.”

“So he's looking for love, and you have already found love.”

“Yes?”

She chuckled warmly. “I can't tell you the answer, Landon. I can tell you to follow your heart, to do whatever makes you happy, but ultimately only you know what that is. If dating Stevie and being friends with Jason makes you happy, then go with it. I only caution you that ultimately, that isn't going to go the way you hope it will. It's never that simple when a new man enters into the life of a man's girlfriend, even when the girlfriend insists they're just friends.”

“I hear you mom. Thanks for letting me talk.”

“Anytime sweetie. Come visit soon, okay?”

“I'll try, maybe in March when I have a break at school for a week.”

They talked for a few more minutes before Landon hung up and finally pulled out of the parking lot, her resolve set. Guys and girls could be friends. She'd tell Stevie about lunch with Jason and make him see that it was just two friends hanging out and nothing else. He was a rational guy and he'd understand. She knew he would.

When she saw Stevie that night and he didn't understand, Landon went to bed feeling unsettled. She had already convinced Camryn to go to the game the following night but after hearing Stevie get worked up about her having lunch with Jason, she wasn't sure she should follow through with the plans. She stayed up going over some notes from her class that morning when her phone dinged. She smiled when she saw Jason's name.

Two tickets will be at will call tomorrow night for you.

Hopefully you win so Cam’s birthday is good.

I asked Avery to make sure her name was listed when they announce the birthdays.

You didn't.

Of course I did.

She's going to blame me for that you know.

Tell her I did it.

She doesn't know I got the tickets from you.

Why not?

Didn't want her to try to get out of going. If I told her we were gonna meet up with you and Tyler and everyone, she'd definitely come up with a reason not to go.

So she doesn't like Tyler?

She does. She doesn't know it but she does.

Just tell her tomorrow; it'll be fine. I'll see you after. And you gotta tell me if there's a place here like Henry Hi-Life’s here.

You went to Henry’s?!

Hell yes! Best ribs I've ever had.

I do have a place. Maybe I'll take you one day.

Like Thursday?

Can't. Big test Friday I've got to study for. But we’ll make plans.

Can't wait. And I also can't wait for tomorrow. I'll see you after the game.

See you then. And good luck!