“I think that ship has sailed, Laura. No matter how I feel about you, the trust just isn’t there. I’d be waiting to see you get out the suitcase every day.”
“But wait,” she said. “Remember when we used to go to the outdoor movies, to the foreign films, to the galleries and street vendors? Remember our picnics in Union Square? Sitting on a bench and people watching? Our drives up the coast to the fish house? To the Russian River? We were young and carefree and so happy. We can’t be young anymore but—”
“I think too many years have passed,” he said.
“We can start over,” she said. “We have the love. We just need the time together.”
“I have a different kind of life now,” he said. “I’ve lived alone for ten years. I’m solitary and you need a lot of people. I agree, there was a time we had fun; it seemed we were compatible. But Laura, you walked away. And you didn’t want me to tag along.”
“It was a practical issue,” she said. “And maybe I was foolish but I thought once I landed a really good role and didn’t have to sell my soul for work, then we could get it together. Please, I’m ready to give it up for us. Will you at least think about it?”
“I can’t help but think about it,” he said. “But I don’t think it would benefit either one of us.”
“Take a week,” she pleaded. “Please.”
“Where did this come from?” he asked. “Did something happen? Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“No, of course not, unless you call complete failure to achieve my goals trouble. This just isn’t working. I’ve given up, Landry. I want a sane life again.”
“In a little house in the mountains with a dog? And a guy and his pots?” He shook his head. “There are no theaters or spas or fancy restaurants here. You wouldn’t last a month. And it would probably leave me scarred. Again.”
“Think about it? For a week? Give me a chance?”
“Are you listening? The last time you decided acting was more important than marriage, you walked away and it hurt. You said you’d be back in a few days and it was months. When you ask me to think about us, what do you think comes to mind? Maybe the guy in the towel who you passed off as a roommate you weren’t romantically involved with? I never bought that...”
“It was true! There were men and women sharing that house. There were lots of different houses and roommates; there were lots of starving artists who doubled up because that was the only way I could afford to stay in LA. It can’t hurt anything to think about putting it back together.”
“I’m exhausted. I can’t talk about it anymore tonight. I need some sleep and so do you.”
“All I want is for you to give it fair consideration.”
“Don’t you have a job to get to? A play?”
“It’s not even a good play,” she said. “I’d give it up in a heartbeat.”
“I’ll be honest with you, Laura. There’s about a one in a million chance I’m going to try to resurrect a dead marriage.”
“I never thought of it as dead,” she said.
You have a funny way of showing it, he wanted to say. Instead he said, “Time to sleep. I’ll take the couch. I have to leave early tomorrow for Grace Valley. I have to set up my booth.”
“Kiss me good-night?” she asked.
“Oh, come on,” he said. “Love and a desire to be partners isn’t a switch you turn on and off! You don’t sashay in here and declare you’ve changed your mind after about ten years and expect me to fall in line! Everything isn’t all about you, Laura. All about what you want. I have feelings, too.”
“I hurt you,” she said. “I’m so sorry. I’d like a chance to make it up to you.”
“Not tonight,” he said. “I had a very long day. And I’m going to have another one tomorrow. Let’s get some sleep.”
She left the kitchen reluctantly, but she kept the door to the bedroom open.
Of course, he couldn’t sleep. That couch never felt like it had so many lumps before. 5:00 a.m. had never come so early. He used the powder room to wash up and dress. He brewed coffee. He turned the bright overhead light on in his bedroom and she stirred. She sat up, rubbing her eyes.
“I’m leaving for the fair. You should go back to San Francisco. I’ll give you a call later this week.”
6
KAYLEE HAD NO idea what had gone on at Landry’s house. The sound of Landry’s truck pulling into his drive late the night before was unmistakable and she peeked out the window just in time to see the lights go out; she heard the truck door slam. She was up late, as usual, and didn’t hear him leave in the morning but when she took her coffee cup out to the porch, the truck was gone. Laura’s car was still there, however.
Time to be honest with yourself, Kaylee, she thought. She had developed a bit of a crush on Landry. She thought about him more often than she liked to admit. She looked forward to the evenings, always a little prepared to share dinner. She was thrilled when he suggested she come to the street fair; she thought that meant he liked her in a slightly more than casual way, even if there hadn’t been any obvious signs of affection.
She decided it was more important than ever to keep her routine, so she got ready for a nice long walk. When she was past his house by quite a distance, she heard the pitter-patter of feet. She turned around to see Otis sitting at attention behind her. She walked on, then stopped and turned again. He sat at attention, waiting. She walked on once more and looked back
