Page 63 of Mistle-Ho

“It’s liver, isn’t it?” Leo grimaces as he straightens, face slanting toward the clear sky. “I knew it would be fucking liver.”

I tip back a water bottle, squirting a steady stream into my mouth, trying to replace some of what I’ve sweat out over the past couple of hours. After swallowing down as much as I’m comfortable putting in my stomach, I pass it off to my friend. “Maybe you should try relaxing. You’ve been wound up for weeks now. That shit would wear anyone out.”

Leo takes the bottle. “I can’t help it.” He downs a quick drink. “You don’t know what it’s like worrying about what could happen every time she leaves the house.” He pours more water into his open mouth, then wipes the sweat off his face with the hem of his shirt. “It’s killing me that I have to leave her for the weekend.”

I can see the worry etched on his face. The tension bunching his shoulders and clenching his teeth. “You’ve got to try to relax, man. You’re going to drive yourself crazy.”

Leo shakes his head, huffing out an odd sounding laugh. “I can’t relax.” He meets my gaze. “I fucking love her.”

The admission stuns me. “What?”

“I love her.” Leo repeats himself, sounding even more convicted than he did the first time. “And before you try to tell me it’s too soon, it’s not.”

WasI going to try to tell him that? I’ve spent a lot of time over the past month attempting to convince him he needs to give Maddie the space to deal with what she’s facing, but I knew he’d never do it. I guess on some level I expected this. Recognized he was already too far gone to turn back.

And I understand. Completely.

But it puts a wrench in my plan to tell him about me and Alexis. Pushes back that timeline indefinitely. I know how Leo would have reacted before, but now? Now finding out his sister’s sleeping in my bed almost every night might make him lose his shit. And he doesn’t have much to spare.

“Do you think she loves you back?”

Leo’s brows lift, like he hasn’t considered the possibility. After a few beats he slowly nods. “I think she does.”

I hope like hell he’s right, but I’m not sure it matters either way. Even if Maddie broke up with him tomorrow, he would take care of her. Still look out for her. Still do whatever he could to keep her safe.

It’s one of many reasons Leo’s been my best friend since the day we met. His feelings are what they are. They don’t change based on circumstance. Or someone else’s opinions or actions.

I’ve always hoped he’d rub off on me. That I wouldn’t spend my whole life being reactive. Wouldn’t allow someone else todictate my thoughts and emotions. But I’m pretty sure that’s not how that works.

I drop a hand onto his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Then I’m glad she found you. No one in this world will take care of her the way you will.”

Leo’s mouth tips up in a half smile. “I’m glad someone’s finally on my side.”

Guilt stabs my gut. Guilt that I’ve made him feel unsupported and alone. Guilt that he’s thought everyone was against him.

And guilt that I’ve had his sister under me every night for the past two weeks and he has no fucking idea.

The sharp trill of a whistle signifies the end of our break and sends us going our separate ways for the rest of the morning.

Like always, I’m fucking spent when practice is over, and I drag my ass into the showers to wash away the sweat and dirt. I come out to find Owen giving Leo shit.

“You’re telling me you can’t even come out for an hour?” Owen shakes his head, running one hand over his buzzed scalp. “You’re fucking pussy-whipped, man.”

Leo grabs his bag. “Yup.” He slings the duffel over one shoulder, giving Owen a smirk. “And you’re a jealous asshat.”

Normally, any mention of jealousy sends me into a spiral, reminding me of everything I can never have. Of what I’ll become if I’m not careful.

And today is no exception.

The panic of fucking shit up with Alexis starts twisting my gut almost instantly, sloshing around the water I chugged before my shower.

“Jealous of being locked down?” Owen shakes his head. “No fucking way.” His lip curls. “I’m not done playing the pitch.” He shoots me a grin, wiggling his brows. “You see what I did there?”

“You’re a fucking wordsmith,” I deadpan as I pull on my clothes, trying to look unhurried even though I’m itching to getout of here so I can see Alexis. Talk to her. Hear about her day then occupy her night. Prove to myself I can do this. That I’m better than my old man.

Better than the old me.

Owen turns his attention from Leo, focusing on where I stand. “What about you? You up for a little drinky drinky?”

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