Page 34 of Loving Leo

I chuckle at how ridiculous she is and my chest expands when I think about how lucky I am to have her in my life. She drives me nuts, but she’s supportive. Always has been. Unlike our parents. Nothing is ever good enough for them.

No matter how much money I make, no matter who I date, it’s never quite right. They always find fault in it.

Which is why they can never know about Leo. Absolutely not.

Not that I’m thinking of inviting him over or showing him off…even as a friend.

There’s no way that’s ever happening.

I wouldn’t subject him to it.

Although his sass…it might put my parents in their place. For once.

“Why are you smiling like that? It’s the elusiveperson, isn’t it?”

“No,” I reply and then take another sip of my drink. “It’s not that.”

She kicks me hard under the table, and when I don’t react, she does it again, only this time her foot misses and she kicks the man across from us. Hard. I don’t know how she manages to angle herself so wrong, but I can’t help it when tonic water chokes me on a laugh.

“Oh my god, what was that?” Selena cries out. “I think I saw an opossum run away.”

The man, John, leans down and rubs at his shin. “It felt like someone kicked me.”

“Must have been a strong animal in a rage,” Selena says and Ihave to run the napkin across my mouth to keep myself from laughing. “You should probably get a rabies shot just in case.”

“You two, stop it,” my mother hisses and the two of us settle down, Selena’s eyes twinkling with laughter. She never really let the two of them dull her. She always fought back in her own way.

I admire her for that.

“Sorry, mother. The wildlife here is quite dangerous it seems,” Selena replies and then takes her beer from the waiter, sipping right from the bottle.

A small burp escapes her and my mother huffs in frustration.

I purse my lips and bite my tongue, turning away from my sister and engaging John and JoAnn in a conversation about commercial real estate. Meanwhile Selena talks to Mary and Kenneth about their holiday in France, the two of us doing so well at being civilized.

It’s all so boring and dull and right when I think I’ve gotten off scot-free, my mom makes her expected comments about Lana.

You should call her.

She really is sorry.

She didn’t mean any of it.

By the time dinner wraps up and the bill has been paid, I decide that I don’t want to go home. I don’t want to sink into the hard sofa that sits in my living room and watch TV. I want something else. Something to take the ache away, something to help with the headache throbbing behind my eyes.

I head right to work.

I don’t overthink it.

I just go.

I sinkinto my leather chair, the one Leo’s no doubt used far too many times without my knowledge and wait for him to arrive. I should be here working and yet I don’t even bother turning on mycomputer. Maybe my strong drink went to my head. Maybe I’ve lost my mind completely.

It’s all so…unexpected.

I shouldn’t be here, encouraging this and yet I am.

A short while later, when I hear the telltale sound of his cleaning cart coming down the hallway, my breathing comes out a little rougher and I feel my skin break out in goosebumps.

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