Page 46 of Loving Leo

Like he’s mine.

What does any of this mean? I’ve never felt so lost and yet settled in my entire life. I never felt this way with Lana. I don’t know why, but Leo makes something inside of me satisfied, like curling up beside a warm fire with a mug of hot cocoa. Something about him is just cozy. Just right.

As I think that, the waiter comes up and takes our orders and I watch as Leo changes his mind three times before settling on a strawberry margarita and some nachos. Asher orders a burger and I’m left just placing an order for my usual Gin and Tonic.

“So Heath, since we’re here, tell me some fun facts about yourself,” Asher says and then places his chin in his palm and waits for me to answer.

For some reason that makes me feel like I’m in an interview. I never was good at those. It’s why I run my own company. I never had to sit through many because of it.

“Well, I own a company,” I say, wishing my drink would arrive sooner than later.

“Yes, the one that Leo cleans for. Do you enjoy it? Running a company?”

“It’s fine, I guess. It’s a job and it pays the bills.”

“Yes, but you have to manage people. How is that?”

Leo snorts, his fingers constantly fiddling with the sugar packets. He’s rearranging them by color and then sticking them back in the small container. “Geez, Asher, are you like interviewing him or something?”

“Or something. Listen, I want to get to know the guy you’ve been blathering on and on about all day and night.”

My cheeks redden and Leo looks like he’s about to sink into his chair and disappear forever.

“I don’t talk about youthatmuch.”

“Oh he does. Heath this and Heath that. I basically know everything about you. From his perspective, that is. Now, go on. How is being the big boss?”

I peer over at Leo and he shrugs, as if he’s given up on controlling his friend.

“I do it well. People usually need direction and I don’t mind giving it.”

Asher sighs. “Do you do that in the bedroom as well?”

Leo smacks him upside the head with a spoon.

“Ow!”

“You don’t get to ask him that. If you think you can, then I’ll make sure to ask Jack these things as well.”

“Oh, don’t give Jack any ideas.”

“Who is Jack?” I ask and before Asher can open his mouth Leo blurts, “Our murderous neighbor who Asher is obsessed with.”

“He’s not a murderer. He’s just mysterious.”

“How do you know he’s not a murderer?” I ask and Leo giggles.

“He was sawing things in the middle of the night and there was lots of banging, not the sexy kind. The kind where you imagine him stuffing a body into a barrel. But after we fell through the wall?—”

My eyebrows rise at that.

“—well, we realized he’s just handy. He’s a woodworker. He’s renovating his shitty apartment.”

“How did you fall through the wall?”

“We were wrestling and the wall caved in when we leaned against it,” Leo says and my lips turn down.

“That’s not safe. Walls shouldn’t cave in if you lean on them.”

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