Page 65 of Loving Leo

“Mom, love the cast,” I say with a smile and she grins back at me.

“I do love pink. So much better than the red they offered,” she says as she peers down at it.

Heath swears quietly and I realize that the flowers in his hands are bright red and I can’t help but giggle at that.

“Oh, who is this?” my mom asks, her eyes falling on Heath. She tries to fix her hair, but she doesn’t quite manage.

“This is my friend, Heath.”

Heath stares down at the flowers in his hand and then back up at my mom.

“I didn’t realize you hated red.”

“Oh gosh, no! I love red, just not wearing it,” she replies and then holds her palm out and Heath places the bouquet in her hand. “They’re beautiful. This is so thoughtful. Thank you.”

She meets my stare and arches an eyebrow and I know what she’s asking. Is this really just a friend, but I can’t give her any moreinformation. Because Heath has never said he is into me and he’s never said he’s queer, so this could be just an experiment with someone safe.

So right now, to guard my heart, we’re just friends.

Who kiss and do other things.

Lots of other things.

My mom cradles the flowers in her arms while Heath pushes the wheelchair out into the parking lot. He insists. I’m to finish my hot chocolate before I drive anywhere.

“I’ll drive you home, mom,” I say and she sighs as I help her up from the chair. As Heath pushes it back to the entrance and I help her inside my car, she meets my worried gaze.

“They brought me here in an ambulance, Leo. I don’t know how I’m going to afford that.”

“I know. We’ll figure it out, I promise.”

“I’m just…I’m tired.” I know she is, that sort of bone deep, crippling kind of tired from working way too long, and too hard, for way too little. Never getting ahead and always having to worry. It’s not fair to her. I wish my camming would just take off already and I can truly help her out.

Say what you will, but she was always there for me. Well—she always provided for me. I was taken care of because she was always busting her ass.

I nod as Heath nears. He touches my hand softly.

“Let me follow you both home,” he says and I almost tell him not to, mostly to spare my heart, but I end up just nodding. It would be nice to have someone with me while I’m at my mom’s place. It’s soothing in a way. I’ve never really had that before. It was always just me.

When we make it home, I walk my mom inside and she moves into the bathroom to shower. But before she goes, I help her wrap her arm in a plastic bag so it doesn’t get wet.

“We should have bought something that’s more efficient,” I sayand she shakes her head.

“I’ve got to save every penny if I’m going to make ends meet.”

She says it a little too loudly and Heath overhears because a moment later he’s on his phone tapping wildly. I don’t have time to process it because as soon as my mom moves away into the bathroom, he’s in the kitchen, working on doing the dishes.

“You don’t need to do that,” I say as I sink onto a chair and put my head in my hands. “I’ll get to it. I just need to breathe a moment.”

A glass of water is set near me and I gulp it down. He doesn’t say anything, just continues to work until the entire kitchen is spotless. My mom reappears a moment later and Heath meets her gaze.

“I have some cast covers being delivered here tomorrow.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to do that,” my mom says, pushing back her damp hair.

“It’s my pleasure to help however I can.”

I stare at him and something bubbles inside my stomach. Is he my prince charming? Is he swooping in, trying to make this all better for me and my mom?

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