Page 58 of How to Prevent a Fumble

“Do you have any idea about what you want it to look like?”

I shrug. “I was just trying to curl it, but it’s not sticking.”

“Sometimes we just have those days. I’ll help.”

Coming up behind me, she kneels down before grabbing my curling iron.

“So Leo, huh?” she asks with a small smile.

Rolling my eyes, I bite my cheek to stop from smiling back. “You know the situation.”

She nods, grabbing a chunk of hair and running her fingers through it before curling it. “He’s not that bad, you know. I mean, he definitely has his faults, but I’ve known him for over half my life. He’s just a big goof.”

“Has he always gotten into trouble like this?” I ask her.

“No,” she tells me, and I can feel her shake her head from behind me. “I think Leo is incredibly kind and has done a lot for his friends and family. When someone’s responsible for that much, sometimes I think they have trouble not being in control of a situation.”

“What do you mean, he’s done a lot for his friends and family?”

Her hand pauses in my hair, and she’s silent for a minute. “Owen hasn’t told you anything about him?”

I shake my head. As much as my brother may understand that I know what’s best for me, he hasn’t exactly encouraged a friendship with Leo.

“Owen just had to buy Isla’s apartment from him, because he bought it specifically for her to live in for free.”

“For free?” I’m not sure how to process that information.

Heidi nods. “Yeah. Isla has always wanted to be an artist, and her whole life it was always about what Leo wanted to do. Their whole lives revolved around it. If she had a big showing or something at school, and Leo had a football game, her parents would drop everything for Leo’s game.

Now, that doesn’t mean they weren’t supportive. Everyone could just tell that Leo was going places. And he did. He got paid by the NFL and immediately retired his parents. He pays for them to live in Scotland. Pretty sure I heard Isla bitching about how he bought his mom several cows the other day, actually. Her dad has been annoyed about it.”

I itch my cheek, careful not to smudge anything. “So he retired his parents and has also paid for Isla to live there rent-free?”

Heidi nods. “She always offers to pay him but he always says no. I think he realized what people gave up for him, and wanted to give some back to her.”

“I can’t imagine taking care of your whole family that young though,” I mutter, looking down at my hands as Heidi curls another chunk of hair, the heat from the curler warming my scalp.

“Yeah, I’d imagine so. But that’s what I mean. I think that he just cares too much sometimes. And I think when he’s notin control of a situation he self-sabotages in order to be in control again. Even if it’s negative.”

It makes sense. If someone has been taking care of their entire family for years, ever since they were basically a kid still, it would be hard to take a step back.

“Do you think he felt out of control after the Super Bowl and that’s why he started to spiral?”

Heidi sighs. “That’s my working theory, but don’t hold me to that. Leo needs therapy, that’s for sure. But I do think that all of the extra attention and the issues between him and Owen were definitely a factor. He couldn’t control what was happening anymore, and he hated that.”

“He doesn’t have a right to control what his sister does though,” I tell her. If Owen acted the way I heard Leo acted, I’d have chewed his head off.

“You’re completely right. But I find that understanding why people may do something makes it easier to handle them. Communication is so important, you know?” She shrugs.

And I get it.

I was out in the family room with Elara and Heidi when Leo came home, soaked with sweat from practice. He looked tired, but then again, he always looks tired around this time of the year. Owen does too.

“I’m going to hop in the shower,” he tells us quietly before heading upstairs without another word.

When he’s done, he comes downstairs in a gray suit, and my jaw nearly hits the floor.

I don’t think I’ve seen a suit fit anyone better.

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