Page 79 of If It Can't Be Us

“I get it.” I chuckle softly. “I get it.”

Chapter 25

VIVIAN

March 20

Five Weeks Later

“I’ll walk you out,” I offer, handing Nick his coffee in a to-go cup. His hair is a wild mess of bed-head, and he blinks groggily, trying to wake up fully, clearly not a morning person. It’s endearing enough to make me laugh.

“Don’t laugh at me,” he teases, giving me a playful nudge as he heads towards the door, with me trailing behind.

“I’m not laughing at you,” I protest, trying to stifle my laughter, “I’m laughing with you.”

He scoffs, “I think you’re the only one laughing, babe.”

He opens the door and steps outside into the spring morning. It’s sunny with blue skies, a welcome change from the recent gloomy weather. I follow him, craving the warmth of the sun on my face.

“God, it feels great out here!” I exclaim, closing my eyes and letting the sun’s rays wash over me, feeling the heat on my skin.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Nick says, then turns to me with a mischievous grin. “Come here.” He pulls me into his arms and kisses me, and I can’t help but smile. I love kissing Nick, and wrap my arms around his neck, savoring the moment.

He finally pulls away, and I playfully pout, “Noooo, don’t go.”

He chuckles at my expression and leans back in, pressing his lips to mine.

We finally pull away, both of us breathless and smiling stupidly.

“I’ve got to go, my Uber is here,” Nick gives me one last quick kiss and heads down the steps. My heart skips a beat as I notice Leo coming back from a run, his gaze fixed on us.

I force a smile, nodding my head and giving a little wave.

God, he looks good.

He pulls the bottom of his shirt up to wipe the sweat from his face, revealing all of his sexy, well-defined abdominal muscles that I once touched.

Oh, shit. He’s coming over here.

“Hey, Viv,” he says nonchalantly, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.

“Hey,” I reply awkwardly, at a loss for words. I’m flustered by the sight of his abs and the exertion evident in his breath. I’ve never worried about my appearance in front of Leo before, but suddenly, I’m very aware that I’m fresh out of bed, having slept in late.

“Was that Nick?” Leo asks, though his tone suggests he already knows.

“Yeah, it was,” I say casually, running my fingers through my tangled hair and taming flyaways.

“Looks like things are going well; you look happy,” Leo remarks, smiling genuinely at me. I can’t help but wonder what his angle is.

“Yeah, things are going really well.”

I joined a widows’ support group in January, and it’s been incredibly helpful. I had something similar in Utah, and I realized I was missing that connection here with people who really get it. In the group, we joke about being part of the ‘wid-hoe-ers club’, where some of us dive into dating and sex after losing a partner.

“Well, since I’ve got you pinned for a minute, I’ve been meaning to text you… talk to you, if you’ll let me,” Leo says, looking slightly nervous.

I gesture for him to continue.

“Paris,” he continues, stumbling over his words, “do you still want to go? I can cancel my flight if you want to go alone… or if you’d, um… rather take someone else. You’re welcome to use all the things I booked. I can’t get a refund anyway. I really want you to have the best time.”

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