Page 51 of Clean Sweep
“Will you please keep the secret? We’re going to tell Mom, I swear. But we want the wedding and Christmas to be happy. Not . . . loaded with whatever.”
I hesitated. Keep this secret from Leslie? The Landon mystery had been one of our main connecting points. One of the things that kept me in her brain. The fact that I could stay top-of-mind for Leslie by asking her on a damn date, already, was a thought I sent away. The siren song ofstasisalways sang in the background when I thought of dating.
Though it sounded a lot smaller these days.
“I’ll keep your secret,” I said.
His shoulders eased back. “Thank you. I . . . thank you. My mom isn’t exactly the most romantic person. She won’t understand if we tell her it was love at first sight.”
Leslie’s previous conversation whipped back through my mind.
“I don’t know,” I drawled, head tilted, “you might give her a chance. She could surprise you. I know she surprises me all the time.”
A funny look came on his face, but I grabbed my keys and headed toward the door before he could think too hard on it. Or me, either. The last thing I needed to do tonight was stake a claim on Leslie Hill with her oldest son.
We weren’t there yet.
But maybe we wouldn’t be far off soon.
“Thanks again,” he said as he followed me to the door. “I just . . . I didn’t know who to call without worrying anybody or giving everything away. Plus, she would have had to drive so far, it didn’t make sense. Starla suggested you. It was the right move.”
“It was.” I agreed with a nod. “And I’m always here. I’ll talk to you tomorrow about a better place, all right?”
“Thanks, coach.”
MY FINGERS DRUMMEDthe edge of my steering wheel as I navigated through Jackson City and back to the office. Thoughts fluttered through my head like a murder of rising crows.
Foremost on my mind was my promise to keep their secret. I didn’t like the thought of not telling Leslie what I’d learned—that didn’t sit right. Which meant that I might need to avoid her, which I also didn’t want to do.
Eventually, she’d find out that I knew. She’d probably be upset or never speak to me again or . . . any number of things.
But it still wasn’t my story to tell.
The office lay quiet when I stepped inside. I gazed around, muttered a swear word under my breath, and headed back out. My worry over keeping a secret from Leslie had me too distracted. I’d never be able to focus on new applicants.
Half an hour later, I made it back home. Celeste’s extra day off of school meant she’d be there too. I flipped the kitchen lights on as I navigated into the house, grabbed some leftovers, and watched the container spin through the microwave. The sound of Celeste laughing—she probably video chatted with one of her friends—drifted down the stairs.
“I’m home!” I called.
“Hi Dad!”
When she didn’t appear, I took my lunch into the other room.
Just to have sound, I flipped a game on and lowered to the couch. The rewarmed potatoes and chicken hardly had flavor as I attempted to track the game and think about Landon.
In the end, I finished the food, leaned back, and closed my eyes.
Who was I kidding? Myself? This whole thing was a friggin’ mess, and somehow I stood at the very center of it. The moment she found out I knew the truth about Landon and Starla and she didn’t, Leslie would flip.
My goal to ask her on a date seemed far, far away now. Not only was she going to plan their entire ceremony and wedding—which made sense in new ways considering Landon’s revelation—but she had the Mercedy reunion on her plate.
I wanted to ask her out more than ever. Snag some one-on-one time with just the two of us andreallysee what this woman was about, but her life had a chaos about it that wouldn’t allow free time anytime soon.
Maybe that was for the best.
Because I had the feeling that Leslie was a heavy rock rolling down the mountain of my life. Once I let her go, she wouldn’t stop. Then I’d slide with her, lost to it. Was I ready to be lost to any woman again?
Not by a long shot.
