Page 67 of Worth the Risk

I’m moving forward and leaving what she did to us behind me. I only hope he can do the same.

Lying in bed, it’s hard to fall asleep without Kylie. I’ve gotten used to falling asleep and waking up next to her.

Grabbing my phone, I text her.

I’m not sure if she’s awake, but I need to hear from her. How dinner turned out is weighing heavily on me. Hell, she had to have noticed my dad’s cold shoulder. How could she not?

Kylie:Goodnight Leo < 3

She sent me a love emoji. I ponder for a moment about sending her one back, but when I tell her I love her, it will come from my mouth, not a text. I won’t let what my mother did stop me from telling my girl how I feel about her. That is a man I no longer wish to be.

* * *

It’s evening, and I’m sitting on the pool patio on the chaise lounge, having a beer and waiting for Kylie.I wonder how she’ll take me leaving again.

Arms circle my neck, and a kiss lands on my cheek.

Throwing her leg over mine, she plants her firm ass on my lap, straddling me. “Hello, boyfriend,” she greets and nibbles my ear.

“You like that word, don’t you?”

“I do, and it earned you an incredibly special welcome-home gift if I remember correctly,” she teases.

“I can only imagine what the wordwifewill get me,” I tease back.

She yanks back with a stunned expression on her face. “Wh-what?”

“I was joking.”

But would it be so bad? I love this girl. I haven’t told her yet, but she must feel it.

“Oh,” is all she says.

“I need to go to New York tomorrow morning. Dad needs me there on some business. I’ll return by the weekend. Friday night is an annual charity event that we always attend, but I’ll be here Saturday morning.”

“And you’re only telling me this now?” she asks, deflated by the news.

“I only found out last night. If it were up to me, I’d be here with you instead.”

She wraps her arms around my neck and lays her head on my chest. We sit for a while, saying nothing, but the silence says everything.

“Leo?”

“Hmm?”

“What happens when you go back for good, and I’m here at school?”

“I would like to continue seeing each other. I can drive down on the weekends, and you could come up on some weekends too. I don’t know how to navigate a long-distance relationship. Hell, I’ve never had to navigate any relationship, but I’m willing to try if you are.”

I hold my breath, waiting for her reply. I feel her smile before I see it and let out the air I’m holding.

She lifts her head.

Yep, she’s smiling.

“Yes, I want to try. Of course I do, Leo. I love you and never want to be apart from you.” She quickly realizes what she just said and anxiously waits for my reaction.

It’s now or never.

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