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“Not at all. Which isn’t what Jasper or my family want to hear. I’ll call you tomorrow?” he asked, and I nodded. “You sure you’re okay?” It was clear he wanted to change the subject away from Jasper and back to me.
I nodded again. “I will be when I show them all. When Tillie’s Two is up and running and a massive success, for starters. I’m going to work on some research now.”
“That’s my girl,” he said, and usually, those words would make my trying-to-be-self-reliant self cringe. But with Leo, just like with everything, it sounded smooth and exciting.
I waved and walked away. My mascara had smeared. I’d let Brad and Scarlet get to me. However, I was standing back up again, even if it was on crutches, thanks to Leo. I was marching back into my parents’ condo with a purpose, a plan, and maybe even a somewhat patched-up heart. And on the elevator ride up, I couldn’t stop thinking about how Leo called me his girl. Maybe things would all work out. Maybe Leo wouldn’t have to go. And maybe my life imploding at thirty was just what had to happen for me to find my real happiness.
Once could hope, anyway, if the motivational podcasts and Dorothy were to be believed.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“What’s wrong?” I asked the next morning when Leo called. I could tell immediately by his voice something had happened.
“I woke up sick. I’m so sorry you were around me yesterday. I hope you don’t get this wicked cold, too.”
“It wouldn’t surprise me these days,” I teased. And then a devilish thought came to my head—that maybe Leo had coughed in Brad and Scarlet’s direction. I shoved the thought back down into the depths. Vengeance was never a good look, although I didn’t think anyone would blame me after the scene at the diner.
“What can I bring you?” I asked, thinking about how he’d taken care of me in my time of need.
“Nothing, nothing. Stay away. I don’t want you getting this,” he said, nasally and coughing.
“I’ll be over with soup soon,” I said, ignoring his pleas as I hung up the phone.
It was worth the risk, getting sick to help Leo out. I immediately headed to the local diner to order a few quarts of soup, buying each variety because I didn’t know what he liked.
It wasn’t about soup, though. Not really. I was heading over to Leo because I realized in a few short weeks, I was already feeling close to him. It was getting to the point that a day without Leo just didn’t feel right. And that was scarier than getting a cold any day.
***
“I TOLD YOU NOT TO COME,” Leo argued from his couch, a blanket on top of him and tissues everywhere. He looked very unwell, even from across the room.
“And I told you not to put money in my bank account, but here we are,” I argued, hobbling toward him with the carefully packed bag of soups. “I didn’t know your favorite kind, so I got quite a few.”
“Anything sounds amazing right now,” he said. But you have to stay back.”
I set his soup on the end table beside him along with a spoon and then clunked over to the armchair across from him. He helped himself, digging into the tomato soup.
