Harper
Leo’s body is so taut I’m worried it’s going to snap as he takes my hand and draws me out of the car.
“What do you need me to do?”
He closes his eyes for a heartbeat, his fingers tightening on mine.
“Leo!” a sharp voice calls.
He exhales sharply, peels open his lids, cups my cheek. “Just don’t leave,” he whispers.
I open my mouth to reply, but don’t get the chance.
Because there are footsteps approaching and?—
“Let us into the house already,” Leo’s father snaps. “We’ve been waiting fucking forever.”
“Maybe if I knew you were coming,” Leo says. “I might have been around to meet you.”
“Since when do I need to make an appointment to spend time with my son?”
“Since this is the first time you’ve wanted to in five years?”
A flash of anger in his dad’s eyes. “Are you seriously bitching about that again?”
“I’m not bitching about anything. I’m just pointing out that you didn’t let me know you were coming. Hell, I didn’t even know you had my address.”
“You gave it to me last year so I could send you a Christmas present,” his mom chimes in.
We all look over at her.
Then Leo says quietly, “You didn’t send me a Christmas present.”
“Oh, right.” She waves a hand. “Well, I got busy. But I had your address.”
Leo sighs.
“Should we go inside?” I ask. “I can fix you guys something to eat and?—”
His dad turns on his heel and walks up the driveway, not sparing me a look, not so much as acknowledging me.
Right, well this is going to be fun.
I glance up at Leo but he’s just standing there, his jaw tight as he watches his dad walk to the front door, his mom trailing behind.
“We could just get in the car and drive away,” I offer. “Wait until they lose interest and leave.”
From what he’s told me, that won’t take long.
Finally, he looks away from his parents and glances down at me. There’s the barest hint of amusement in his deep brown eyes, and the knot in my stomach loosens just a little bit.
“They’ll probably see it as a challenge and stay longer.”
Ew.
“So should we…” I wrinkle my nose and jerk my chin toward the house. “Just…get it over with?”
His dad bellows his name.
