Page 74 of Autumn at the Cat Cafe

“Then it’s more about family than the camping,” he said, tending the growing flames.

She sat next to him. “I suppose it is.”

“Do your brother and sister still camp here too?”

“No. They prefer campsites, like normal people.”

Leo scoffed. “Who wants to be normal?”

He made it so easy to like him. She grinned and drew her knees to her chest. “How did you learn to start a fire? Were you a Boy Scout?”

“Scouting is far too pedestrian for a Brewster.” He would have sounded like a snob save for his deprecating tone. “I learned how to light one at boarding school.”

Her jaw dropped. “You went to boarding school?”

“In Switzerland. When I was twelve. I was supposed to stay until I graduated high school. I hated every minute of it, from thesecond I stepped on the plane. I’ve detested flying ever since.” A pause. “No matter how many times I begged to come home, I was told no.”

Via grew quiet. She couldn’t imagine Leo begging for anything.

“I decided the only way to get out of boarding school was to get expelled. I made some attempts—failing grades, insubordination. Those were ignored too. I ended up setting fire to the dumpster behind the gym.”

“What?” she said, unable to hide her shock.

“I figured it was far enough away from any buildings that no one would get hurt. Fortunately I was right. The fire was pitiful and burned out quickly. But it was finally enough to get me shipped back home. Turned out no amount of money could influence the headmaster to ignore arson.”

“How did they find out it was you?”

“I told them.” He finally looked at her, a flicker of shame in his eyes. “Not my proudest moment.”

“You were twelve.”

“I was an idiot.” He sat back on the grass. “My parents paid restitution of course. But once I got established at my company, I sent a big fat check to the school. The same headmaster was still there. He was floored. Told me that he’d never had a former expelled student make amends like that.”

Sir sauntered over and parked between them. “That was a great thing to do.”

“It was the right thing to do. I’m lucky my father didn’t kick me out of the house. Constance didn’t speak to me for two months after I arrived home. She’s a master at the silent treatment.”

Via couldn’t imagine not talking to her mother, or any member of her family, for that long. Her heart went out to him. “I’m sosorry you had to deal with all that, Leo. School, your parents being mad at you... all of it.”

“I could have handled it better. Like not committing arson.”

“But—”

“It’s okay, Via. Life wasn’t all bad as a kid, and I got along pretty well with my dad once I was a Harvard boy.” He smirked. “Where are the hot dogs? I’m starving.”

She paused, and for the first time since meeting him, she was certain he wasn’t telling her the truth. Not about being hungry. She believed he was. But she didn’t buy his blasé attitude over what sounded like a borderline abusive childhood. After seeing how he reacted to his mother and the fury she brought out in him, the way he was brushing off his feelings right now made her want to hug him, to take away the pain he was fighting to hide, what she knew was under the surface.

He picked up a big stick lying nearby and started poking at the fire. She stared at his profile. Yes, he was gorgeous. Smart. Rich—probably more than she realized, because he never talked about it. He was also often unreadable and aloof.

But what she was discovering under his surface drew her to him, despite their decision to be friends and her insistence to her mother that they were. His kind treatment of Sir, him not wanting her to camp alone, the way he helped her at the Meow and Mingle without her asking him... his vulnerability in admitting a past mistake.

He turned to her and smiled. A genuine one, not the dismissive smirk from before. Her heartbeat slowed, a warm, tranquil stillness filling her. Peace. Leo gave her peace.

“Everything okay?” he said softly.

“Yes,” she said, basking in her feelings for this incredible man. “Everything’s perfect.”

Boop.