Page 175 of Lucky Mother Pucker

“How did you do this?” I ask.

“It’s kind of a long story,” he says, his smile shy. “Nick’s brother, Ryker, knows someone who’s an artist. This is one of her specialties, painting photo images. Her name’s Abby. She’s married to the coach of the Bashers, so Ryker knows her pretty well. He recommended her to me when I told Nick I was looking for a painter.”

I shake my head, in awe of the painting as I stare at it. Every color is an exact match to the photo. She captured our expressions perfectly.

“I love it so much,” I say again.

“I thought you could hang it up in your house once you get it back,” Leo says softly.

That tight, overwhelming feeling in my chest intensifies. I’ve never felt this way before. Like I’m so overcome with joy that I could cry.

“Will you help me hang it up?” I ask.

“Absolutely.” He kisses me again.

He grabs the painting from my lap and sets it to the side. Then he sits next to me and takes his phone out.

He takes a breath. “This is your second gift.”

He taps his phone screen, then hands it to me. It’s a page from his Notes app with an address, email, and phone number on it.

I squint at it, confused.

“That’s the address, email, and phone number of your dad’s cousin. Errol Bailey. He lives in Montreal.”

My mouth falls open. “Wh-what?”

“I asked my cousin Alessia to see if she could find him, and she did. He lives there with his wife and kids, who are around your age.” Leo swallows. “You have a family, Luce.”

Tears tumble down my face once more. I’m crying so hard as I grab Leo and hug him.

He pulls me onto his lap. “I have an uncle? And an aunt? And cousins?”

His eyes are teary as he nods, smiling at me. “Yeah. Alessia contacted them and told them about you. She said they were so excited to find out about you. They want to meet you.”

I let out another sob as Leo cradles my face. “Oh, wow.”

He wipes my face with his hands, then wipes them on his sweatpants.

I look at him, my heart hammering, my chest tight, my head spinning.

I can’t believe he did all this.

That overwhelmed feeling from earlier hooks behind my ribcage. It expands throughout my whole body.

It feels like comfort and joy rolled into one, multiplied by a thousand.

The longer I gaze at him, the harder it is to breathe. It’s all too much…but it’s also perfect and right…

And then it hits me like a freight train.

This feeling…I know exactly what it is.

Chapter 62

Lucy

Irest my hands on Leo’s chest and push him down on the bed. And then I kiss him.