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She placed her hands on his cheeks. “Congratulations, Leo.”
He covered her hands with his. “Thanks. We have to celebrate, but first, I want to go to the site and share the good news.”
“It’s the weekend. Is anyone around?”
“There’s always someone on the site, especially lately. Let me call Ben to see if he’s seen the email. I’ll invite him to join us.” Leo opened his phone again and frowned.
“What is it?”
“It’s not important.” He shook his head.
“If it’s not important, then why are you frowning?” Cassie took the phone and studied the screen. Text messages filled the screen. “Who sent you all these messages?”
“Ben forwarded the social media stories,” he said, taking the phone back, “It’s the fallout from last night.”
“Is it all bad?” she asked, preparing herself for the onslaught.
His finger scrolled over his phone for a few seconds. “Let me see.” His eyes grew wide. “The press has decided that Owen is the bully, and I was protecting your honor. I’m a hero. That should impress your father.”
They held eye contact for a moment.
Her father. She would stand by Leo no matter what. She hadn’t felt like discussing it last night, but it would be better to be proactive and contact them as soon as possible. Then, she and Leo could move forward. “I should check in with them.”
“Now?”
“I’ll be right back.” She dashed into the foyer where she’d left her purse, saying over her shoulder, “Let me check my phone.” She pulled out her phone. Her father and mother left several voicemails and messages. She ignored the voicemails. Reading the texts, she was able to put together a timeline. “Shit!”
Leo rushed to her side. “What’s the matter?”
“My parents are on their way to Santorini, but first, they’re stopping in London to see me. They’ll be landing soon.” She looked up at him, full of disappointment. “I’m sorry, Leo. They’re going to ruin our plans.”
Instead of being disappointed, Leo smiled. “They won’t ruin our plans. We’ll celebrate with them.”
“Are you kidding? If they didn’t know about your fight with Owen last night, they will by the time they land.”
“I defended your honor last night. What father wouldn’t want that for his daughter? Plus, I won a prestigious grant. That means my career prospects have improved. And what father—”
“Wouldn’t want that for his daughter?” She finished his question, wishing it were that easy. “But this ismyfather, the man who is not your biggest fan, remember?” She pondered the daunting prospect of Leo meeting her parents. Maybe it would be better to meet them alone after all. “I should go back to my flat and see them. After they leave, we can—”
“Shh.” He cut her off with a kiss. “I’m not hiding. If we’re dating, then we see them together.”
She mulled this over, testing out the possible reaction of her parents. Her mother would be calmer about all the media attention, but not her father.
“I can practically read your mind, Deusa.” He cradled her face in his hands, stroking her cheek with his thumb. “I’ll be with you. If there’s a problem, we’ll talk it through like adults.”
She turned away and wrapped her arms around her waist, her mind spinning on what her father would say. When she agreed to date Leo, she’d told him she was ready for anything. At the time, it applied to his family but now it included her father. She would hold her ground, but she would also have to be prepared for anything to happen. “It’s more complicated than that.”
Leo came behind her, whispering in her ear, “Nothing is that complicated.”
She turned to him. “You said that to me once before.”
“When?”
“At the Trident Hotel. There was a windstorm that night. You came out of your room and saw me. It was the first time you kissed me.” Her instincts had been so strong about him. She kissed him and then spent the next night on a boat with a man who was almost a stranger.
“I remember.” His lips curved into a slow smile. “You were crying, and you wouldn’t tell me why. I promised to never hurt you. That hasn’t changed, and now I’ll be with you when you see your parents.”
She had no reason to doubt him. Hadn’t he proved himself last night by coming to her defense? “How do you always know the right thing to say to me?”
“Because I care about you.” He kissed her cheek “Call your parents and tell them to meet us at your flat. We’ll have our celebration later.”
