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Chapter Twenty
Four months later…
“I am begging you, Amelia…”
She interrupted him. “A man like you never begs, Leo. We’re looking for a photographer to replace me but...we just finished prom season and now we’re in the height of wedding season. These next two months are the busiest time of the year and I can’t leave Ricky to handle all this alone.”
With a low growl, he shot back, “Then I’ll come…”
“You will not. I need you to respect my wishes in this, Leo. I already packed up my place, sold it, and hired movers to transport it to Chicago. I’m living out of a hotel and working. It won’t be much longer.” She sighed. “You know where I am. I give you my word that I’ll come back to you just...let me do this.”
He rubbed his temple hard. “None of this makes any damn sense, Amelia. You said a month…”
“I underestimated how long it took to close out my life.”
Before he could stop the words, he retorted, “It took you two hours the last...fuck. I’m sorry.”
“When I was eighteen, I left with a couple of bags and my wallet. I’m an adult now, very different from that confused girl I was.”
“I didn’t mean it, Amelia.”
“Part of you did and I get it. My god, I dragged you through it while I handled my shit. I know you’re frustrated and worried. I swear that I’m safe, Leo. I’m working and taking care of things. Let me get to the end of the next two months and then I’ll come back to you. We were apart for eight years...we can handle six months.”
“Why don’t you want me to come, Amelia?”
“I didn’t love Ricky, Leo. I meant that.”
“She loved you…”
“I broke her. Drove her to the edge and then had second thoughts when the loneliness started to eat me alive.” She put her hand over the phone. “I need the big battery for the stationary camera, Marjory. Uh huh. Two extra cables for lights. No, the gray bag. Thanks!” She came back on the line. “I have a wedding in three hours. This is crunch time. Can we talk tonight? I’ll answer any questions you ask.”
“Alright.”
“I love you, Leo. Love you with all of me. Ricky knows all about you and it would cause her unnecessary pain to have you here. I’m giving her the entire business. She bought my house at a great price and I’m selling her the SUV I use to haul equipment.” He could hear the smile in her voice. “Will that be enough until we talk tonight?”
Laughing at himself, he told her, “Yeah. I’m an idiot. I love you, Amelia. Be careful out there...I’ve heard brides are horrors.”
“Oh, the stories I can tell you. Later, okay? Gotta run!”
They disconnected and Leo stared through the living room window at Chicago. He tapped the phone against his thigh.
He was slammed with cases that had him in court for nine hours a day and working weekends. It seemed the world went mad and innocent people were paying the price.
It was the only reason he hadn’t gotten on a plane to see what the hell was happening with Amelia in Washington.
She was right about one thing: he’d survived eight years without her. He could handle a couple more months if it meant getting her in his life for good.
With a heavy sigh, he went back to his office and dove into the case file that would be heading to trial in four days.
His client shot her husband six times when she came home early from her shift as a nurse and caught him molesting their daughter. Leo planned to make sure the mother never spent another day in jail.
Doing what he could to put Amelia - and how much he missed her - out of his mind, he got to work.
* * *
Six weeks later, Leo left the courthouse and was surprised to see Augusta standing beside Baylor at his car.
A chill crawled up his spine.
