AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Clinging to that thought, she went back to work and tore through half of her to-do list. She only stood and stretched her body when the sun’s rays told her it was late afternoon. Moving to the window, she watched the world go by, still feeling hot and angry and sad.
Little kids played in the park across the street, their peals of laughter ringing in the air. A moving truck pulled away from the curb, and Amelia wondered if she had new neighbors. A warm breeze shivered through the trees and ruffled her hair when she lifted the window sash, and Amelia inhaled the scent of late spring.
Life went on. This Monday was no different from last Monday. She’d had sex. She’d kissed a man. She’d realized that she could be attractive and sensual if only she got out of her own way.
The best thing for her to do was move on from Leo, from the drama at Goodhew Inc., from Cora and Ari and all the crazy people that had filled her week. She had a business to run. More pressingly, she had dinner to eat and TV to watch.
But in the very depths of her heart, Amelia knew the truth.
She missed Leo so much she ached with it.
TWENTY-FIVE
Leo layin his childhood bedroom, staring at the ring he held between his fingers. Light gleamed in the small stone, just like it had when it had been on Amelia’s hand.
Where it belonged.
Dropping the ring on his bedside table, he scowled at the thought. The ring belonged nowhere near Amelia’s finger. She deserved someone who wasn’t known for spreading a sexually transmitted infection to half of his college population. She deserved a man who would treat her like a queen. Someone who was her equal in intelligence and integrity.
That man sure as hell wasn’t Leo.
Dragging his carcass out of the narrow single bed, he stumbled to the bathroom and tried to wash the memory of Amelia off his body for the tenth time since Sunday morning. The ghost of her touch still lingered on his skin, sweet torture to remind him of all he never should have taken.
Downstairs, Marlon was sitting at the round kitchen table sipping from a gigantic mug. The aroma of coffee wafted toward Leo, and he grunted a greeting to his brother and made his way to the coffee maker. Leaning against the old laminate countertops, Leo sipped the drink and remembered mornings in the suite with Amelia, when she’d sip her overly sweet brew and light up his world.
“You look like you’re in bad shape,” Marlon noted.
Leo grunted. “I’m fine.”
“Retreat didn’t go so well?”
“The retreat was fine.”
“Fine,” Marlon repeated.
“Yes.”
“I’m not sure you know what that word means.”
Leo huffed. “It was a disaster, okay? Two people got fired. I dragged Amelia there and lied about her being my fiancée, so I’ll probably be the next one to get chopped. And Amelia isn’t—”
He stopped himself from saying how he really felt about her. That she wasn’t ever going to talk to him again, especially not after he’d sent her packing like she meant nothing to him.
Marlon studied him. When he spoke, his voice was low. “You shouldn’t have dragged her into this.”
“You think I don’t know that?” The words exploded out of Leo, and he dragged in a deep breath to try to calm himself. He stared at the ceiling for a beat, then let his gaze drop to Marlon’s. “I don’t want to hear this right now. Okay?”
Marlon studied him. He had thick, dark hair and a full beard. His skin was burnished bronze, and he had a permanent scowl etched on his brow. His eyes were hazel, bright amidst all that darkness. “She’s Emory’s sister-in-law, Leo.”
“Marlon, just stop.” Leo gripped his mug so hard his fingers went numb, and he tried to tamp down his temper. “Please, just stop.”
His brother’s chair squeaked on the tiles as he pushed away from the table, and Leo looked up to see Marlon put his cup in the ancient, yellowed dishwasher. Marlon hadn’t changed an inch of this place since he’d bought Leo’s half after their grandparents died, other than clearing out some of their grandparents’ possessions. It had the same old appliances, the same lace curtains, the same peeling paint and gingerbread trim on every eave and window.
It made the back of Leo’s neck itch. They’d had good memories here, the only good memories in a childhood filled with pain. But being back here made him think about all the ways he’d never been enough. He wasn’t enough for his mother to love. Wasn’t enough for his father to show up and step up. He’d been a hellion, nearly too much for his grandparents and brother to handle.
“Meeting the boys at The Shed tonight,” Marlon said as he paused in the kitchen doorway. “You gonna join?”
Leo watched his brother’s back. It was all so normal. Going to a bar with his friends, chatting shit, laughing and joking about all the same things. It made Leo want to scream. Instead, he said, “Yeah. Sure.”
