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I grab the doorknob at the same time she does. “So quick to run, aren’t you? You keep trying to show me you’re a woman but you’re running away like a child.” She tries to free her hand but I’ve got it trapped underneath mine. “You had your chance to talk. It’s my turn now.”
“Let me go.”
“Not happening.” I don’t release her hand but I loosen my hold and make an effort to calm my voice. “You don’t know how I felt last night so I’m going to tell you and I want you to listen.” Her face is red, her expression is hard, but at least she’s not fighting me. “I felt sick to my stomach walking up that hill to your car…Felt like I’d failed you. And then when we came back here, knowing you were going to read it all wrong, I wanted to put my fist through the wall.” I tighten my hold on her hand again so she hears what I’m about to say. “I didn’t invite them over, they just showed up. I didn’t want her here. I barely know her.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you think you know what I need and what’s best for me when you don’t know shit. Max, my parents…Even Maureen says that crap all the time about moving on and putting myself out there, but to hear it from your lips?”
She lowers her head. “I meant it when I said you deserve to be happy.”
“You think I don’t want that for myself? You think I don’t know what would make me happy? Thepersonwho would make me happy? I don’t hold back because you work for me, and it’s not that line I fed you about being too young. Forget what I just said to you about acting stupid.” I take my free hand and raise her chin. “You’ve been through so much, too much. But you just push through, paste a smile on your face and take care of everyone around you because that’s just who you are. I think you’re wiser, more compassionate and more responsible than most people twice your age.”
“But you still—”
I shake my head, willing her to stop. “I want.” And now it’s me who has to look away. “Those words play on repeat whenever I look at you, whenever I think about you. I want.”
“You want me.” It comes out breathless.
“You know I do.” I release her hand and step back. “And you think you want this too, so that’s why I have to keep reminding myself that youareyoung. I won’t take from you, and whether you agree with me or not, that’s what I’d be doing.”
“You think you’d be taking away my future or something? Taking away my choices?” She copies what I just did, takes my chin and forces me to look at her. “You can’t take anything from me, Leo. You can’t take anything that I won’t give you.”
She moves her hand from my chin to my cheek. “Life is short. We both know that better than anyone. So keep listening to that voice in your head that saysI want,and stop listening to the one that lists all the reasons why you shouldn’t.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Skylar
My head is spinning as I head over to Maureen’s to get Olivia. I offered, used it as an excuse to clear my head and process everything that just passed between us.
Staring out Maureen’s front window as she puts on some tea, I’m wondering where we can possibly go from here.
Leo comes outside and starts unloading the trunk that’s still full of my things. He bypasses the front door and heads towards the backyard, so I take it that he’s moving me into the pool house with or without my consent.
I want.
Leo Hale wants me. And I want him. But what now?
“No sugar, Sky?”
“Just milk. Thanks.”
She gestures for me to come to the table and then fixes me with a look. “So what’s the story?”
I sip my tea to buy some time even though it’s scalding hot. “The story?”
Maureen shoots me a side eye before walking back into the kitchen to get some cookies out of the refrigerator.
“My mother always kept cookies in the fridge.”
“Ice cold cookies with hot tea. Your momma is a smart woman.”
“Was a smart woman.”
“I’m sorry, Skylar. How long ago?”
“Thanks. It’ll be a year next week.”
