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“You’re fortunate, you know.”
“I am?”
“To have so many men willing to challenge the world for you. I’ve never seen Leo so brave and so determined before,” she said.
I sighed. “And I don’t really know what to do about that.”
“You love him,” she said. “And that’s all you need to know. I can tell you’re both in love, and if you love him, don’t throw that away. Don’t deny him the chance at happiness with you.”
I smiled, but it was a sad smile. “That’s easier said than done.”
“It’s never easy,” she said. “But it’s always worth it.”
“How do you know?” I asked. “How can you be so sure?”
“Because I’ve been there. Because I’ve seen what love can do. And I’ve seen what it can’t. I’ve seen what it can turn a man into and what it can take away.”
I cleared my throat. “Leo told me about his father.”
A shadow of pain crossed her expression. “Yes, I’m sure he did. There’s still a lot of hurt from that, and I wish I could forget it. But he was a good man.”
I nodded, keeping my mouth shut.
“It’s been a long time,” she said, and it seemed like she was talking to herself more than to me. “I’ve thought about it enough to last a lifetime. He left us alone for a younger, prettier thing. It made Leo scared to open his heart up.
“I don’t hate him for leaving me,” she continued. “But I hate him for what he did to my son. I hate him for turning Leo into someone afraid of his own heart. I hate him for making him believe love is a poison and that it’s best to keep your distance from it. But most of all, I hate him for making Leo so terribly lonely.”
I reached out and covered her hand with my own. “I promise not to make him feel lonely,” I whispered.
“There you are,” Leo said while walking into the kitchen. “What are you two ladies conspiring over?”
“Nothing,” I said with a smile, standing up. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. He seemed stiff at first, nervous for his mother to see us like this and worried about the questions she likely had. But slowly, he put his arms around me and pulled me close. He nuzzled his face against my neck and kissed gently.
“Hi, I missed you,” I whispered.
“I missed you, too,” he said.
“You know,” Vivian said, “I don’t care.”
Leo’s eyes widened in surprise. “You don’t?”
“No,” she said. “I don’t. I’ve been sitting here, watching you two, and I can see how much Christine adores you. I think I know you fairly well,” she said, looking at Leo. “And you’ll figure this out, my darling boy. Just next time, don’t attack Atticus in the sand, Christine. You got these kitchen floors so dirty.”
I let out a laugh as Leo stared at his mother. “She knows?” he asked me, his voice a whisper.
I nodded. “I told her my intentions with you, Leo Winthrop,” I goaded.
“Oh, did you?” he asked and smirked. “And what were those intentions?”
“That I intend to be with you,” I said, looking right into his eyes. “And that I intend to be good to you, no matter what.”
He raised one eyebrow, looking amused. “]And she gave her blessing?”
“More or less.”
Leo shook his head. “More or less.”
Chapter Fourteen
