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She held his eyes for a minute. “Look, I don’t know why she said that, but the fact that you’re this upset tells me you really care about her and her little girl.”
Adler tilted his head slightly so he could see his mother better. His heart beat wildly. “I . . .” He met his mom’s gaze again. “I love her and Skylar. The first time I saw Leila, there was something different. Then when I found out about Skylar, I tried to let it bother me, but it didn’t. As soon as I met her it was just . . .” He sighed and shrugged. Wow. Did he just tell his mom he loved Leila? “I gotta go. Thanks, Mom.”
“I didn’t do anything, but I’m glad I could help.” She pulled him into another hug. “Remember I’m here if you need to talk.”
Adler kissed her cheek and drove around to his house.
The next two weeks were a blur. Leila handed the vendor fair and silent auction over to Stacey and Jessica. She wanted nothing to do with anything involving Adler. She needed to focus on her life and keep it as uncomplicated as possible.
“Jessica and I are going to dinner. Want to come?” Elizabeth asked as they were closing the boutique Tuesday night. “We’re going to talk about the fundraiser and just hang out.”
Leila decided she could use some girl time. “That would be great. Let me ask Diane if she minds watching Sky a little later.” She called Diane and wasn’t surprised that she quickly agreed. “Okay. I’m in.”
She met the girls at the local diner and gave Jessica a hug when she met them at the table.
“So, just over a week and it’ll be the auction.” Jessica bubbled over with excitement. “We’re meeting at the center Saturday to work on the silent auction baskets and print the papers for them. Are you two able to help?”
Elizabeth quickly said yes.
“Yep. Count me in,” replied Leila.
“Great.” Jessica said and fidgeted with her napkin.
Leila glanced between the girls. Something was going on. She could feel how things had changed. “Okay, what’s up? Jessica, one minute you’re about to bounce out of your seat, now you look like you stole your best friend’s boyfriend and need to let her know.”
Elizabeth and Jessica raised their brows.
Leila could tell there was something they weren’t saying. “Just say it.”
“Okay.” Jessica’s body leaned forward. “How are you?”
Leila tilted her head to the side. What did they know?
Jessica sat up taller. “Okay, fine.” She exchanged a quick look with Elizabeth. “I’ve seen Adler a couple times when I’ve met with him about the fundraiser. He’s not as chipper as usual and has lost his self-confident air. When I ask him about you two, he won’t talk. I thought you two were a good thing. What happened?”
A lump formed in her chest. She’d tried hard not to think about Adler over the past couple weeks, and it’d been pretty easy to avoid him since he didn’t live in town. “Yeah, well, I realized he wasn’t good for us.”
“Us? What do you mean?” asked Elizabeth.
“Me and Skylar.” Leila let out a breath and pushed her plate away. She’d suddenly lost her appetite.
“Explain. How wasn’t he good for you?” asked Jessica. “He seemed to be really good for both you and Skylar. Honestly, he seemed to be great.”
Leila really didn’t want to talk about this. She’d spent the past two weeks trying to forget Adler and avoided any place she might run into him. “It’s simple.” She laid her hands on the table and picked at her fingernails. “I realized I was getting too involved, and he isn’t the guy I need in my life. Because of Skylar, any guy I choose to be with has to understand that we’re a forever commitment.”
“Oh.” Elizabeth exchanged a look with Jessica.
“Come on. You both told me what he was like. You know he doesn’t stay focused on a relationship. I don’t want Skylar to get attached to someone only for him to decide that being tied down to a woman and someone else’s baby isn’t for him. That would break her heart, and she needs someone she’ll be able to count on. She doesn’t need to have daddy issues like I did growing up, and Adler isn’t the type of person to take on someone else’sbaggage. He’s too focused on himself. He’s too much of a ladies’ man, and like I’ve said before, he’s too much like Ben. Skylar—and I—need someone better.”
“Well, you sure were happy when you spent time together, and he seemed pretty into you and Skylar,” Elizabeth answered.
“It doesn’t matter. Let’s get back to talking about the fundraiser.” Leila needed to change the subject and get focused on the purpose of their dinner.
Chapter 25
It was the Friday night before the fundraiser, and Leila had just gotten back from the final planning meeting. She leaned against the front door as she entered her house. It had been a long night, and she’d had a hard time keeping her mind on the discussions going on around the room.
Adler had been at the pregnancy center with Stacey, filling them in on what Warfield Meats was bringing and how the tents would be set up. She’d sat in the back of the room so she could avoid his gaze as much as possible, and the entire time he talked she tried to keep her mind on what he was saying and not how amazing he looked.
