Been There Done That (Leffersbee #1) - Hope Ellis Page 0,113

in Nick with my mother sitting right there. “God knows what these walls have seen.”

“I wouldn’t know, ma’am.”

If I’d had something to throw at him, I would have.

She snorted. “Of course you wouldn’t, dear.”

She gathered her purse. “You two be good to each other, take care of each other. The love you have for each other has always been so pure, so rare. Protect it. Decide you’ll hang on to each other, no matter what happens.”

I stood and hugged her. “Thank you, Mama.”

“Zora, hear me in this moment. I worry about all my children in equal measure. It’s my job as a mother and one day you’ll see. I worry Audre will fall in with the wrong crowd at UCLA and that Tavia won’t ever slow down long enough to learn herself, let alone allow someone to love her. That Walker won’t ever find the courage to face his own secrets and live in his truth. And that his peter will finally get sick and fall off from him sticking it into everything that moves.”

Nick failed to mask a snort of laughter.

“But do you know what I worry about for you?”

I was afraid of her answer. “No, I don’t.”

She squeezed my shoulder. “I worry you’ll never take the leap, the plunge, that will make you happy. That you’ll spend your life living the life you think you should, for everyone else. If there was one thing I could tell you, now that you’re on this new path, it would be this: it’s easier to save the world than to save yourself. I hope you work up the courage to do it, though, because you’re worth it.” She gave me another hug. “Love you, baby.”

She turned to Nick, arms open. “And you, my giant baby.” He bent to embrace her, and their hug lasted much longer, with her murmuring something in his ear as he nodded along.

I thought I detected a bit of moisture in his eyes when they straightened.

“Alright, I’ll see you children soon,” she declared, marching to the door like the little dictator she was. “Nick, I want that cake plate back when you’re done. And I hope one of you thinks to let Jackson know the little ruse he had going with Zora is up. Preferably before she’s expecting your first child.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Nick

“You rat bastard.”

I blinked in surprise.

Although, I wasn’t completely surprised. During our drive to her house, Zora warned me that Leigh would be back in town. I remembered that it was Leigh who’d driven Zora out to Michigan all those years ago and witnessed Rebecca’s kiss in the coffee shop.

I knew I had inroads to make with her best friend.

What I hadn’t expected was Leigh crossing the porch to greet me as soon as Zora and I ascended the steps to her house. She was clearly battle-ready.

I didn’t want to risk shaking hands. She looked mad enough to hack my arm off.

“And you.” She fixed Zora with a look that raised my hackles a bit. I pulled Zora behind me; better to face her small friend’s impressive fury myself.

“I realize a lot has changed since you left town—”

“Don’t you hide behind him,” Leigh barked, looking around me as if I wasn’t a full foot taller than her. “Face me like a woman.” Leigh ran a quick glance over me, sucked her teeth with a disdainful sound.

Zora peeked from around me. “We went to the gala, and—”

Leigh shook her head, lips pursed. “And let me guess. You ended up on top.”

I whirled around just in time to see Zora’s tiny nod. She looked proud of herself.

That’s right, baby.

She’d done magnificent work on top.

Wait a minute, how did Leigh know—

“We talked,” Zora told Leigh. “About what happened in Michigan. When we saw him that day in the coffee shop.”

“I didn’t cheat on her,” I informed Leigh.

Her face twisted up at me. “Let me guess. You heard the Shaggy song, too. It wasn’t you.”

I extracted my wallet and pulled out a thrice folded envelope. “I thought it might come to this. This is for you.”

She didn’t take it. “What’s that?”

“It’s a notarized letter from that coworker, the one you saw kiss me. Who I did not kiss back, for the record. My security team located her and obtained this signed statement.”

“You paid her for her statement?” Her voice dripped with scorn.

Damn, she was tough. She’d fit right in with the legal team at Rocket.

“I most certainly did not. She also offered her phone number, it’s all in there. She’s