The Right One - Felice Stevens Page 0,91
and two paramedics whisked Jeffrey away. Jet stayed behind to take their statements while the other officer left to accompany Jeffrey in the ambulance.
Becca carried in a coffeepot, Walter brought the cups on a tray, and they settled around the large wooden dining table. While Becca poured the coffee, Jet took out his pen and flipped open his pad.
“Becca, let’s start with you.”
While she spoke, Leo’s mind wandered. Becca had proudly told him the story of how Walter had carved the table and eight matching chairs of the dining-room set as a wedding present for her. Sunlight picked up the warm tones of the honey-gold wood and the rich colors on the flowered rug. Pictures of Morgan growing up filled the walls, and Leo had spent the previous evening looking at each one, from baby photos taken at a JC Penney to his gap-toothed smile at the lake with Walter helping him hold his first fish, happy moments unfolding all the way to his college graduation. Leo could feel the love in the room, and it made him miss his father, not with the blinding ache of pain, but with the sweetness of knowing he’d also had that kind of love for a short while. He rubbed his eyes, concentrating on the deputy, who was now gazing at Morgan with intent, probing eyes.
“That man is your husband?” Deputy Jet asked.
“Ex,” Leo snapped, and four sets of eyes stared at him. “Sorry,” he mumbled.
Morgan clasped his hands over the table. “We’ve been divorced for almost a year and a half, but it seems he can’t accept it. In September he was arrested for stalking and violating a court order of protection, but being a lawyer, he knew how to work the system and got out with community service and a few days in jail. He’s left us alone, but I don’t know…maybe he’s been watching us all along.” A shudder rippled through him, and Leo put his hand over Morgan’s, sliding up to his wrist to hold him.
On their prior visit upstate together, right after everything went down with Jeffrey, Morgan had finally told his parents the real reason for his divorce, and Leo thought he’d have to lock the doors to keep Becca and Walter from going to the city, finding Jeffrey, and doing him bodily harm. Their protective instinct was even stronger than his.
“Don’t worry,” Leo told him, “he’s not going to hurt you. I promise.”
Jet’s gaze flickered from their hands to his face. “And you are?”
“Morgan’s boyfriend.”
“So I’ve gathered,” the deputy said dryly. “Do you also have a name?”
“Leo DeLuca,” he gritted out. “I’m upset. Obviously.”
“Obviously. You’ve known Morgan long?”
“Since the spring.”
“Ah.”
Leo shot him a dark look but kept his temper in check. “You’re going to arrest Jeffrey, right?”
“That’s the plan.” Jet checked his notes. “Morgan, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about him any longer. We have him on a whole host of charges, and we’ll make sure he doesn’t get off as easy.” He tucked away his pad and stood. “It’s good to see you again, by the way. Been a while.”
“Yeah, I haven’t been up here too much since I left, but that’s going to change. Leo and I love it.”
“And we love having them.” Becca directed a smile toward him. “Leo has been such a help around the house, fixing things with Walter and taking the heavy loads of wood in from the back. It’s like having a second son.”
Heat rose in his face. “It was nothing. I’m happy to do it.” He ducked his head but not before seeing the resignation in Jet’s eyes. Satisfaction filled him.
That’s right. He’s mine, and it’s staying that way.
“I’ve got to go and meet Donald now at the hospital and see what’s going on. I’ll keep you posted. Have a good rest of the day.”
He left them at the table, and Becca collected the coffee cups. “Well, that was more excitement than I was willing to have on a Saturday. Walt, help me clean up.” With a wink, Walter picked up the coffeepot and followed her into the kitchen, the door swinging shut behind him.
“I didn’t realize Jet had come home and was a deputy here. Last I knew, he was playing football for Michigan State. There was talk of him making pro.”
“Figures,” Leo muttered.
“What?” Morgan nudged him. “Why do you say that?”
“Nothing.” He sounded like a jealous idiot but couldn’t help it. He was. “Were you two friends? Did you ever date?”
Morgan burst out laughing. “Date? Jet? You’re kidding, right? He’s straight. Quarterback of the high-school football team, and I never saw him without a crowd of cheerleaders around him. From what I remember, he had a different girl every weekend. I was younger and barely talked to him. He never noticed me.”
“That guy’s about as straight as a street-cart pretzel. And trust me, he’s noticed you now. He’s interested in you.” Leo folded his arms. “I can tell.”
“Interested in—” A broad smile broke over Morgan’s face. “Are you…jealous?” Laughter bubbled out of him, and Leo glared. “Oh my God, you are. That’s the funniest, and you’re the cutest thing ever.”
“I’m not cute, and it isn’t funny. He wants you. The way he looked at you when he asked questions…trust me, I know that look.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“He looks at you like I do. Like he wants to eat you up and swallow you whole. So no, I’m not kidding.”
“I’m not interested in hearing about Jet.” Morgan left his seat, straddled Leo, and pressed their cheeks together. “What I meant is, if you think for one second I’d even consider another man when I have you, I obviously haven’t told you enough lately how much I love you.”
Leo wrapped his arms around Morgan, holding on tight to his forever. The scent of him, the feel of his lithe, strong body, never failed to calm him whenever life got too much.
“I don’t know shit about relationships and saying the right things. But I don’t ever want to disappoint you.”
Morgan’s smile imprinted on his cheek. “You say you don’t know about being in a relationship, but I’ve never been happier, so you’re doing something right.”
Leo tasted his lips, finding them still sweet from the apples they’d snacked on earlier. “You mean everything to me. I don’t have pretty words to say how I feel, but it comes straight from my heart.”
Making Morgan’s eyes light up and glow was something Leo strived to do every day, and he vowed to keep that fire from ever fading. Once Morgan’s lease was up, he’d be moving into the apartment with Leo until they decided whether they would stay there or move to the new one he and Peter finished rehabbing. Where they lived didn’t matter, as long as they were together.
“I don’t need pretty words, Leo. I don’t need words at all. I knew you were the right one for me because not only did I fall in love with you, but you made me love myself.”
Morgan had done the same for him, especially now. Another stroke had paralyzed his mother, leaving her unable to walk or talk, and Leo found himself leaning on Morgan’s strength. It was Morgan who helped him late at night when he couldn’t sleep and wrestled with his past betrayal and pain clashing with the present dilemma of his mother’s worsening condition. Understanding there most likely wasn’t much time left, Leo had decided to make his peace with Theresa. He no longer hated her. What purpose did that serve?
“Boys? Are you finished in there?” Becca called from the kitchen. “I don’t want to interrupt, but I’m waiting for my apples. If you want a pie tonight, that is.”
“Shall we go?” Morgan kissed that sensitive spot under his ear that made him shiver, and Leo wondered how he’d lived without this for so long.
You weren’t living. You were existing.
“Yeah. I think we were in the middle of something.”
“Beginning, middle, or end, as long as I’m with you, I’m happy.”
* * *
ABOUT FELICE STEVENS
* * *
Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. She believes that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner. She writes books where men live, work, and play hard but love each other even harder.
When she isn't writing, you can find her doing one of the things she loves best, interacting with her readers in her Facebook group, Felice's Breakfast Club.
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