what he does, or who he sees, and really, it’s none of my business.
Holden’s been working like crazy with his dad during the day, so by the time he’s done, he’s usually with that Brianna girl.
And me? Besides making an appointment for my annual checkup at the dentist, all I’ve done is constantly look up flights back to New York, and then talk myself out of actually booking them. Which is what I’m doing right now when Leo walks through the door. He halts when he sees me, and I drop my phone on the kitchen island, turn back to the oven and look at the lasagna I’ve made from scratch just so I have something to do. “Sorry,” I say, and I don’t even know what I’m apologizing for.
My eyes drift shut when I hear his heavy sigh and then the screen door closing after him. “Your grandpa just called,” he says, and I stand immediately, spin to him, my eyes wide as I wait for whatever it is he has to say. “He’s coming home tomorrow.”
When my face stretches with a smile, it feels so unfamiliar, like aged leather forming to a new shape. “That’s good,” I say, my voice breaking. I don’t think I’d realized until right this second how desperately I needed my grandpa.
Leo nods, his gaze dropping. “Probably not a good idea to book a flight back to New York then…” I realize he’s looking at my phone, at the screen that shows the checkout page of American Airlines.
I shake my head. “I wasn’t. I can’t really go there anyway.” I regret it the moment the words are out of my mouth.
Especially now that Leo’s looking at me with his eyes narrowed and jaw set, head tilted to the side. “Why not?” He takes one step closer and rests his hand on the island, right next to my phone.
I swallow my nerves and stare at his hand so I don’t have to look in his eyes. The very first time I sat opposite him on his porch all those years ago, I remember thinking that his eyes gave away too much, but revealed nothing at all. He still has those same eyes, and it takes everything in me not to get lost in them. “It’s nothing.”
His hand forms a fist, and then he’s cracking his knuckles, one by one. “Why can’t you go home, Mia?” The way he says it… it’s not a question. It’s a demand. And it’s so powerful that I lose my breath.
“It’s really nothing.” My speech is rushed, because the sooner I get it out, the sooner this will be over. “My dad has a girlfriend who lives with him, and she doesn’t really like me. Or, not me specifically, because she doesn’t know me, but just… she doesn’t like that I exist, I suppose, so it’s um… it’s better that I’m not there… for everyone.”
Leo’s quiet a moment, but he doesn’t make a move to leave. Instead, he exhales loudly and says, “Would you have left already—if you had somewhere to go?”
I shrug, still not looking at him. “Probably.” I wait a beat before asking, “Would you have left? If you had a way to?”
“Probably,” he responds. “My dad’s coming on Saturday, so...”
It’s Wednesday night. Which means we have two full days to somewhat live in this semi-awkwardness. “Hopefully, with Papa here tomorrow, it won’t be so bad.”
He doesn’t respond, and he doesn’t move a muscle, so I look up at him. Into his eyes. Mistake. I can see the hurt, and I don’t know what caused it. “My dad will probably be here around eleven. I wasn’t sure if you wanted to make plans to do something so you’re not around or whatever. I know you didn’t want him to know you were here.”
Right. I hadn’t thought about that. “Okay, thanks.”
“Why is it so bad if your mom knows you’re here?” he asks, and he has both hands on the island now, his index finger tapping on the countertop.
I lean on the sink behind me, my arms loose at my sides. “It’s not about me being here; it’s more where I’ve been. If she knows I’m in contact with my dad then she’ll find a way back into my life, which will be easier since I’m here, and then she can use me to get to his money.”
“Wait.” His eyes thin to slits. “Back into your life?”
I nod. “We haven’t had contact since I left your house that night.”