Papa?”
Disappointment pierces my heart, even though I know it shouldn’t. Damn, I wonder how many times my parents felt this way with me. It must’ve been enough for them to try to “fix” me, that’s for sure.
“Benny,” Mia urges, squeezing his hand.
I get to my feet. “It’s fine.” I kiss her forehead, attempt not to break down like a little bitch in public. “I’ll call you.”
“Keep moving!” the security guy yells. Fuck him.
“There’s Papa!” Benny shouts, and then he’s off, running through the open sliding doors toward Tammy and Joseph, who are waiting just inside.
Mia watches until he’s safe in her dad’s arms before turning to me. She pouts. “Thank you for… being you.” She almost laughs, rolling her eyes.
I take both her hands in mine and lean against my truck, the overwhelming emotions making it difficult to stand. “Thank you for making it happen.”
“Two weeks,” she says.
“Two weeks,” I repeat.
She kisses me so quick, I barely have time for it to register before she’s walking away, dragging her luggage behind her.
I watch her leave until the security guard stands in front of me. “Keep moving!”
“Jesus Christ, okay!”
“You’re holding up the line!” I look behind me. There are cars, sure, but no line. I turn back to him, my eyes narrowed. He’s at least half a foot shorter than me, scrawny as hell, and I don’t know why he seems to have an issue with me. I’m not the only one here. He points to a badge attached to a lanyard around his neck. “Just doing my job.”
I contain my eye-roll. If I ever become a shitbag because of a badge, I want someone to rip off my nuts. I glance one more time at Benny and Mia, now walking away, and take my keys from my pocket to show the guard. “I’m leaving,” I tell him, hands up in surrender.
“Leo!” Benny’s voice has me turning to him so fast, I almost lose my footing. He’s running toward me, Joseph walking only a step behind. His arms are outstretched, and so I squat down, ready to catch him. He collides with my chest, his arms folding around my head, squeezing as hard as his four-year-old muscles can handle.
“I’ll see you soon, bud,” I choke out, and I don’t want to let go of him either. Ever.
He pulls back, loosening his grip, but still holding on to me. “I forgot to give you something.”
“You did?”
He releases me and fishes a rock from his pocket, holding it between us.
“You’re going to get a fine,” the guard warns.
“Fine me,” I say, never taking my focus off Benny. From the corner of my eye, I see him pull out a handheld device. I don’t care.
“It’s got yellow in it.” Benny shows me the specks of yellow marring the stone, then looks up, his smile just for me. “It’s your favorite color.”
“It is,” I breathe out. “Thank you. I’m going to keep it with me always.” I take it from him, and his grin widens.
“I can’t wait to open the rock tumbler when we go back.”
“I know,” I say, my lungs filling with the warmth of his presence. “I’m excited to see what you have.”
“Can we go on another adventure?”
My smile is stupid. “We can go on as many adventures as you want.”
He nods, just as Joseph puts a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he says to me. “We have to go, or we’ll miss the flight.”
“All right.” I focus on my son. “I’ll call your mama, and maybe you and I can talk about where to go next?”
“Okay.” He hugs me one more time before I finally release him. “Bye, Leo!” He waves, and I wave back as I get to my feet. I watch him take Joseph’s hand as they walk through the sliding doors together. And then I see Mia, watching us, her sad smile aimed at me, and then Benny. She forces her lips to broaden as she takes his other hand, saying something to him I can’t make out.
After sucking in a breath and exhaling loudly, I look over at the guard, who’s still standing right fucking there. I sigh, checking my truck’s windshield. “Where’s my fine?” I ask him.
He motions to the sliding doors. “That man took it.”
Chapter Seventy-One
Leo
Benny’s features, besides his eyes, are all mine. But his mannerisms are very much Mia’s. Especially his little scowl, which, thankfully, he doesn’t do anywhere near as much as Mia. When I told her this, she scowled, proving my point.