that might make him think talking to me was a bad idea.
“Yeah…” As his voice trailed off, I fiddled with my bag strap, ready to turn and continue walking away.
I wasn’t about to ask him for more detail than he wanted to tell me. We were on such shaky ground. I didn’t want to try to move too fast. Kane’s and Kairo’s advice echoed through my mind again. I had to let Leo come to me.
“Are you free for dinner?” He blurted the question out like he was afraid he might not have the courage to do it if he waited.
“Yes.” I shot back an equally quick answer before I remembered I was supposed to be keeping my cool. “Uh, I mean. Yeah.” I nodded. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’m free.” I stopped talking before excitement took control of my mouth and said things my brain hadn’t given approval to.
“Cool, cool.” Leo’s smile was tight, but he nodded his head, and we exchanged phone numbers.
“I’ll text you the address for dinner when I get home,” Leo said as he slipped his phone away before he offered me another wave and jogged away.
I watched after him, a slow smile curving my lips.
Dinner with Leo. I’d join him in a crater on the moon if that was the address I received. I whistled a little as I strolled to my car.
11
Leo
It was too late for second thoughts now. I’d sent the text. Not only that, I’d sent the text and received a reply about three fucking seconds later like Shayne had been holding his phone in his hand since I told him to expect a text. As much as I tried to scoff at that idea, excitement flitted through me, and I swallowed, trying to push it away.
Dinner with Shayne was just another step along the road to forgiveness. It was about me making mental health progress. No more than that.
Of course, I could tell that to myself as many times as I liked. Telling it to the seven guys who all looked shockingly like me and who were crammed into my living room right now was a different story.
“Was that him?” Jamie glanced at me, his eyes curious, before he reached for another chip from the bowl Adrian had raided my kitchen to provide for everyone.
It was pretty much the only junk food I had lying around, so they were making do. At least this brotherly invasion wouldn’t last long if I wasn’t doing the catering part right.
“Yeah.” I read the message again, although I didn’t need to.
Great. See you later.
“He was just confirming.” As I spoke, my heart dropped away. Shayne was actually coming to my home after seven years. What was I thinking?
“Are you sure this is a good idea, dude?” Grady crunched noisily on a chip before reaching for his glass of water. “And next time, I’m bringing my own beer.”
I exhaled a slow sigh. “I’m sure everything will be fine. Shayne seems like he’s really changed. And I’m different, too.”
Seven mouths twisted in unison—apparently, I hadn’t convinced any of them.
I laughed. “Come on, guys. I’m serious. I’m not a kid anymore. The past is the past.” I swallowed, almost unable to believe those words had come out of my mouth. I wouldn’t have been able to say them six months ago, but maybe things had been slowly changing since I ran into Shayne again that first time.
Whatever the reason, the words weren’t a lie. Things were different, and it didn’t really make sense, but I just felt it.
Saint watched me, his gaze shrewd. “Just look after yourself. You’ve made huge, huge strides in your self-confidence and I think we’re all worried that being around Shayne again will set you back.”
A dart of defensiveness sped through me, and I opened my mouth to speak before closing it again. I didn’t even know who I was defending—Shayne to say he’d never do that, when history had already proved me very wrong, or myself to say I was in a better place now. And that much was true, but it seemed like I might be tempting fate to announce it. Especially as not every day was a good one.
“Well, let me just say that you should play it cool, then. Don’t seem too eager.” Saint’s eyes were gentle with concern, and Mason nodded.
“Sounds like good advice to me, Leo.”
I rolled my eyes. Mason seemed to have been married forever. He was probably never eager about anything these days.
Still, I didn’t