Page 114 of Heartache & Playdates
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I hoped it was Maddox. Last night in the supply closet had been incredible, better than incredible, but I wasn’t sure where that left us.
Were we still just friends?
Were we friends with benefits?
I was hoping for the latter, but I knew that wasn’t sustainable. It was playing with fire, and I would inevitably end up a pile of ashes. Because, at some point, he was going to meet someone. I was actually surprised he hadn’t yet. Women were lining up to date him. Literally.
Every morning and afternoon at pickup I saw them wait their turn to flirt with him. They were constantly trying to set up playdates with their children and Hannah.
One day, some lucky lady, either one of them or someone else, was going to get past the walls he puts up. He would fall for them and any friends with bennies relationship we had would end. I’m not sure my heart, head, or hormones could take that.
It was better if we had boundaries. I knew I would never stop wanting him. But I needed him in my life. Hewasmy soulmate. And I couldn’t lose him.
When I pulled my phone out of my pocket, I was disappointed to see it was Trent telling me there was still time to catch my flight. I rolled my eyes.
Heneverlistened to me. It was his way or no way. For years, that never bothered me. I had no problem doing things on his timelines and terms. But that was before. It was when I was living under the dark cloud of my past that had caused me to be a shell of myself. I hid it well.
I had lived a life a lot of people would consider rich and full. I had a job I loved, friends I loved, and a man in my life that took me on lavish vacations, dinners, and bought me expensive gifts. But inside I was hiding a huge part of my story, the biggest part. The part that made me who I was today. But now, things were different. No more clouds of secrecy, the sun was out and shining and I found my voice.
I was deciding whether to ignore the text or block him or both, when I heard the bell on the front door. No one used the doorbell except delivery people, so I figured it was a package. I’d ordered some things from Amazon to help organize my room.
It was time to unpack and get organized.
“Farfallina!” Nonna called out from the sunroom. “Door.”
“I’m getting it.” I put my phone back in my pocket and headed down the hall.
When I opened it, I expected to see a package on the porch, so I was looking down. Instead, I saw a rolling suitcase. I looked up and saw a sight that brought tears to my eyes.
“Leo!” I gasped as I threw my arms around his neck. “What are you doing here?”
As he hugged me, I realized just how much I’d missed him. He’d been the one constant in my adult life, except Nonna. But she’d lived so far away, I’d only seen her once or twice a year. Leo and I lived together for a decade and even after he moved out with Cam, he only moved around the corner so we saw each other every day or at the most every other day.
It had been a month since I’d seen his face and I’d missed it.
“I have a niece I need to shower with two decades worth of love, attention, and of course, gifts, a Nonna I need to help recover, and anelephantI need to meet.”
I leaned back and wiped away the tears that had fallen down my face. “I’m so glad you’re here! How long are you staying?”
“As long as you need me to, as long as that’s less than ten days, it’s all I could get off.”
“But, you’re gonna miss Valentine’s Day with Cam.”
“No I’m not. He’s at the hotel.”
“But, you brought your bag.” I pointed to the rolling case. “You’re not staying here?”
“No, I’m staying at the Marriot. But you know I’ve always wanted to show up on someone’s doorstep with my bag, and I will never pass up a cinematic bucket list opportunity.”
My head fell back as I laughed. Maddox and I might not have the sort of love and relationship that I’d always wished we would, but I had a family. For the first time in my life, I finally had arealfamily.
47
MADDOX
“Can I see Lina today?”Hannah asked from the back seat as I turned onto Lizzy’s street to drop her off at her mom’s. I’d picked her up at Nick’s an hour ago after her sleepover and we’d gone to have pizza.
“Not today, she’s going to be with her mom today.” Lina had messaged that she was going to head over to Peyton’s after she went to some yoga class this morning with Wendell and Julissa from work and then to an escape room.
