Page 26 of Eight Days of Christmas
“You liked my hands well enough last night.”
“Leo, I would’ve liked this snowman’s hands last night.”
He couldn’t help the smile that teased its way onto his lips. “You realize we’re going to drive each other crazy this week.”
She cocked a brow before sauntering away. “Fully aware.”
“Long as you know.”
“Oh, I know.”
Back at the Hoffman house,Leo finally unloaded his duffel bag, shoving his clothes into the dresser in his old bedroom. The tiniest hint of lavender filled the room, reminding him of Mom, and he wished he hadn’t agreed to stay here for the week. The quilt Mom made him when he was a boy lay spread across the small twin bed. He ignored it and slammed the dresser drawer, crossing the hall into the bathroom.
Leo hopped in the shower, grateful for the vital breather from Isabella and their tension. He anxiously washed away the airplane germs and the heavy make-out session with her from the night before. If he could, he’d scrub away the old bogged-down feelings and emotions he thought he’d long since forgotten.
He’d known it wouldn’t be easy spending time with Isabella this week, but Leo hadn’t anticipated that so many feelings would percolate to the surface. What happened between them was so long ago. All his bitterness, hurt, and even lust should’ve died long ago. In fact, those emotions should be nonexistent. So what if he and some girl made plans for their future and then she broke off those plans with zero explanation?
Leo stepped out of the shower, dried off, and dressed in a pair of jeans and a vintage Colorado Avalanche sweatshirt. He sat on the edge of his bed and pulled on a pair of thick wool socks. The old bedroom had been stripped bare from all childish memorabilia long ago. All of his hockey trophies, band posters, and memories of Isabella—gone. They’d stayed up until right after his mom died. He’d wanted to tear everything down when the realization sunk in that Isabella wasn’t returning. But he hadn’t wanted to change anything and upset his mom. She’d been so fragile in those last few weeks and keeping things the same seemed to calm her.
But in a fit of rage, after Mom couldn’t hold on anymore, he’d torn everything down. A couple of trophies had broken in the crossfire, a few posters torn, and photos of him and Isabella crumpled and ripped.
Leo pushed his hands through his damp hair and released a growl of a breath, attempting to push away the memories.
Landon popped his head in through the open doorway, hands resting on both sides of the doorframe. “Hey.”
Leo glanced up. “Hey.”
“Dad’s home. We’re gonna head over to the Whitley’s for dinner. You about ready?”
Leo rested his elbows on his thighs. “Yep,” he dragged out the word.
Landon entered Leo’s bedroom and strolled around, crossing his arms. “Look, I understand this is weird for you. Hanging out at the Whitley’s and with Isabella. But it really means a lot to Norah that you’re there. And to me.”
Leo pushed off his thighs and stood like he was heaving up much more weight than his own. “Yeah, I know.”
He wanted to say more. That it was more than weird. It was uncomfortable, and frustrating, and awkward. But none of that mattered. He wouldn’t let his little brother down.
Landon peeked through the Venetian blinds which coincidentally lined up perfectly with Isabella’s bedroom window. “Did the two of you talk on the drive?”
“A little.” Leo swiped at the drips from his hair on the back of his neck. There was a point on their drive when they’d talked. And another point when they’d done a lot more than talking. But telling Landon about that would only make things more complicated.
“Did she finally come clean about her reason for not coming home?”
Leo’s gut pinched. “I didn’t ask.”
Landon released his fingers from the slats of the blinds and straightened. “You serious?” He shot him an incredulous look.
Leo clenched his jaw. He didn’t want to get into it with Landon. The last thing he wanted to do was upset him. “What’s the point?” He snatched his beanie from the bed and stuffed it over his still-damp hair.
“The point—” Landon approached him “—is that she wrecked you, bro. And you deserve an explanation.”
Leo puffed out his chest and brushed past his little brother. “She didn’t wreck me. I’m fine. Some might even say…peachy.” He sent a smirk over his shoulder. Why shouldn’t he make light of this?
“You’re not fine. And you’re definitely not peachy,” Landon said to Leo’s back as he followed him out of the room and down the hall.
Leo’s pulse quickened, and he whipped around at the top of the stairs. “What do you want from me, man?”
“I want you to admit that she wrecked you by leaving the way she did. And I want you to demand that she give you an explanation.”
