Page 109 of Jessica Beam is a Hot Mess
‘You wereengaged?’
That juicy titbit was not on Google. And Valentina definitely didn’t mention it.
Leo takes a large gulp of his wine. ‘A long time ago.’
I look up at him curiously. ‘Why didn’t you get married?’
He inhales long and low.
‘I . . . well, I actually caught her fooling around with my father.’
What the hell? Ew. That is a concept so gross that I want to swear out loud, but I have to keep up the soothing voice.
‘Oh dear,’ I gasp. ‘That’s horrible! Why on earth would they dothat? Sorry, that’s very nosy of me. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.’
‘I don’t mind,’ he says. ‘It’s pretty mental, isn’t it?’
‘Um, yes. Pretty mental,’ I agree, wide-eyed with horror.
‘It happened years ago − the summer after I’d left university,’ Leo explains, taking another gulp of his drink. ‘I had this ridiculous idea that I was going to travel Europe, try to become an artist on my own dime without the help of family money.’ He rolls his eyes and laughs mirthlessly. ‘Katie and I had been dating for about a year and she wanted me to join Dad’s company − she had her heart set on a very particular sort of lifestyle and thought me being a Frost would afford her that. When she realized that I was going to focus on art, intended to live by simple means, she completely lost interest in me. Thought she’d have a crack at my dad instead.’
‘But why would he . . .’
‘My father is many great things, but moral is not one of them.’
I think of the way Rufus Frost looked at me when we met at Leo’s office. Barf.
‘I caught the pair of them drunkenly pawing each other in the downstairs bathroom during a family barbecue,’ Leo explains, his voice low. ‘The two people in the world who I thought had my back lied to me. I had to forgive my father – I’ve not exactly got an abundance of family to pick and choose from – but we’ve neverquiterecovered from it.’
‘That is so, so rubbish,’ I say, taking the bottle of wine and topping up our cups. No wonder he just freaked out.
Leo’s pale face flushes crimson, the frown between his eyebrows deepening. ‘Apologies, Luce. I didn’t expect that to happen. This grimness is not what I had in mind for today.’
‘God, don’t apologize.’ I lean back against the bench. ‘It must have been a relief to go travelling after all that.’
‘I didn’t go in the end. After everything that had happened, such a romantic notion suddenly seemed idiotic and childish.’
I nod thoughtfully. ‘So . . . have you had many girlfriends since Katie?’
Leo shakes his head and drains his drink. ‘Not really.’
‘No?’
‘I mean, I’ve dated women. Lots of them. So many, in fact, that I’m painted as some sort of womanizer in the press.’ He pauses and gives me a wry smile. ‘I don’t know if I should be telling you this – not exactly helping my cause, am I?’
I do my Lucille giggle. ‘I like that you’re being honest with me. So . . .areyou a womanizer?’
He shrugs. ‘I hate that word. But honestly? Yes, I was. I was a bit of a dickhead for a while, actually. Since Katie, I’ve had this issue that every woman I meet has an ulterior motive. Whether it’s my family money, or this ridiculous notoriety of being a ‘playboy’, or the column inches and being seen in the right places. God, that sounds arrogant, doesn’t it?’ He pulls a face. ‘What I mean is that it’s been easier to live up to the press and become this caricature of myself rather than to open myself up to another situation like Katie.’
‘You haven’t seemed like a caricature to me,’ I say honestly.
Leo gives me a warm smile which completely softens his aloof features. He moves closer to me on the bench and, up close, I notice that there’s a light sprinkle of freckles dusted across his patrician nose. Cute. My stomach dips.
‘That’s because you’re different, Lucille.’ He takes my paper cup from my hand and puts it, with his, on the twig-covered ground beside us. He leans sideways against the bench and pulls me towards him. ‘You knew nothing about me when we met at the funfair,’ he continues, his voice husky. ‘You had no idea who I was. No expectations or motives.’
I swallow guiltily. He hasn’t a freaking clue.
It occurs to me that the reason for Leo’s arrogance, his past behaviour is not as simple as him just being a massive twat. It’s more complex than that. He has this history, this awful thing that happened to him, that hardened him, made him push people away. I get it. Not that it’s forgivable, but maybe if Valentina knew this she’d understand it more, feel less angry at him, understand why he acted the way he did.
