Page 84 of Punishing His Runaway Bride

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"Baby, what are you drawing?"

Leo looked up, those green eyes bright.

"An airplane." He held up the picture. "Ella, look."

Ella took it, glanced at it, and smiled.

"It's really good. Does Leo want to ride on an airplane?"

Leo nodded.

"I do. Mommy says airplanes can fly really high, all the way above the clouds."

"Where does Leo want to go?"

Leo tilted his head, thinking.

"I want to go to Mommy's home."

Ella froze.

"Mommy's home?"

"Yeah," Leo said. "Mommy says she used to live in a really big city. With really tall buildings and lots of cars and a really big park. I want to see it."

Ella turned to look at me.

I lowered my head, kept trimming the jasmine.

"You will," Ella said, touching Leo's head. "Leo will definitely get to go someday."

She came back, sat across from me.

Pulled an envelope from her bag, set it on the table.

"This quarter's."

I glanced at the envelope, pushed it back.

"Don't need it."

"Olivia—"

"I said, I don't need it."

"How much does this flower shop make in a month?" Anger crept into her voice. "Rent, utilities, Leo's expenses—you do the math. Is it enough?"

"It's enough."

"Bullshit!" She lowered her voice but stayed fierce. "Look atyourself. How thin have you gotten? Last time I was here, I wanted to say something—you've lost more weight in the past six months. Are you skipping meals to save money again?"

"I'm not."

"You are." She stared at me. "Olivia, I know you want to do it on your own. But you don't owe me. This money—"

"I do owe you." I cut her off, looked up at her. "Ella, you've already helped me too much. The hospital bills, the plane tickets, these five years—"

"None of that matters." She cut me off. "We're friends."

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