Page 85 of Punishing His Runaway Bride
"That's exactly why I can't keep taking your money."
She stared at me for a long time.
Then sighed.
"Fine." She put the envelope back in her bag. "You won't take it anyway. We've been fighting about this for five years."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize." She stood. "I have to go. My flight's tonight, and I still need to pack at the hotel."
She came over, hugged me.
"Take care of yourself," she said in my ear. "And Leo."
"Yeah."
She let go, walked to the register, said goodbye to Leo.
"Baby, I'm leaving."
Leo dropped his crayons, ran over and hugged her legs.
"When is Ella coming back?"
"Three months." She bent down, kissed his forehead. "Leo has to listen to Mommy."
"Okay!"
Ella stood, glanced at me once, turned and walked out.
The door closed behind her.
The shop went quiet again.
I kept trimming the jasmine.
"Mommy."
Leo's voice pulled me back. I looked down—Leo had appeared beside me, looking up at me.
I touched his head. "What is it, baby?"
"I can eat one less piece of bread for breakfast." His face was serious. He thought for a moment, then added with difficulty, "And I won't eat my afternoon snack either."
I froze, then frowned, crouched down to check him over. "Why not? Are you feeling sick?"
He stood still, let me rub his little belly, said in his small voice, "Because we're too poor. We need to save money."
My hands stopped. I realized he'd overheard my conversation with Ella and come up with this "brilliant idea."
I relaxed, torn between crying and laughing, tapped his little forehead. "I'm not so poor I need to cut your meals."
He covered his forehead, those green eyes looking at me skeptically. "Really? Mommy can't lie."
I held up three fingers. "I swear. I absolutely am not lying to Leo."
Only then did Leo smile, satisfied, and bounced back to his seat to finish his masterpiece.
