Page 86 of Starting Back
“Sorry,” he said to my mother with a sheepish smile.
“Oh, don’t be sorry. Sheisgorgeous.” Mom squeezed his arm. “We’ll go into the living room so you can say hello.”
“Hi, Leo!” Emma wrapped what she could of her tiny arms around his muscular thighs.
“I didn’t mean you.” Mom chuckled and held out her hand.
“It’s all right,” Leo said and picked Emma up. “We’re old friends right, chiquita?”
“Yep,” she said and swiveled her head to my mother. “He took me on my first fire truck.” Her brows snapped together as she turned back to Leo. “That’s not my name.”
“It means ‘little one’ in Spanish.Speciallittle one.”
“Like when Mike calls you pipsqueak, but a little nicer,” I tried to explain, holding back a laugh at her slow nod.
“So, I’m special?” she asked, her little forehead creased as if she were mulling it over.
“Very,” Leo said, drawing a giggle from Emma when he tickled her side. As I looked between them, my heart squeezed so hard it ached, grateful for my daughter’s pure and open heart.
“Oh, okay. It was really cool, Grandma. Leo showed meeverything,” she said, craning her neck back to my mother.
“I heard. The one year I miss the festival, all the good stuff happens.” Mom’s brow popped up when she glanced at me over her shoulder. I hadn’t told her about the kiss in the bar, but I didn’t have to. She wasn’t a Kelly Lakes resident anymore but her over-fifty community a town over was close enough. When she was overly thrilled to see me the following day, I was certain she’d been filled in by one of her former neighbors or a member of my traitorous family.
“But no sirens because he said we couldn’t scare people.”
“I can see that. Why don’t we let them head out, and we can choose a movie for tonight?” Mom lifted Emma out of Leo’s arms and set her down. “You had dinner already, and Leo and Mommy are probably really hungry.”
“But he just got here.” She peered up at us with a deep frown.
“He’ll be back. I promise,” I said, sneaking a smile at Leo. “Maybe he can come here for dinner next time, and we’ll bake him dessert.” I crouched in front of her. “Now, give me a kiss goodnight since you’ll be way into dreamland when I get home.”
She threw her arms around my neck and squeezed. I kissed her cheek, my heart sinking when I scanned the living room and what I could see of the kitchen.
Chloe was nowhere in sight and had most likely retreated up to her room. I’d leave her alone for the moment but would speak to her in the morning to remind her about manners for guests in this house, no matter what her feelings were.
“Good night, Leo.” Emma stepped in front of him and held up her arms. “I’m little, but you’re really tall. Can I see if I can touch the ceiling?”
“You sure can,” Leo said, lifting her up as if she were nothing but a feather and holding her over his head by her waist while she stretched her arm toward the ceiling.
“I got it!” she said, flashing us a wide grin when she dropped her hand.
“Sweet dreams.” He kissed her forehead and set her down.
I wrapped my arms around Leo’s waist after Emma scurried into the living room to join her grandmother.
“Hi.”
“Hi yourself, beautiful.” I laughed as he kissed my forehead, remembering the same breathless greeting he’d given me after our kiss at the bar.
“You’re beautiful too.” I coasted my hands down his chest. “I wish you could come back and stay, but—”
“Hey, baby steps.” He tapped my chin with his knuckle. “I’m just happy I can take you out. The right way. Where’s Chloe?”
“Hiding in her room. She needs to get used to this, and she will. I hope sooner rather than later.”
He nodded, cupping my cheek as a smile pulled at his mouth. He leaned in and brushed my lips, his grin deepening with every lingering kiss.
“I’ll be here, either way.”
