“Leo, you should go with him.”
“What?”
“You mentioned wanting to see what stupid bullshit they’re up to today. Why don’t you go with Jin?”
Leo looks away, leaning against his broom. When he looks at me, there’s a tentative nervousness to him. “I wouldn’t want to intrude or bother you.”
“You wouldn’t be,” I say right away and meaning it. I have no idea why I’m feeling like this but it would be silly to just ignore it.
Leo leaves me feeling splayed open. He makes me feel intrigued. I want to know everything there is to know about him. I want to sit and stare at him until the only thing I see when I close my lids is his face.
This isn’t normal. I know it’s not.
The fact is, I don’t really care.
“Okay,” Leo says softly. He quickly tosses the ceramic into the trash and leans the broom behind the table by Bren.
“Ready?”
“Have fun! Tell Andras I say hi and I’ll be over to see him soon.”
Excitement makes my insides feel all melty in the most wonderful way. Leo is so close to my side I can practically feel the heat coming off of him in waves, yet at the same time I can feel the distance between us like a tangible thing.
If I hadn’t just had this stupid soulmate tattoo put on my shoulder, showing me I was destined to be with me, myself, and I, I would think there was something really special here. Something supernatural pulling the two of us together. Instead,I do my best to just enjoy these new and exciting feelings for what they are.
Or at least, what I hope they are; a mutual attraction. Maybe even a tentative new friendship.
“Do you work with Bren?”
Leo shakes his head. “I have a boring office job. He asked for help with this vendor event and I said yes because he’s one of my best friends.”
“That’s really kind of you.”
“What are friends for, right?”
“I guess,” I say, letting my voice trail off. “I don’t have any experience with having a best friend so I wouldn’t really know.”
“Really? You seem so outgoing and friendly!” Leo looks away quickly. “Shit, sorry. I barely know you, I shouldn’t be assuming things.”
“I don’t mind,” I tell him right away. “But you don’t have to make assumptions. I welcome the questions you might have.”
“Oh,” Leo says softly, a little smile playing at his lips. He opens his mouth to ask something but as we walk into the store, one of the workers jumps into our space.
“Hi, Leo!”
Leo’s eyes are wide as he stares at the man in front of him. “Jesus Christ, Damien. What the hell are youwearing?”
I look past Damien and see two more people who look exactly like him. Well, sort of. Their features are identical but their costumes couldn’t be more different. Triplets, that’s so interesting! I’ve never met a triplet before.
Damien and his brothers are all dressed up as candy. Damien is supposed to be a candy cane, if I had to guess. He’s wearing the tightest dress I’ve ever seen with red and white stockings up his legs and arm sleeves with the same pattern. He’s even wearing red and white themed make up on his eyes and lips andhis horns. His tail flicks behind him, holding a little candy cane. Jesus, these guys apparently go all out with their costumes.
That’s sofun!
“I’m a candy cane!”
“A slutty candy cane,” Leo says with wide eyes. “Does Raphael know you wore this to work today?”
“Of course I knew,” Raphael says from further in the shop.
