He notices things about me that no one else does.
Things that Huck never paid attention to.
Leon’s thoughtful gestures might seem romantic to outsiders. I suppose they are, because he’s my friend and they make me feel special.
Besides a couple of kisses when we were younger, that’s all we are and ever can be. Friends.
There are moments when I wonder if he really wanted more, as he admitted all those years ago. If I could have had more, until I ruined it. Moments where his touches linger, or I catch him looking at me with something akin to need in his eyes, but then it vanishes, and I tell myself it’s just wishful thinking on my part.
I can’t deny how I welcome Leon’s kindness as it’s the only romance I’ve experienced, since Huck’s idea of romance was buying me bathroom towels with my credit card last Christmas.
Asshole.
I fidget in Leon’s arms as he carries me bride-like, about to cross the threshold. “I’m too heavy, put me down.” I swipe at his shoulder.
He refuses to let me go. “No. You’ll tear your stockings on the driveway.” The determination in his tone tells me I’m fighting a losing battle.
“They’re not stockings. I’m wearing thigh-highs because I have a garter belt on, and anyway, they’re already torn.”
He stiffens but continues to walk slowly to the front door.
I wiggle my toes to show him the tattered, holy nylon in my stocking soles, the ones I got after I kicked off my shoes when I left the church so I could run faster.
The look of surprise on Leon’s face when he saw me was one I will never forget. Startled doesn’t cover it. Confusion and bamboozlement, though? Absolutely.
“If you had neighbors, they would think that we just got married.” My nervous laughter fills the air. I shouldn’t have said that.
“If only that were true,” he mutters in a serious voice, sounding unlike himself.
He hasn’t had a girlfriend for years, so what does he mean?
Gigi was his last girlfriend. She was career-focused, determined, and fiercely protective of Leon’s time. Often, Lily, my sister-in-law, remarked how much she resembled me, though I never saw it because, well, Gigi was a makeup artist for A-list stars and always looked stunning. She only wore designer brands I couldn’t recognize and made me feel so out of touch. While she was lovely, I never liked the way she tried to get Leon to cut his long, beachy waves I’ve always loved, and I hated when she made plans with her friends all the time and pulled him away from our close-knit friendship circle. Specifically, me.
I look up at the gigantic house Leon lives in alone, then back at him.
He looks incredibly handsome in his tux. He looks good in everything he wears, but today, he looks dashing and every inch the billionaire businessman I’ve come to know and trust.
“Can I ask you something?” I ask tentatively, almost at the front door.
“Anything.”
I play with the collar of his shirt, feeling uneasy for some stupid reason. “What you just said implied you wished you were getting married. Is that what you want, Leon?” Having known him for over twenty years, I’ve never seen him look so sad.
He ignores my question completely and shifts the focus back to me, and it annoys me more than it should. “We’re not talking about me. I want to know what happened today, Erika,” he says, still holding onto me as if I weigh nothing, making no attempt to put me down.
I try to find the right words, but there’s no easier way to say it. “I don’t love him,” I finally admit to someone other than myself. “Something just didn’t feel right. It hasn’t for a while.” I sigh as if the whole world is sitting on my shoulders. “When I was standing in the side room of the church, it was like I was having this strange out-of-body experience where I could see myself in a dress that felt ill-fitting. I was watching on, in a daze, as everyone around me was busy getting ready, and I felt no joy in any of it.”
“No joy?”
“Not even a glimmer.” Another shaky breath leaves me. “I let everyone down.”
“No, you didn’t. You did the right thing for yourself, and that’s all that matters.” Leon squeezes my waist, trying to offer some much-needed reassurance, but all it does is make my stomach flip and land in the pit of my gut. I left a lot of upset guests behind at the church for my brother and mom to handle. “I need to call Ash and my mom.” They must be so disappointed. I hope the press doesn’t catch wind of this. Although, how could they not? I was flooded with magazine offers to sell my wedding photos. Huck hated me for turning them all down because hethought it was a missed opportunity for him to promote his band, but I’ve never been one to use the press, and I wasn’t about to start.
“You need to get out of this dress, take a shower, and then call your family,” Leon says firmly, then, “Open up.” His front door opens automatically on his command.
From sensors to voice activation and app control, Leon’s house takes the meaning of a smart home to a whole new level.
“Are you carrying me across the threshold?” I tease easily, something I didn’t think I would be capable of yet.
