“What happened to Violet’s mom?” I ask. Based on Leo’s forced exhale, he wasn’t expecting me to shift the conversation that way, and for a second I think he’s going to push back and try to force the truth from me.
“She decided she didn’t want to be a mom anymore somewhere around Vi’s three month birthday. I guess no sleep and a colicky baby didn’t fit in with her lifestyle.”
“Seriously?” I almost shout but remember the sleeping angel in the back seat. “She just walked away from her own daughter?”
Leo nods, his lips a thin line. “Yeah, she handed me paperwork that signed full custody over to me, then packed up and left. We haven’t heard from her since.”
“Leo, I’m so sorry. You must have been devastated.”
He snorts and my eyes widen in surprise at his disdainful reaction.
“Not really. Alexa wasn’t the person I wanted to be with, or some great love or anything. She was a one-night stand with a condom that failed. I convinced her we should try and make it work for the baby, but the truth is, her leaving was a relief. She was miserable to be around throughout her pregnancy. It was clear she didn’t want Violet, and hell, at first, I wasn’t sure I did. That all changed, though, as I realized the baby growing inside of her was mine. A part of me that no one else would ever be. I guess I foolishly thought she’d change her mind when the baby was born. You know, fall in love with her kid or something. But no, she walked away and didn’t look back.”
A heavy silence fills the car when he finishes.
“Wow. I…I don’t know what to say.”
He darts a quick look at me, then reaches a hand over and places it on my leg.
“You don’t need to say anything. Like I said, I’m hoping we can at least be friends. And friends should know the shit each other has been through. That’s how we can try to trust again, to let people in again.”
The accuracy of his statement hits me deeply, and the subtext is not lost. He’s calling me out on my own liesandsaying he wants to try again. Try what? I don’t know and I don’t think he does. But something. His openness makes me want to be truthful.
“Thank you for telling me. I…wasn’t exactly honest earlier. About what freaked me out at the farm.”
Leo’s hand finds mine, and he threads our fingers together. I stare down at our hands, the sight both familiar and new at the same time.
“I know you weren’t, Tippy. It’s okay. When you’re ready, I’m here.”
“I’m scared, Leo.”
His hand squeezes mine. “Me too. But the fact that you live in the same town as my family, the same town I decide to move to raise my daughter; I can’t ignore that. It feels like fate is handing us another chance to get it right.”
“But what if we don’t get it right,” I whisper, unable to hold back from voicing my fear.
All of a sudden, Leo pulls the truck over to the side of the road. My eyes look back, but Violet is fast asleep.
He turns the engine off and opens his door, climbing out. I’m frozen, confused, until he opens my door.
“Get out.”
I do so, only because there’s no anger or malice in his words, nothing but my gentle Leo in front of me, holding out his hands. I take them and he pulls me into his chest, resting his chin on the top of my head like he used to.
“Serena Matheson. You were — damn it, you stillare— the love of my life. And I’m fucking terrified to admit that to you, so you’re not the only one who’s scared.” He pulls back slightly and cups my chin. “But aren’t you at least a tiny bit curious to see where this could go? We’ve been given a second chance, Tippy. Take as much time as you need to think about it and figure out if you want to, but you need to know — I do want to. I want everything with you.”
His lips meet mine in the briefest whisper of a kiss before pressing more firmly into my forehead.
“You don’t have to say anything right away. I just needed to hold you when I told you that.”
He releases me and walks back to the truck, leaving me frozen in place, overwhelmed, and just a tiny bit turned on by his swoon-worthy confession.
I seriously need to get my head on straight. And fast. Because while Leo seems all in on this second chance at what might have been, I’m more mixed up and scared than ever.
Chapter ten
Leo
“Leo, great to see you again. Thanks for taking this meeting.”