Chapter 39
Reese
I pound my fist into Leo’s front door and I’m seeing red. I’m so pissed off. Pissed off and frustrated. And I’m not gonna let him just get away with this.
The door swings open and I stumble back, his virile masculine beauty knocking the wind out of me. For a second, I forget to be mad at him. All I feel is love, hot and pulsing in the air between us, begging to be embraced and explored. Then, it morphs back into rage. Red-hot rage.
While all this plays out in my head, he stares down at me with a blank face, like I’m a stranger, some girl scout who showed up at this door to sell chocolate-covered almonds or something. Fuck this guy!
“I went to pick up Brenton from school today,” I say angrily, “They told me that someone else had already taken him.” Ending our romantic situation is one thing. Cutting me out of Brenton’s life is another thing completely. It’s cruel.
Leo scrubs his hand down the side of his face. “Yeah, that old lady down the street—Mrs. Pinnchecko—she’ll be watching him from now on.” He says it so matter-of-factly, like he doesn’t realize he’s crushing my heart in his hand.
I fold my arms tightly over my chest like a suit of armor. “And why’s that?”
His voice is flat and lifeless. “I think that’s what’s best for everyone.”
He stands there with his white shirt unbuttoned and his jeans low on his hips and his feet bare. His hair is all messed up and he smells like liquor. There’s a cigarette tucked behind his ear.
I love him but I want to punch him in the throat. I want to yell at him. Instead, my shaky voice comes out as a whisper. “Why are you doing this?”
“It’s just—it’s easier this way…”
Is he even hearing himself right now? “Easier for who?” I question. “Easier for Brenton? Because he and I were getting along just fine. And as for you, you’re happier when I’m around. We both know that.”
He doesn’t answer. He just stares off into the distance, peering emotionlessly over my shoulder.
“Leo, talk to me!” I demand, stomping my heel.
“I won’t lie, Reese—I care about you. So much. But I’m supposed to be focused on Brenton right now. And I’ve been distracted. Running around like a carefree bachelor when I should have been focused on becoming a better dad—”
I cut him off. “What happened to Brent was an accident. He was standing on his backpack to turn on the light and he fell. That’s not my fault and it’s not yours. Kids get hurt all the time.” He remains unmoved by my logic. “Admit it, Leo. We work. You and me and Brent together, we work.”
His eyes go wild. He looks terrified of what I’m saying. He knows that I’m right. “Stop it, Reese.”
“Fuck your self pity, Leo. what we have is real. We make each other better. We make each other happy. Why are you so afraid of that? Why won’t you let me be there for the both of you? I don’t give up on the people I care about…I don’t want to give up on you and Brent.”
His voice snaps. "I don't need saving Reese. Me and Brent—we don’t need saving." Each syllable feels like a punch to the stomach. He reads the pain on my face and his eyes soften a touch. “Look, things were getting too intense, too complicated. The distance is what’s best for all of us.”
He reaches out to cradle my chin but I slink away. “Fuck. You.” I mutter as I back down the stairs. “Fuck. You.” I turn around and march along the walkway. I give him one last bitter look before I flounce into my house. I barely make it to the couch before collapsing under the weight of my pain.
This is a hard lesson for me. Sometimes loving someone isn't enough. Some people just don't want to be loved and they don't want to be saved and it's incredibly arrogant—and naive—of me to think that my love will be the thing to show them otherwise. I was just another stupid girl who thought that I could fix a broken man, that my love could be the glue to put his broken pieces back together.
And now I’m the one who’s broken. Looks like I’m gonna have to figure out how to fix me.