Waterfall Kisses (The Kisses 9)

“Hi, Elijah,” I greeted the man hiding in the shadows of a bush. He wasn't trying to be stealthy, just unobtrusive. I greatly appreciated that Eli always did his best to try and let Bastian and I have the illusion that we weren't always being followed. I knew of other bodyguards that loomed over their clients at all times, and while sometimes appropriate, I much preferred Eli's discrete practices.

“Good evening, Charlotte,” Elijah said, stepping out of the shadows. He was a big man with dark features. He often reminded me of a hunting lion in the way that he moved, not to mention that he was just as deadly.

“I'm going to walk home through town,” I told him. “Will you walk with me so I don't feel like I'm being stalked like a deer?”

Elijah chuckled and nodded. “Of course. Why through town though? It's a longer walk.”

“Because if you're here, then that means Bastian and Ava are safely tucked away at the mansion,” I said, starting to walk toward the main road through town. “And they should have a little privacy.”

“Yes, it is hard to find a private space with only 14 bedrooms,” Elijah said, rolling his eyes.

I let out a long frustrated sigh and considered telling him to just go back to stalking me.

We walked in silence. I found that I enjoyed his company a lot more when we weren't talking. Night was falling and the street lamps and store lights lit the road through town. We passed Adele's restaurant and the bar and shops beside it, continuing to walk past a small grocery store. At the end of the block, before my turn to head home was the community center and church.

The open door of the church was a bright light against the surrounding darkness. It made a pretty picture to look at before turning. The door to the community center was open as well with people exiting and hurrying to their cars. I was about to keep walking, but one of the people leaving caught my eye. It was a form that I had spent much of my life looking for. Leo.

I stopped on the path, still too far from the community center to be seen. Elijah took an extra step before turning to look at me like I was crazy for stopping. I stared over at the community center, trying to figure out what Leo was doing there. I knew that it couldn't be for business, not with that many people and no mention of it on Bastian's schedule.

Then, Toby came out of the building and joined Leo. They waved to a man heading into the church before heading to the parking lot themselves.

“Do you know what's going on at the community center?” I asked Elijah, thinking maybe there was some sort of town hall meeting or something. Something that would be important enough for Leo to not call me.

“What am I? A social calendar?” Elijah's sarcasm was not what I needed.

I recognized Murdoch, Leo's incredibly scary bodyguard, driving the car that Leo and Toby were getting in to. Murdoch revved the engine and the three of them drove off into the night. I stared after them for a moment.

What in the world were they doing here? What were they doing that was so important? Did it have anything to do with Leo's departure this afternoon?

I set my shoulders and hurried across the street. I trusted Leo, but I needed to know what was going on. I was sure he had a good reason for everything that had happened today, but I still felt a little left out.

“Where are you going?” Elijah asked, jogging to catch up with my sudden departure. “What are you doing?”

“There's a sign on the door,” I said, waving him off. “I'll be right back.”

Elijah made a frustrated noise but fell back slightly as I approached the door to the community center. I took a deep breath and stepped close enough to read the paper.

“Gamblers Anon Meeting- Room 103

All are welcome.”

I had to laugh at myself. I was worried over nothing. He wasn't being strange or leaving me out of his life. He was making sure that he didn't gamble. That he stayed true to himself. If anything, I should be proud of him.

That Toby was there at the meeting as well told me that Toby was probably a gambler. I felt a little guilty, discovering a secret that wasn't mine to know. I didn't know Toby all that well. I had helped train him when Leo first hired him, and I helped him out from time to time, but I wouldn't call us friends. I would barely call us co-workers, to be honest. Knowing something this personal about him without his consent was slightly uncomfortable.

I supposed that it was possibl

e for Toby to just be there as support for Leo, but I doubted it. If Leo wanted someone for support, he could have just brought me. I knew his secret now. No, it made more sense that they were both members.

I let out a long breath. There was no way for me to unlearn that information, so the best thing I could do is just keep it a secret. I was the assistant to a billionaire, it wasn't like keeping secrets was hard for me. Besides, Leo obviously knew Toby's past and that would be my only concern anyway.

If anything, it made me love Leo a little bit more.

I took out my phone and texted him.

You still busy? Up for a drink? I promise not to throw up on you this time :D

I turned from the door and headed back to the sidewalk where Elijah was waiting for me with his arms crossed.