“A dozen times I asked if I could come live with him. He said I had to stay with Agatha. I hated him for that. Then when he died, I hated him for dying. It was not until a year, or so after he died, I understood he was gay. He had spoken to his lawyer about getting custody when I was around five, the first time he realized Agatha was abusive. She swore she would never let me go and would bring up the gay thing. At the time there was no guarantee he would get custody. Although he was out, he was just starting his business and was not sure his company would not suffer from the negative publicity.”
“I’m sorry. Why wouldn’t Agatha give you up if she didn’t want you or care about you?”
“Money, it was always about the money. She received thirty-two thousand dollars a month in support for me. Then there was the house she lived in, it was owned by me, purchased by the trust for me. As far as she was concerned, she earned the money, as payment for the life of her daughter.”
“That’s awful.”
Shrugging, he squeezes me. “It was a long time ago.”
He doesn’t say anything. Shit. I search desperately for a way to keep him talking. “Are you coming tomorrow?”
Damn it, he stiffens again. I hadn’t meant to ask him.
“You don’t have to come. I was just wondering.”
His hand goes into my hair and tugs it back to look down at me. “Do you truly doubt I would be there?” He’s back to English as if he needs to know there is no misunderstanding. He sees the answer. His eyes close, when they open regret is there, and something else I can’t define. “I will be there. I will pick you up here at five.”
“Okay.”
With a sigh, he lets me go as he sets me in the middle of the couch. “I better get going.”
“You can stay,” I whisper, not wanting him to leave. Leo shakes his head. I hate the way I grab his hand. “Please.”
He pulls me back into his arms, his hold so tight I can barely breathe. There’s no talking this time, just his heart thumping loudly beneath my ear. I’m not sure when I slip into sleep. When I wake up it’s to Felix walking on my head. I turn over to find I’m in bed. The clock says it’s a little after one in the morning. Telling myself to stay in bed I get up. I’m not surprised, just sad to find Leo gone. My chest thumps painfully to find the keys he had used on the kitchen counter.
24
Alexa
Felix meows as he swishes around my feet. I ignore him, his warning unheeded Felix jumps on to my desk sending my phone flying off the desk. Then strolls across my keyboard with his butt in my face.
“Asshole,” I mutter as I push him away. Oh, shit. It’s almost four o’clock. No way. I’ve been up and writing since seven this morning. The last time I stopped was around eleven to have lunch and feed Felix. Standing up I stretch, now I feel all the hours of not moving as my back protests.
Ow, crap my back hurts. Shit, I need to get moving. In the bathroom, I turn on my flat iron then go into my closet. Holy crap, I have no idea what to wear. I hear my phone ringing. My heart pounds hard to see Leo’s number.
“How are you feeling?”
“Good, great actually. I woke up at seven this morning and felt so good that I actually started writing again. I’ve gotten almost six thousand words in, and they don’t feel like they suck.”
The sound of Leo’s chuckle sends a shiver through me. I love that sound. “I’m happy to hear it. Are you getting ready?”
“I’m just trying to figure out what to wear. I have no idea.”
“The blue velvet wrap dress and leave your hair down.”
Only Leo would call a Monique Lhuillier dress the velvet one. With a happy sigh at his answer, I grab the dress from the now overflowing closet. Leo loves the wrap dresses, how they come open easily from a catch at my waist. I like how they give me a waist and how my breasts, the ones I once thought of as too big, I now take pride in since Leo loves them so much, look awesome in them. “Yes, sir, any other instructions?”
“Yes, those will come later. I will see you in forty-five minutes.”
As I toss my phone down, I can hardly wait. I do my hair first, straightening then running a product through it to leave it shiny while making it stay in place. Now is the scary part. Taking a deep breath, I pull open the small bag Irene, the makeup artist, gave me. She was so sweet when I mentioned I never wore makeup because I was scared of it.
While she was doing my makeup, she went really slow, explaining everything she did. Once she was done, she packed away some small jars and things she had plenty of for me to use. She had mixed some foundation for my skin tone specifically, when she was done, she added a little more and gave it to me.
I use the lotion she gave me first then start with the makeup primer. The sponge is a weird little egg-shaped thingy, okay it is easier to use. Hey, not bad. I pull out the powder and follow her instructions very carefully. A little powder, shake the brush then swipe over my face. It’s not until the third swipe when I’m almost done I get it right. Okay, wow, so little work and I look so much better.
I look at the eyeliner and eyeshadow and shake my head. I’m going to quit while I’m ahead. I pull out the sleek mascara, with a few swipes I’m in awe of how good it looks. My eyes look so big and blue. I’m hemming and hawing over what color of lipstick to use, Irene had given me two. Felix meows loudly, two seconds later there’s a knock.
Opening the door to Leo. “Sorry, I’m almost done.”