All of this information did little to calm my nerves, and Bettie was proved right once again when I tried my best to convince myself and them that falling in love with Leo was the worst idea ever, but it didn’t work. The more time I spent with him and the more I got to know him, I knew it was a battle of the heart I’d never win, especially after the whole coffee mug present he left in the kitchen this morning. How do you not fall completely, head-over-heels in love with a guy who does something like that for you? And how do you choose between him and the business you scarified everything for, and worked your hands to the bone to build from the ground up, and the life you love almost as much in another state?
The answer is – you can’t. Which leaves me to wear I am now. Feeling like shit, all alone in Emma Jo’s house, curled up on the couch, and staring at the TV I didn’t even have the strength to turn on. Bettie and Emma Jo decided to head up to The Hungry Bear to get dinner a little while ago, and I declined their invitation to go with them, which they were far too excited about and okay with, grabbing their purses and practically running out of the house. It was a little suspicious that they felt the need to go out for food when we had an entire kitchen filled with everything you could imagine, and I knew they left and were happy I didn’t go with them because Leo would be here any minute and they assumed I was going to profess my undying love for him. They’ll find out soon enough that the only profession I’m going to be doing is about the award on the hall table and how I was the last one to touch it.
I hear Leo’s car pull into the driveway and I wipe my hands nervously down the skirt of my short, strapless, eyelet white sundress as I get up from the couch and meet him at the front door.
“Hi,” I greet him softly, opening the door before he can knock.
“Jesus, how do you get more beautiful each time I see you,” he mutters as he keeps walking toward me, scooping me up into his arms in the doorway and planting a kiss on my lips.
He sets me back down on my feet, pulls his mouth away from mine, and looks down at me with a soft smile.
“Hi,” he says, finally returning my initial greeting. “How was your day?”
I move out of his arms and step out of the way so he can come inside, closing the door behind him.
“Oh, nothing too eventful. I got a box of amazing coffee mugs from this hot guy I know, and then the entire town decided to stop by, bring me food, and tell me they don’t hate me anymore. You know, the usual,” I answer with a shrug.
“A hot guy gave you coffee mugs? Wow, he must be pretty awesome,” Leo replies with a grin.
“Jesus, you’re just like Emma Jo. Focusing in on the least shocking part of whatever I say,” I complain.
Leo laughs, cupping my face in his hands and kissing the tip of my nose.
“I’m sorry, you’re right. Having the entire town decide they don’t hate you is a big deal. I heard all about Emma Jo’s announcement on the town square. How’s she doing?” he asks.
“Oh, she’s perfectly fine. She couldn’t care less that all of her secrets are currently being spread all over town and everyone will be pointing at her and whispering about her for the next fifty years,” I mutter in irritation.
“Okay, let me rephrase that. How are you doing since Emma Jo told the whole town what Jed did to her?” Leo asks softly, rubbing his thumbs back and forth against my cheeks, and making me feel like a jerk, though I know he didn’t mean to.
“I know, I get it. I have no right to be upset about any of this. It’s Emma Jo’s life, it happened to her and it’s her choice whether or not she wants one person or five hundred to know what kind of hell she lived through for twelve years. I just never wanted her to put herself out there like that, especially not for me,” I admit quietly, looking away from his eyes to stare at the collar of his t-shirt.
“What do you mean, especially not for you? What’s wrong with someone doing something for you for a change?”
“Why should she do anything for me?” I fire back, bring my hands up between us to pick imaginary lint from his shirt. “I was a shitty friend to her for twelve years, and I had no idea what was going on back here because I didn’t want to know. I left and I didn’t look back, and I didn’t care.”
Leo sighs, putting more pressure on the hold he has of my face to tilt it up and force me to look at him.
“Just because you think you were a bad friend, doesn’t mean you should have to deal with the whole town blaming you for a murder you didn’t commit, Payton. It’s insane and I’m sorry, but I’m glad Emma Jo told everyone. I know it was hard for her, and I know she’ll have a long road ahead of her to heal from all of this, but as you saw today, the people here…they’re good people. They take care of their own and they’re going to take care of Emma Jo and protect her, just like you did.”