Page 72 of Wicked & Wildflower

“Alright, I’m going to try and catch him in—”

“Catch me where, brother?” he asks, appearing in the doorway with a paper bag in hand.

“Catch you before the two of you go have dinner.” I bite my lip, rubbing the back of my neck. “I’ve got some news. But I, uh…” I glance between him and Darby. “I don’t want to put a damper on your night.”

“Wouldn’t worry about it,” he chimes, walking around Darby’s desk and smacking a kiss against her cheek. “I’m about to eat pad thai on the beach, and then I’m going to go home and get laid. Hard to put a damper on that.”

Darby snorts, but I see the blush she’s hiding.

I blow out a resigned breath. “You talk to Elena lately?”

Leo cocks his head. “Not since last week. Why?”

“She called me earlier today.” I sigh.Guess now is as good a time as any.“She’s not coming home for Christmas.”

All the playfulness present a moment ago immediately drops from his demeanor. “You’re fucking kidding me.”

I break eye contact, hating the look on his face. “No. I’m not.” I rub the sudden tension from my jaw. “She claimed she was asked to do some holiday signing event in Brooklyn.”

He scoffs. “You know that’s bullshit.”

“I know.”

I hate the anger in his tone, though I understand it. I’m angry too. I’m more devastated than anything, but I’m not surprised, and that might be the worst part.

Leo rumbles frustratedly, “I’m getting tired of this, Everett. I know she was put through the ringer, but at what point do we stop making excuses? At what point do we start dishing out the tough love?”

“I’m pissed too,” I agree. “But imagine if you were in her shoes. Imagine if Darby—”

“No.” Leo snarls. “Look…” He sighs quietly. “All I’m saying is that I’m done with the bullshit and the lies, pretending she’sokay when she’s clearly not.” He glances at Darby, who’s quiet by his side, appearing to be in deep thought of her own. “I’m done with the grudges too. She can skip Christmas, but if Elena doesn’t show up for my wedding?” Leo swallows roughly, eyes darting away from me as his next words leave his lips. “Then I’m done with her too. She can consider herself down a brother.”

“Leo.” I swallow the sudden heaviness in my throat, unable to say more.

He ignores me, leaning in to press a kiss against the top of his fiance’s head. “I need some air. I’ll meet you at our spot,” is all he says to her before he stalks out of her office.

Darby watches him leave before turning back to me, sorrow in her eyes. “He didn’t mean that. He’s just upset. He was really excited to see her.”

“I’m upset too.”

She nods, giving me a sorry look. “I’m going to go check on him.”

“I’ll walk you out.” I sigh.

24

Wildflower

A Whole Damn Village

My stomach twists asmy phone lights up with a call where it rests on the counter while I finish frosting Lou’s birthday cake.

When I asked her what flavor she wanted, she couldn’t decide. So I ended up with a three-tiered cake: a bottom chocolate layer, a middle lemon and vanilla layer, and a top layer of red velvet. “For the adults,” she’d said.

She was adamant that she did not want a theme for her party this year, as she wastoo old for that. She wanted pink, white, and gold decorations, and she wanted the party outside. She also wanted face painting but vehemently refused a clown. Being born in late January, Lou has never had an outdoor birthday party before. Kansas winter wouldn’t allow for it. I wanted to make this one as special as possible, her first birthday in California and away from her old friends—not that she had many of them.

She has been fitting in well at school, has a handful of classmates attending her party today. My heart soared when she asked me to pick up invites for her to pass out to her friends, and I nearly cried when I saw that every single person she invited had RSVP’d. I think she’s secretly nervous, which is why she has been so unable to make decisions regarding the party.

Darby and I have done as much as we can to make it the best birthday she’s ever had.

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