Page 39 of Fake It True

I took a swallow from the raspberry honey mead I’d ordered. “Well, this is amazing.”

Aside from the food, which was delicious, it was nice to spend time with Leo. I knew I was in love with him, but I also liked him. He was easy to be with. I didn’t have to think about conversation.

After dinner, we went back to his place. Once we walked into his house, he shut the door behind us and turned to face me. When his gaze locked with mine, butterflies tickled my belly and a wave of sparks scattered through me. My knees were wobbly, and I pressed my palms against the door behind me, grateful for the support.

“I missed you,” he said, his voice gravelly.

Chapter Thirty-Two

CASEY

Sweet hell. The mere sound of Leo’s voice got to me. I’d never paid much attention to the sound of anyone’s voice. I’d certainly never experienced a man’s voice making me practically swoon at his feet.

“I missed you too,” I whispered.

Leo lifted a hand, brushing a wayward lock of hair off my cheek. The subtle brush of his touch against my skin was a blaze of heat. His fingertips glanced over the sensitive skin on my earlobe. I swallowed, trying to suck in enough air. I licked my lips. He took a step closer and I felt his heat and strength envelop me.

His palm landed on the door beside my shoulder. It felt as if everything was moving in slow motion as he dipped his head. Just as his lips brushed against mine, he whispered, “I’m so glad to be home.”

We tumbled into the fire together. A little while later, I fell asleep, warm and sated, my heart feeling as if it was home. The following morning, after Leo’s mother brought Dora home, Dora announced, “I want donuts.”

“I know where you can get the very best donuts,” I said as she looked up at me.

“Firehouse Café,” she said, nodding vigorously.

I grinned. “My friend Luna makes them.”

Dora bounced up and down. “When can we go?”

Leo chuckled. “How about now?”

After she checked on the cats who were happily napping in a patch of sunshine, Dora skipped over to the door. Once we were at the café, we went into the back so Luna could show her what the donuts looked like when they were fresh out of the oven.

“What kind do you want?” Janet asked a few minutes later.

Dora was completely undecided. “I want them all, the sugar, the cinnamon, and the chocolate and—” She ran out of breath.

Leo curled his palm over her shoulder, squeezing gently. “We can come back to try different flavors every week.”

Dora let out a tiny sigh and nodded somberly. “Today, I am in the mood for the sprinkles.”

After we were seated at a table, Leo caught my eye while Dora happily ate her donut. My heart twisted in my chest with a piercing sense of joy.

Later that day, my phone rang, and my anxiety spun wild inside. When my parents called, it felt as if the quicksand of grief was pulling me in deeper.

“Nathaniel has an excellent attorney. He’s going to beat these charges,” my dad said confidently.

“Dad, why would you want that?” I asked sharply.

“Because he didn’t do this. We talked to him. There’s no way he would be involved in something like this,” my mother answered.

With the barely healed scabs on my heart over Callie’s death, I sat on that call with tears rolling down my cheeks, wanting to scream and cry and shake them.

I finally broke. “I cannot believe you would protect someone who might be involved in Callie’s death.”

“Casey, there’s no way!” my mother scolded.

I drew in a shaky breath. “People do things we don’t expect. You didn’t believe that Callie was doing drugs until you got the toxicology report after she died. Nathaniel has never been a saint.”

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