Page 10 of Leo

“It does sound that way. So. Tell me about you. No girlfriend? Wife?”

“Nope,” he said, giving a smirk to her. “I didn’t have a lot of time for that. I also didn’t want to leave a woman alone after promising something to her.”

“You seem to have the same rule as most of the men here. I’ve heard all of them say that from time to time. I went to school with Mav, Saint, Pax, CJ, and Brax. We are all very close.”

“Yet you didn’t date them?”

“No. No, they felt more like brothers to me. I didn’t want to date them. We were best friends, and they helped me to learn to fight.”

“They did a good job,” he smiled. “You got away in Botswana. That’s pretty amazing.”

“Yeah, but something about all of that still bothers me,” she frowned.

“Me too,” he said. They were quiet for a few minutes, just enjoying the dance and the warm summer night. “Will you go back?”

He asked it so quietly, so softly, she almost didn’t hear him.

“I’m not sure. I thought I would, but something changed.”

“What changed?” he asked, looking at her.

“You. You came into my life, and now I’m not sure I want to leave,” she said, staring up at him. He lowered his mouth to hers, whispering against her lips.

“Then don’t.”

CHAPTER SIX

“I really like him, Dad,” she said, seated next to her father once again.

“I could see that,” he said, nodding at his daughter with a sly grin. “Listen, Tillie, you’re not a child any longer. You’re a grown woman. You can make up your mind about your life. But if you’re asking me, Leo’s a good man. He’s smart, he’s brave, he’s kind. I couldn’t ask for anyone better for my only child.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder and smiled.

“Thank you, Dad.”

“I think your new beau would like another dance,” he grinned. She nodded, then turned to her mother.

“What do you think, Mom?”

“I feel the same as your father. Leo’s a good man.” She nodded at Micaela and headed toward Leo with his outstretched hand.

“She’s happy,” smiled Tanner.

“She is. She’s happy because she’s in love, and we both know that child has found it difficult to love. Her expectations of men and what men should be like were set way above the average bar, thanks to you and all the men here,” said Micaela. “I thank God every day that you found me. My world would have looked very different without you, Tanner.”

“Same, babe. I couldn’t have walked away from you even if I had tried.”

“Maybe we show the kids what real dancing looks like.” He stood, taking Micaela’s hand, and floated around the dance floor with her and about thirty other couples, including their daughter.

“Your parents look good together,” smiled Leo. “As I said, your father is a big man, and your mother is very small. Yet they look like two puzzle pieces made for one another.”

“She is small but she’s tough. I’m grateful that I got her red hair and my father’s eyes. I look different from anyone I know.”

“You look beautiful,” said Leo. “Beautiful and brave.”

“How is it possible for me to look brave?” she smirked.

“Listen, anyone who is able to break the zip ties on their wrists, steal the truck, and get back to a country like Botswana is brave as shit in my book. Plus, you saved your friends.”

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