Page 75 of Reconciling With the Rival

He had to stay late tonight because he was working on his pitch for the publishing house contract, and when I walked by his office when I left, he was talking to Imogen about something.He looked…different. I couldn't really tell what the nature of the conversation was, but it’s not my business anyway.

“Hey, you two.”

“Hi, Leo,” Alissa says. I don’t bother saying anything as I look over at him.

He gives the two of us a weird look. “What the hell is on your face?”

“A face mask,” I tell him as I pause the show.

“Of seaweed?”

I can only laugh when he says that and immediately cover my mouth; there’s no way I voluntarily laughed at something Leo said.

“Actually, yes. Your skin would look great if you tried it, Leo. I swear, it makes for a smoother face. Cleans your pores too,” Alissa tells her brother as she gets up for a refill of wine.

He only tilts his head at us as he heads to his room.

“Liss, can you grab me another California roll?”

“Ditto,” Leo says as he comes back out in checkered pajama pants and no shirt.What is he doing out here?

“It’s girls night, Leo.”

He plops next to me on the couch. “Consider me one of the girls then. Where is this face mask that makes my pores clear?”

“Ella’s bathroom,” Alissa tells him.

“Cool,” he says as he goes over to our now shared space. He’s in there for all of a minute before he comes back out. “Can I put this over my beard?”

“Yes,” I tell him.

He looks at me with a pinched expression. “Alissa?”

“She’s right, Leo.”

I raise my eyebrows at him. “Just checking.”

Yeah, I bet. “I don’t fuck around when it comes to skin care, Leo. You should know that by the dozens of products on my side of the counter.”

Alissa comes back into the living room with a small plate, a few different things on it, and I grab a California roll before Leo steals it from me.

“Can we start the show now?” I ask.

“Go ahead,” Leo says as he comes back to the couch, his face also green. “How long do I have to leave this on?”

“Thirty minutes,” I say as the episode keeps playing.

Not even five minutes later, Leo starts asking us questions.

“Wait, so did he cheat on her or not? And what on Earth is ‘motorboating a dick’?” Leo asks. Alissa is giggling, probably shocked this man is paying this much attention. I’ll admit, I am too.

“Leo, it's exactly what it sounds like,” I respond.

“And just watch the show. It all comes out eventually.” Alissa adds.

“I don’t understand why he thought buying her a puppy would get him out of this mess if he’s legitimately going around kissing other women. He must be mad,” Leo says.

As Alissa clears our dishes before I can, I look to Leo.

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