Page 22 of Raising Love
She left the area, heading toward the ground-floor office we’d turned into her temporary bedroom.
Tyrell’s mother had said something similar—when she wasn’t bursting into tears staring at a picture of her grandson. She’d taken the loss of her son very hard, understandably, but she was gracious enough to offer to watch the baby if Leo and I ever needed a break. Kendra’s parents had offered as well, as had Leo’s mother and mine.
“Have you started unpacking?” I asked Leo.
“Nah, you?”
“Of course.” I nodded.
“Why am I not surprised?” He smirked.
“I mean, I still have some boxes of shoes and stuff, but yeah, most of my things are set. I don’t like to wait.”
“Hmph.”
I turned toward the stairs. “Come on, I can help you unpack.”
“Uh…” Leo caught me by the wrist.
I glanced down at his grip, then up at his eyes.
“That’s aight.” He forced a smile, releasing my wrist. “I’ll take care of it.”
I tilted my head to one side. “Leo, it’s no big deal. We’ll just handle the basics?—”
“I said, I’m cool.”
I stared at him for a moment, and he stared back.
“You didn’t bring no drugs in here, right?”
His brows furrowed. “What?”
“Because I don’t want that here.” I folded my arms over my chest. “I’ve never been around babies, but I’m pretty sure drugs and babies don’t go.”
He kissed his teeth. “I didn’t bring drugs in here, Ivy. Come on, man.”
I held my stare for another beat before shaking my head and looking away.
“I just…” Leo started, running his hands down his face. “I want to take my time. I get it—we’re here now, cool. But I’m not like you.”
He exhaled and let his attention wander around the space. His eyes landed on the walls, where contemporary art pieces and photographs of landscapes already decorated the house.
“It takes a little time for me to get adjusted to shit,” he admitted. “I haven’t even put my loft up for sale yet. And now I’m living in a house out here in a village that’s still under construction. Life is coming at me too damn fast.”
“Tell me about it,” I mumbled. “We’ll be fine, though.”
His gaze shifted back to me.
“Everything is crazy, and we don’t quite know what to expect,” I said, lifting my shoulders in a shrug before letting them drop. “But… we’ll be fine.”
“Shit.” He released a nervous chuckle. “I sure hope so because when that baby cried just now, my heart jumped and hasn’t landed back in my chest yet.”
“Right?!” I giggled. “Like, I literally felt my heart hit the ceiling, and it’s still up there.”
We both laughed before taking deep breaths at the same time.
“We’re doing the right thing,” I said, meeting his eyes again. “Everything we’re doing… we’re making the right decision.”
