We can talk tomorrow over breakfast—I don’t want to leave here on an awkward note. I don’t want this experience to be tarnished by a guilt-laden kiss.
It was a beautiful kiss shared by two broken souls, and I’ll remember it always.
Chapter Twenty-Three
River
I stand at the top of the stairs Friday morning, listening to the sound of Leighton’s voice as it travels from below.
I made a mistake last night. A grave mistake.
I never should’ve kissed her, but I got caught up in the moment. She was singing and dancing and laughing, and she looked so damn beautiful, so fucking carefree … and I felt it.
I felt it all.
I felt better than I had in five long years, and I let it get the best of me.
But she’s leaving today, and I know deep down that I made the right decision by not getting carried away last night. After kissing her a second time, I forced myself to stop. And I left. I went for a walk to clear my head. When I came back, the house was dark and she was in bed.
“There’s got to be a mistake,” I hear her say. “Can you check one more time?”
I take the steps one by one, each one creaking.
“Is there any way to check pending transactions?” she asks. “I know you did, but can you just check one more time? My boss has never been late with a paycheck.”
I round the corner, approaching the kitchen, and I see her sitting at the head of the table, her phone pressed against her ear and her head in her hands.
“This is highly unusual,” she says. “Maybe I could speak with a manager? Someone who could escalate this? Yes, I know I should check with my employer, but it’s six o’clock in the morning there, and I’m not going to bother him unless I absolutely have to. Yes, I’ll hold.”
A full pot of coffee awaits me, and I fix myself a cup, trying to keep the noise down.
Leighton glances my way, her big brown eyes filled with worry and frustration. She shakes her head, covering the mouthpiece of her phone.
“They’re saying my account is still empty, but I refuse to believe it. Harold wouldn’t have screwed me over. There’s got to be a glitch or something—yes, I’m still here.” She drags her hand through her hair before sitting back. “You’re absolutely sure? Okay. Thank you.”
Leighton ends the call, slamming her phone down and pacing the kitchen. After a few deep breaths, she retrieves her phone and dials a number.
“Harold, hi, so sorry to bother you,” she says. “I know it’s early, but I just got off the phone with my bank and they’re saying my last check wasn’t deposited? Do you know anything about—” Her expression fades, brows narrowing. “Are you serious? He can’t do that. Can he?”
She looks to me then back to the empty tabletop before lowering her forehead to the polished wood.
Sitting up, she brushes her hair from her eyes. “Isn’t that illegal? Bribery or coercion or blackmail or something?” Leighton rises again, pacing the floor. “Fuck.”
Taking a drink of coffee, I lean against the sink and watch. Whatever the issue is, it must be pretty bad. Up until now, this woman has been a shining example of taking everything in stride.
“All right. I understand. So sorry he threatened you. I hate that you were brought into this,” she says. “That fucking asshole. Yes, keep me posted.” Leighton hangs up, facing me again. “You’re never going to believe this. Or maybe you will because this seems to be my luck these days.”
“What now?”
“So back in Arizona, I worked at this art gallery, mostly restoring paintings and pieces that people would ship in from all over the world,” she says. “It was this small operation at first, and in the early months Harold was running it out of this casita in his back yard and paying me under the table. He paid me under the table for at least a year, not because he was trying to scam the system but because … I don’t know. He just never got around to getting a proper accountant and I never pushed it because it was never an issue for me. In retrospect, I realize that was extremely na?ve of me.” Her arms fold across her chest. “Another lesson learned. Anyway, I guess my ex approached him and threatened to turn him in to the IRS unless he told him where I was staying. Harold refused, and then Grant threatened to turn him in if he paid me another dime or helped me financially in any way.”
“Sounds like a real stand-up guy.”
“Yeah.” She rolls her eyes, exhaling. “Never would’ve expected this kind of behavior from him. Cheating was one thing, but blackmail? And he’s a lawyer for fuck’s sake.”
“Must really want you back.” I take a sip of coffee. “Desperate times and all that.”
She stomps toward the kitchen sink, rinsing out last night’s glasses.
“Look, if you need a loan—” I begin to offer when she cuts me off.
“—absolutely not.” Leighton turns to face me. “I’m not borrowing money from you when I have no way of paying you back. And you’ve already been generous enough.”
“Suit yourself.” I look over her shoulder, out the window toward the north corral. “Just trying to help.”
“I know, I know.” Her hands grip the edge of the white sink.
“You can stay here as long as you need,” I say before heading to the mudroom to find my boots. “You’re too proud to take my money? That’s fine. But at least be humble enough to keep a roof over your head when it’s offered to you.”
Leighton follows me. “Fine. I’ll stay.”
I step into a pair of coveralls before taking a seat on a wooden bench. “Bucket calves are probably hungry.”
“But I have one condition,” she says.
“You’re pretty brave to place a stipulation on a generous offer.”
“If you ever kiss me again,” she says, her gaze commanding mine, “don’t apologize for it, and for the love of God, don’t stop when it’s just starting to get good.”
“Not a problem. I won’t be kissing you again.” My jaw clenches as I wordlessly apologize to Allison. I know she’d want me to move on and be happy, but I’m not there yet. I can’t find contentment while she’s six feet under, our babies cradled in her arms.
“But if you do …”
“I won’t.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Leighton
“Oh my God. What are you doing here?” Molly’s front door swings open Saturday morning. “I thought you were leaving yesterday?”
“Yeah, well, apparently the universe had other plans.”
She takes the egg cartons from my arms and ushers me in. “Come, sit. Tell me all about it.”
“I’d love to, but I can’t stay long. River wants me to accompany him to look at some horse he wants to buy. We’re leaving in an hour,” I say. “But basically, there was some mix up with my last paycheck and I’m not in a position to buy a plane ticket at this time. I’ll be staying with River a little longer.”
Molly lifts her hands to her cheeks and squeals. “I knew it!”
“You knew what?”