Chapter Thirteen

Andy

My body trembled as I took a deep breath. I could do this. I could tell Leo all about my mother, and he would understand. He always did. He took care of me when I had nightmares of those days. Living in a car, starving and dirty. The time she sold me to some stranger so she could get a fix. Leo didn't dislike a lot of people, because he always managed to see the good in them, but he would be the first in line, even in front of me, to tell my mother how much he hated her if it came down to it.

"My mom..." I took a deep breath as Leo continued to comb his fingers through my hair. Tears slipped down my cheeks and soaked his pants. "She showed up. At the show and asked for money. She said that now that I'm this huge rockstar, I can afford to give some to her. Because she was my mother and deserved it." I gripped Leo closer. "I gave her what I had on me. It wasn't a lot, but in her eyes it was. She's going to come back for more, Ricky. I know it." I clung to what was left of my sanity as it began to slip through my hands.

Leo hummed his response. "I would have done the same thing."

"I hate her. I hate how she made me feel, that she just bulldozed her way back into my life after abandoning me. Pretended that she cared. She had no right." I stopped to inhale Leo's calming sweet scent and pushed his shirt up to touch his belly. His skin was soft and warm beneath my palm. "I miss you." I watched the way his skin broke out in goosebumps.

Leo tried to push me away. "Please don't." He struggled beneath my weight. "Let me go."

"Just let me hold you for a few minutes longer," I begged and felt him relax against me.

Neither one of us spoke as Leo began to touch my hair again, his fingers gliding through the strands. I wanted to beg him to love me again. To let me back in. The thought of getting on my knees and sobbing crossed my mind, but I quickly pushed it away. That wasn't how I was going to win the love of my life back.

"I'm sorry you had to see her again," Leo murmured.

I sniffed. "Thanks."

"You want to stay here tonight or go back to my place?" Leo asked, and when I pulled back to stare at him, he gave me a small smile.

I stared up into his beautiful face. Those baby blues I spent hours looking into, his cupid bow lips I had kissed for hours. "Baby—"

He placed a finger over my mouth to stop me. "I'm sure your dads would prefer you stay here tonight. In the comfort of their home, so they can keep an eye on you."

"Stay with me." I sat up and scooted as close to him as possible. "Please, Leo. I don't want to sleep alone anymore." I reached for his hands and clasped my own around them.

Leo swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing with the motion. He gave me a quick nod and then I was hugging him, thanking him, and telling him how sorry I was. Those words just came spewing out of my mouth like vomit. I knew that I had royally screwed everything up, but I would take an inch if he would give it to me.

"I think"—Leo brushed the hair from my face and out of my eyes—"that we should wash up, get into some pajamas, and just relax. Maybe watch a movie or something. Do you want to do that?"

I nodded. "Can we have snacks, too?"

It was what we used to do when we were together. Wrap ourselves together in cocoon blankets, Netflix on my laptop, and eat sweet treats. I liked chocolate-covered pretzels, mostly because my dads were obsessed with them, and Leo liked Swedish Fish.

"Yeah, hon, of course we can." He cupped my cheek with the palm of his hand. "It wouldn't be right not to."

The urge to kiss him hit me hard, and I had to look away to stop myself. Leo had already made it clear he didn't want to get back together.

"I'll go tell my dads while you wash up." I climbed to my feet to give him some space. "Come find me when you're done."

"Andy." Leo's voice was soft.

I couldn't look at him. He would see it written all over my face. How much I hated myself. I dropped my chin and let out a long sigh. "What?"

When he didn't answer me, I slowly turned around and found him standing before me.

He reached out to tangle his fingers in the front of my shirt. "I want to forgive you. It's going to take time, and you need to tell me the truth about why you left me. And don't claim it was because you wanted me to explore my options, because we both know that's a lie."

"But you might? Forgive me, I mean?" Hope bloomed inside my heart like a spring tulip, pushing up through my veins and into the air.

"In time, yes, I might." Leo leaned up onto his toes and pressed his lips against my cheek. "I never stopped loving you, Andy. I don't think I know how." His hands dropped from my shirt as he took a step back. "Now, go find us some snacks while I shower and make myself pretty."

I reached out and grasped his wrist before he could move away. "You're always pretty, Ricky."

Leo blushed bright and pink. "Mm, you might want to rethink that. You haven't seen me after a five-hundred-mile race. Covered in dirt and sweat. Not my finest look." He smiled. "Go make sure Mav and Jax don't care that we're going to stay the night."

"Dad will lose his shit, you know that," I reminded him, and Leo giggled softly. The sound went straight to my dick. "Wash up, baby, and then come downstairs when you're done."

***

I found my parents sitting in the living room, hockey highlights on the TV in the background. I was more than happy to find that Ezra was gone. I didn't think that I could deal with him right now. Dad was tucked under Pop's arm as they stared down at something on his tablet. Dad nodded as Pop spoke, his eyes shining like the sun. My dads were still madly in love with one another. Even now. After a terrible breakup when they were teenagers, years apart, and then Dad coming to terms with his sexuality. They persevered. Because they were meant to be.

"Andy?" Dad was watching me with worry on his face. "Everything all right, kiddo?"

I nodded and moved to sit next to him. Dad immediately leaned into me. "Is it cool if Leo and I crash here tonight? We don't want to impose."

"You don't have to ask," Pop assured me, but it was the smile nearly splitting Dad's face that had him chuckling. "Don't get any ideas, sweetheart."

Dad slapped playfully at his arm. "Hush, Goose. Let me just dream." He beamed at me. "You're more than welcome, kiddo. This is your house, too. And Leo is part of this family. I always want the two of you home."

"Cool." I chewed on my lip as I glanced at the television to where they were highlighting the Boston Terriers; the team Dad used to play for when we lived in Massachusetts. "Boston might win the cup again, huh?"

Pop mock gasped. "I don't think so."

"You sure about that? They just had four shutouts in a row," I teased, and Dad giggled between us. "I'm sorry I didn't pursue my hockey career." Where the hell did that come from?

Pop's eyes went wide. "You think I care about that? Andy, you were a fantastic hockey player, but you're an even more amazing musician. You have more talent in your pinky than I do in my entire body. I only want you to be happy, to enjoy what you do. And if drumming and singing is that, I don't care about anything else."

"Thanks," I whispered, my eyes burning.

Dad squeezed my arm. "You know that we love you, right? No matter what, we're here for you. You can talk to us about anything, and we will never, ever judge you."

"I know." I hated the guilt I was carrying around. I should tell them everything. Confess it right here and get it off my chest. But the words were stuck in my throat, the lump inside pushing it further down inside my chest.

Dad leaned his head on my shoulder. "Are you and Leo working things out? I know I keep pushing, but I just can't help but think that the two of you are meant to be together."

"You're a big romantic, sweetheart," Pop murmured.

Dad blushed. "When it comes to the people I love, yes."

"Not yet, but I'm hoping he'll come around. Give me another chance." I wrapped my arm around him. "I love you, too. Both of you. You're the best parents I could have ever asked for."

Pop stretched his arm over so he could touch the back of my neck. "Love you, too, kiddo." He gave me a smile when I caught his eye. "And I hope, for what it's worth, that you and Leo can figure things out. Like me and your dad did."

"I was dumb," Dad teased, and Pop pressed a kiss to his white hair.

Pop winked at me. "I always knew that we were endgame, Mavs."

I wasn't even surprised when Dad climbed right up into his lap and said something softly into Pop's ear. I didn't want to know, but I was glad they were still so happy, in love, and crazy about one another.

"Andy?"

Leo appeared, dressed in a pair of his old pajama pants. They were pink, covered in white hearts, and across his chest was one of my old hockey shirts from high school. On his feet were pink fuzzy slippers, and my heart swelled. He was so fucking perfect. His dark hair was still wet as his blue eyes danced between me and my fathers.

I got to my feet. "Right, well, we're going to grab some snacks and chill in my room." I grimaced at my choice of words. "Watch a movie. We're going to watch a movie."

"Of course, yeah." Dad giggled, which caused Pop to join in. Children. My parents were children.

Leo rolled his eyes. "Come on, hon. Let's go." He grabbed my hand and tried to drag me from the room. He raised his arm and waved to my fathers as we walked into the kitchen.

"There are snacks in the pantry. Plenty of pretzels and Swedish Fish," Dad called, then let out a high-pitched squeal. I didn't even want to know.

Leo smiled at me. "Your parents are great."

"Yeah, they really are." I couldn't agree more.

We both grabbed handfuls of snacks and a couple bottles of water, then headed upstairs. It felt so familiar, so right, and I hoped it was a step in the right direction.