Chapter Nineteen

Leo

Then

I was so nervous that my hands were shaking, my stomach was in knots, and my insides felt like jelly. My first date. FIRST DATE. And it was with the most popular boy in school. What if I threw up on him because I was so excited? Oh, that would be embarrassing. I would never be able to look at Andy again. He probably wouldn't want to kiss me, because who wants to kiss a boy with a puke mouth? Plus, I might ruin the pink fuzzy sweater Ezra helped me pick out, and I was kind of obsessed with it.

"Relax." Ezra squeezed my hand as we walked into the Panthers stadium. "You look beautiful. Andy would be crazy not to see what a catch you are."

I wanted to be just as cool and suave as Ezra Bardo when I grew up. He was so chic, gorgeous, and full of confidence. "Thank you."

"Stop for just a minute, boo." He cupped my head between his delicate hands, forcing me to look at him. "Take a deep breath, square your shoulders, and repeat after me." He raised his brows as he waited. When I had done what he wanted, Ezra smiled. "Andy Olson is going to fall in love with me. I'm smart, funny, and anyone would be lucky to be in my orbit. I'm also drop dead gorgeous, but that's not what this is about."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Ezra, please, that's silly."

"No, it's not. Repeat it." He dipped his chin. The little sprite could be intimidating sometimes. Like right now.

I swallowed nervously. "Andy Olson is going to fall in love with me. I'm smart, funny, and anyone would be lucky to be in my orbit. I'm also drop dead gorgeous, but that's not what this is about."

"Again, Leo," Ezra instructed.

I couldn't stop the giggle that escaped my mouth. "Andy Olson is going to fall in love with me. I'm smart, funny, and anyone would be lucky to be in my orbit. I'm also drop dead gorgeous, but that's not what this is about."

"Good, now you need to believe it, because you're a dish. I've seen the way other boys look at you, not just Andy. And if that boy kisses you tonight..." He patted my cheek gently. "If he kisses you tonight, I'll show you my skincare routine."

My eyes widened. "All of it?"

"All of it." Ezra smiled, knowing how desperately I wanted to know why he smelled so good all the time. Like cinnamon and Christmas morning. He leaned up on his toes to press a kiss to my cheek. "Now, let's go get your man, boo."

I felt like I was floating as we started walking again. Butterflies fluttered around in my belly, and the moment I saw Andy waiting for me at the door, his hands shoved into the pockets of his black winter coat, I couldn't stop the smile that spread over my face. He was so...so perfect. His dirty-blond hair was the perfect mess, his shoulders thick and broad. How could someone like him want someone like me? Was it possible I had hit my head and was imaging all of this? Was I in a coma right now?

"Hi." Andy beamed at me, his hazel eyes sparkling like the sun. "You look beautiful."

Was death by compliments a thing? Because I felt like I was going to explode. "Thank you." I dropped my gaze to my feet, admiring for just a second the black boots Ezra had bought me. "You look perfect." Oh, did I really say that aloud?

"Andrew." Maverick Olson seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Introduce me to your date." His green eyes had a hint of a warning behind them. You'll have to deal with me if you hurt my son.

Andy groaned. "Dad, you don't have to be so beastly all the time." He smiled at me. "Leo, this is my father, Maverick. Dad, this is my date, Leo McCormick."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Olson, sir. I'm a big fan." I wasn't sure if I should try to shake his hand or just accept that he hated me. Maybe hate was a strong word, but he clearly didn't like me. He was practically shooting darts into my body.

Maverick narrowed his eyes, letting them move over my face, down my chest, and back up again. A smile tugged at his lips for a moment. "You can call me Maverick."

"Maverick, boo," Ezra cooed next to me. "You look lovely. Did you do something different with your hair? Is that your natural color? Because I might be a little jealous about how pretty you are."

Maverick's cheeks blazed pink. "I told you that can't say things like that to me."

"Of course I can. You're married, I'm with CC, and we're going to be best friends. Just watch." Ezra squeezed Maverick's arm.

Maverick grunted, but he didn't disagree. "Whatever."

"You kids go do your thing. Mav and I are going to find the perfect seats to watch while I pick his brain to learn everything I can about him." Ezra hooked his arm through Maverick's. "Fair warning, boo. I am an open book, and you can ask me anything you want. Ooohhh, do you like frosted sugar cookies?"

Andy reached for my hand and laced our fingers together. Everything suddenly grew tingly, his palm against mine. It was amazing the way he just seemed so chill about everything. Going on a date with me, holding my hand, telling me I looked beautiful.

"You look so good," I blurted before I could stop myself, and I had never wanted the earth to open up and swallow me whole more than right now.

"You think so?" Andy's lips curved up into a smile, and my heart leaped into my throat. He was so handsome.

I nodded. "Yeah, I do."

Andy chuckled somewhere deep in his throat. "That's nice of you to say. Thank you, Leo."

My feet barely touched the ground the rest of the way inside.

***

I watched as Andy finished lacing my skates. It was sweet that he wanted to make sure I was safe and everything. Oh no! What if I fell on the ice and embarrassed myself? If I couldn't skate, would Andy want me? Ezra had told me I didn't have to worry about that, but I was anyway. Ask me to take apart an eight-cylinder engine before I put it back together again, and I was your boy. But this? This was uncharted territory for me. Slippery territory, actually.

"Uh, maybe this isn't such a good idea," I heard myself say.

Andy was still squatting before me, my skate propped on his knee, the guard on the bottom to protect him from the blade. "We can just sit right here if you want. We don't even have to go out on the ice if you're more comfortable with that. But I said that I would catch if you fall, and I meant it."

Those butterflies in my stomach began to flutter again. "That's sweet."

"Do you trust me?" Andy asked as he climbed to his feet, towering over me. He held out his hand, and when I took it, heat streaked up my arm and into my body. "Do you?" He titled his head.

I nodded. "Yes. Yes, I trust you."

I let Andy lead me out onto the ice. It was romantic how we had the entire rink to ourselves, the twinkling of the Christmas lights while the soft sounds of holiday music played over the speakers overhead. I saw Ezra sitting up in the seats, sandwiched between Noel and Maverick, a smile on his face. He gave me a little wave, and I shook my head.

"You're doing great."

Andy dropped my hand and wrapped his arm around my waist. The warmth of his big palm burned through the fabric of my sweater and caused my entire body to light up. I'd had crushes before, but nothing had ever felt like this. This was so much more.

I beamed up at him. "You're a good teacher."

Andy's cheeks flushed pink as he smiled down at me, the lights dancing over his face. "It's nothing."

"I disagree," I told him. "You've instructed me how to keep my feet from slipping out from beneath me, kept me upright, and you're so relaxed. Someone else might be stressed or uptight, but not you."

Andy suddenly slowed us down, and when we stopped, he leaned forward to brush his lips over mine. It wasn't heavy or hard, just a swipe of his mouth, but my heart thundered against my ribcage as sparks ignited inside me. My first kiss was just as magical as I had hoped it would be.

"I hope you know how much I like you, Leo."

"I like you, too," I assured him. "Is your father going to freak out about this?"

Andy jutted his chin behind me. "I'm pretty certain that he's rushing off to call Pop right now so he can tell him how I had the nerve to kiss you in front of him."

"Does he hate me that much?" I knew things between us wouldn't work if Maverick didn't like me. Andy seemed close to both his fathers, but Maverick might be a tough nut to crack.

His brows dipped. "You think my dad hates you? Trust me, he doesn't. He's a little protective, which I love. He's great. They both are, and I'm so lucky to have them."

"You are," I whispered softly before I pushed the thoughts of my parents out of my head.

Andy's arm snaked around my shoulders again, then he guided me around the rink. "Noel seems great, too. The fact that he's here and everything."

"He is great. He didn't sign up to take care of me, but when our parents disappeared..." I realized I had let that part slip, and I cringed as I wanted for his reaction.

Andy squeezed my side. "I'm sorry that your parents were assholes." He didn't pry or ask questions, something I wasn't used to. I kind of liked it. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him about how he ended up with the Olsons before he surprised me again. "Can we do this again?"

"You want to go on another date?"

"I'd like to take you on all the dates, if I'm being honest."

What was happening right now? "Did you...Are you...What?"

"Be my boyfriend?" Andy asked.

How was he so casual about this? My entire body was trembling right now. I must have looked horrified because he began to backtrack.

"You don't have to. I totally understand if you want to date other guys."

I hooked my arm around his waist. "I don't want to date other guys."

"Really?" Andy looked so hopeful.

"You're not worried about everyone finding out about us? That you're dating a boy?" I worried my lip between my teeth.

Andy skated to a stop, his hands on my shoulders. "No, because I want everyone to know that you're mine."

I swear, in that moment, I had never been happier in my entire life.