Chapter 2: It Begins

CHAPTER 2

It Begins

My last two weeks at the firm were filled with a mix of agonizing days, counting clocks, and waves of anxiety.

It’s odd how time can seem to take forever to pass while you’re in the midst of it, but afterward feels like it elapsed in the blink of an eye.

I tried to make the best of the time I had because I knew once I started working with Leo at Willowbrooke, things would never be the same. I had taken the leap of faith and was hanging midair, waiting to see if I would land on solid ground or plummet to the depths below.

My parents took the news better than I expected. I had nightmares about doors slamming and lamps being thrown—not that they were prone to physical outbursts. I knew going into the meeting I had scheduled they could tell something was wrong, as I had never requested a meeting like this before.

“Did Adam propose?” My mom asked, eyes twinkling, looking well put together in a matching navy suit.

“No.” My face fell. Why on earth would they think I would call a business meeting to tell them I was engaged? I was pretty sure they would have preferred Adam as a son instead of me as their daughter. “I’m leaving the company,” I said quietly.

My dad’s brow furrowed, and his hands dropped from the table. “Leaving to go where?”

“I got a job working as an interior designer—it’s a huge opportunity—”

“Sweetie,” my mom interrupted. She sounded as though she thought I was making it up. “You can’t leave us in the lurch like this—what brought this on? We adjusted your salary last year when you hit your ten-year mark with the firm.”

Ignoring the fact that it had been over two years since the paltry raise, I slid a paper across the table. “This is my letter of resignation—and my two weeks’ notice.”

I tried to remain resolute. I could hear Mina in my head: “Don’t let them take this from you,” she told me.

“I appreciate everything you have done for me, and I’ve gained a lot of experience working at the firm, but it’s time for me to move on and pursue my own career.”

My father shook his head and tried to hide his annoyance. I wasn’t a teenager and this wasn’t a phase, but they didn’t seem to realize that. “Two weeks?” He pursed his lips. “You’re blindsiding us like this, and you can only be bothered to give us two weeks to find and train a replacement?”

In a rare moment of courage, I felt compelled to speak my truth, knowing that my life was becoming untethered from my dependance on them. “I’ve put my dreams on hold for over a decade to help the firm. I wish you would consider supporting my choices and be proud of me for trying to become more independent.” I tried to maintain eye contact for as long as I could.

“I will do everything I can to assist with the transition. It’s not my intention to cause issues as a result of my departure.” I could feel myself begin to tremble, holding back the anger I so desperately wanted to unleash on them. But there was no point in burning the rickety bridge that remained between us. Professionalism and the high ground were my only option.

“I’m disappointed in you.” Mom frowned before getting up to leave the room.

“You’re sure you know what you’re doing?” Dad’s eyes narrowed in on me. “If it doesn’t work out, I don’t know if there will be a place left here for you.”

I wasn’t sure if that was a threat or meant to be helpful.

“Even if I fail, at least I will have tried.” I shrugged, before getting up and leaving the conference room. I had hoped to feel lighter after the meeting, but instead I felt dread over the weeks to come, and their doubt had me second-guessing everything.

The news spread like wildfire through the office.

Adam found me during lunch, eating alone at my desk, like every other day, because nobody else was willing to cover the phones.

Adam was as attractive as he was charming. Just like Leo West, he looked great in a suit, but the similarities between the two stopped there. He prioritized self-care to maintain his good looks, spending time at the tanning salon, dropping more on skincare than my salary at the firm, and making sure every piece of clothing he owned was tailored within an inch of its life.

I supposed he had always been so well put together, but when I had first met Adam, he’d made it seem effortless. After having lived with him for over a year, I’d seen behind the smoke and mirrors, and it often left me wondering if the Adam I knew was truly an authentic version of himself, or a perfectly curated facade he had spent years manufacturing.

Adam vented about feeling left out of the loop. He was understandably upset that I hadn’t told him beforehand. But I hadn’t trusted that he wouldn’t tell my parents before I got the chance, or try to talk me out of it before giving my notice. I couldn’t have afforded either transgression, and while things between us remained delicate, I didn’t think I could get past a betrayal like that.

I could have, and perhaps should have, stood up for myself and my decisions, but more often, as of late, I found it easier to let him say what he needed to say, rather than arguing my point. I thought Adam just wanted to feel heard and understood, even if I didn’t agree with him.

“Penny, I love you,” he insisted, squeezing my hand.

I looked up at him hopefully. I wanted him to be happy for me.

“But sometimes you make it hard to take your side.”

I felt my shoulders slump in defeat, my gaze falling to the floor.

I didn’t think there should be sides to a relationship. I thought we were supposed to be a team. It hadn’t felt like that in a while…in fact, I couldn’t really think of the last time it had.

“I didn’t want to put you in a bad position, Adam,” I lied. “This way, you can tell them that you didn’t know and didn’t have a chance to make me reconsider,” I tried to placate him. “Trust me, it’ll work out for you better this way. I know they’re getting ready to offer you that promotion you’ve been asking for.”

“Honey.” He pulled me into a loose hug, softening. “Let’s go to dinner tonight to celebrate.” He placed a soft kiss at my temple. “I know how big of a deal this is for you.”

“Bella Vita?” I asked. It was my favorite restaurant in the area.

“Sure,” Adam agreed. He paused for a moment. “But next time…”

“I know, I’m sorry.”

At the very least, I had one person firmly in my corner. Mina wasted no time helping me prep ahead of my first day, so I could go in overly prepared for whatever Leo West had to throw at me.

Using some templates she’d stolen from work, we drafted a master plan and proposal for the interior of the property, including an in-depth project timeline. She got a printout of her firm’s preferred contractors, under the condition that I not expose who had referred me. And finally, she had notes on all the inspectors to avoid for the project, so I’d be able to schedule an inspection right away, after getting Leo’s approval.

“You’re going to crush this.” Mina smiled across the table at our favorite cafe the Sunday afternoon before my first day. “Don’t think about your parents—they’ll get over it when they see how amazing you are. This is going to open so many doors for you, and it’s only a matter of time before they start taking credit for pushing you to do this.” She laughed.

I was ready, or well…I thought I was.

“You drink coffee?” Leo asked quietly while I followed him to the kitchen.

Seeing him again after our first meeting had my head spinning a bit. He was even more attractive than I remembered. I hated that he made me feel so nervous. Just because he was good-looking and stiffly polite didn’t mean that my heart should be pounding in my chest the way it was. I wasn’t even available.

I had spent the long commute trying not to psych myself out over what I was about to embark upon and replaying how our original encounter had transpired. I was determined to get more insight into who he was and what he wanted out of this project.

The way he spoke, how he’d regarded me, even his posture demonstrated how on guard he was at all times. I could sense the walls he had erected around himself over a long period of time. I wondered what had happened to him that required such protection. It couldn’t just have been the recent loss of his father. I felt myself yearning to comfort him, despite the fact that I barely knew him. I wanted to know him.

I remembered laughing at myself in the car, having thought for a moment that maybe we would grow to become friends. I wasn’t sure if Leo was even the type of person who could maintain friendships, because if he was as quiet and short with others as he’d been with me, it would have taken someone dogged and determined to be in his life to stick around long enough to see beyond the facade he had up to protect whatever he was hiding beneath the surface.

But Leo’s facade felt so different from Adam’s. Adam was insecure, but Leo seemed very confident in himself, just private. Although I supposed what they had in common was the need to hide their vulnerabilities. I knew what Adam’s were, but I had yet to discover Leo’s.

“Definitely—I take it black.” I smiled as I answered his query. The awkwardness between us was palpable, but I was determined to get past it. “I’ve done a ton of prep work to give us a head start, but I was hoping you might let me know exactly what your expectations are for me and the project, so I make sure I’m doing right by you.”

Mina had suggested the question about expectations since our arrangement was so loose and I didn’t have experience or the backing of a firm to guide me in the process. “Keep Leo West happy, and you’ll be fine,” Mina had assured me.

Leo’s face was blank. “I don’t know—I just want everything done to the highest standard.” He slid a steaming mug of coffee across the kitchen counter to me.

There was something I had been desperate to ask, and I’d told myself not to, but seeing as I still wasn’t clear on his response, I decided to use the opportunity to satisfy my curiosity. “Let me put it to you another way.” I bit my lip nervously. “You turned down every firm, every acclaimed designer in the tri-state area—why did you pick me? I’m a nobody—I have no real-world experience, just drive and passion.” I chanced a glance up at Leo.

“You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself,” Leo said quietly, maybe hoping I hadn’t heard him.

Again, I felt my heart flutter. He didn’t know me, but he seemed to respect me. I wasn’t sure what I had done to earn his respect, but I appreciated that, other than Mina, he was one of few people who had offered me encouragement.

I held my tongue, waiting for him to answer my question. Leo pursed his lips, thinking about how exactly to reply. “You were the only person that asked me what I wanted to do with the space and actually cared about what I said.”

“You never did answer the question.” I gave a humorless laugh.

“I wanted to collaborate with someone. My answer wasn’t the point, the point was that you wanted to work with me—you didn’t want to tell me what this place should look like and go do it, without another word from me.

“This house is where I grew up. It’s belonged to my family for generations. It means something to me.” Leo’s gaze was firmly on his coffee. It was clear being this open was not easy for him. “I appreciate that this house now means something to you too. Perhaps this project can be a new beginning for both of us.”

I nodded in agreement. Our interview had seemed so short, and I was taken aback that he had gotten all of that from our exchange. But more so that he was spot-on. I did care what he thought, and I did want to work alongside him. And of course this project meant everything to me. But I hadn’t said that to him…he just understood.

Leo took a sip of his coffee, then paused, debating on saying something else. Finally, he gave in. “And I just...” His eyes met mine, gauging my reaction as he said, “...like you.”

I tried not to show it, but I’m sure he observed that I was surprised by his candor. His tone wasn’t quite suggestive, but a blush still bloomed across my cheeks.

He sensed something in me—something I didn’t see myself. But I knew then that I wanted to prove him right. I wanted to show him that he wouldn’t regret giving me a chance. And if he couldn’t see my shock at his answer, or the determination it inspired for him, despite the fact that he already seemed to be able to read me so easily, surely my pleased silence said more than enough.

“So, show me your plans,” he said.

“First, we have to open the curtains in here—I’m withering without the natural light,” I pleaded. “Unless you’re allergic to the sun?” I raised a brow in jest.

Leo sighed, but gestured toward the windows, giving me permission to proceed.

“Don’t you find it creepy and stuffy in here with them always closed?” I raised my voice to reach him across the room’s expanse, while I pulled back panel after panel.

Leo merely shrugged.

“There.” I stood back, looking at the stunning view of the back lawn and ocean beyond the cliffside, the room now bathed in natural light. “Isn’t that so much better?”

Leo remained impassive.

In the light, Leo’s face became more sallow, revealing dark circles under his eyes.

When was the last time he’d slept?

Dressed in an almost identical outfit as when I had first met him, his forearm muscles were more visible in the natural light, as well as the lean lines of his long legs in his impeccably fitted slacks.

“The plans, Penny?” Leo drummed his fingers on the countertop impatiently.

“Right!” I rushed back to the kitchen and pulled a huge stack of documents and binders from my messenger bag.

Leo’s eyes widened for a brief moment at the display.

“Okay, so what I’d like to do today is go over the game plan for the next couple weeks.” I pulled out an oversized tri-fold I’d had specially printed to show the proposed project timeline.

“You made a Gantt chart?” Leo asked—dare I say—slightly impressed.

I nodded, trying to hide a smile as he pulled the chart across the counter to examine it.

“This week, and maybe into next, depending on how quickly we get through everything, I’d like to go room by room with you to discuss your ideas and my suggestions, so I can create a design for each one—I already have mood boards, but if they aren’t to your taste, I can redesign them,” I offered, separating out the mood boards from the rest of the documents in a single stack. “I also have all of this online if you prefer soft copies. I used a software where you can add comments, feedback, and make edits, if you’d like.”

“Send me the link,” Leo said absently, as he began to review the mood boards.

I truly hadn’t expected him to be so interested in the designs, but the thought delighted me. While many designers had their own points of view and were hired to impart their vision on a space, I wanted the collaboration that Leo desired as well.

“I’d also like to do a full furniture inventory with you—we can talk about what pieces you like, and if there are any you’d like to get rid of, I can have that arranged.”

“That’s fine as long as we don’t go into the solarium—it’s strictly off-limits.” His eyes met mine; he needed confirmation that I understood him.

“I remember.” I smiled gently, reassuringly.

“Once we’ve got the broad strokes confirmed,” I said, “I’ll need to go out and source the materials—do you have any interest in coming with? I wasn’t sure what your work schedule is like.” Mina and I had speculated about his job, but we’d come up empty.

“I’m not working currently—I’ll join you—this project is my only focus right now.” Leo took another sip of his coffee.

He’d really meant it when he’d said he wanted to collaborate with me.

It occurred to me that he was probably a trust fund kid, and with his father gone, he’d likely inherited everything. He didn’t need to work.

I felt a tinge of envy, but suppressed it. The truth was, I still didn’t know anything about Leo West, and it was impolite to make assumptions about him, even if I couldn’t help it.

“Great.” I smiled up at him again. “I’ll be glad to have the company and your opinion.” I finished my own coffee then. “Once we’ve got an idea of lead times on the raw materials, I’ll start figuring out when we’ll need to book the contractors. I’ve got some referrals already.”

“You mentioned an inspection?” Leo asked.

“Yes!” I dug around for another sheet. “Just to be safe, it would be good to schedule someone right away, so if there are any major issues, we can address them immediately and build anything required into the project timeline and budget.” I bit my lip, worried about the next bit. “And you haven’t specified a budget yet…that was the only other big thing I wanted to discuss with you.” I chanced a glance up at him.

Leo was unfazed. “There isn’t one,” he said simply.

I nodded at the revelation. I was curious to see, once we actually started shopping for materials, if that stance changed, but until I had a better idea of what he had in mind, I’d keep moving ahead. “So room by room—where do you want to start?”

We made it through all the rooms within the first three days, and started on the much more laborious task of furniture inventory and photography for the next two weeks. Leo surprised me by being rather agreeable to the plans I had put forth.

Getting a solid opinion out of him was like pulling teeth, I learned quickly, so I only dug in and insisted on things that were really important, like how often he actually used the kitchen—he admitted to enjoying cooking quite a bit, which altered my initial plans to be more chef-friendly.

He wouldn’t relent on how often he watched TV, but insisted there be one in the living room anyway. He also never used the dining table, but wanted to keep the one he had, right where it was. Luckily, I agreed with him on that. Much to my delight, the hideous floral ruffle sectional in the living room was mutually hated, and he seemed very interested in the updated furniture and floor plan I had proposed.

The library didn’t require much beyond a new floor plan and reorganization of the books themselves. Even Leo admitted he didn’t know where anything was.

“Mom always kept it organized,” he’d mumbled to himself absently, unaware that I had overheard him. It was the first time he’d said anything about her, and it was clear she was no longer in the picture, and hadn’t been for a long time.

Upstairs, we thankfully discovered that the decrepit shag carpet in every room was indeed hiding original hardwood floors, as I had expected. “They’re herringbone,” I’d gushed at the pattern.

“Is that good?” Leo questioned, standing above me.

I sat back on my heels. “It’s excellent.” I beamed. “And they look to be in good condition, but we won’t know for sure until we get all the carpet up.”

All of the bedrooms had solid, vintage furniture pieces, but some required reupholstery or minor hardware repairs, and updated linens would be needed across the board. I did find it odd that there was a lack of dust, considering they had clearly not been in use recently.

“Val,” Leo explained. “She’s the housekeeper. She comes every Friday. She does a grocery pickup and tidies around the house.” I sensed there was more to it, but I didn’t press him.

However, Val remained elusive, as Leo requested we leave her to her work on the first two Fridays, and instead we headed out to a handful of local businesses I had scouted to take a look at—tile, countertops, fixtures, and fittings.

Shopping with Leo became a fun escape. He insisted on driving, and owned a brand-new and exquisite luxury sports car. I marveled at the soft leather seats and enjoyed relaxing next to him while he drove through the countryside. My pleasure at his car seemed to amuse him.

While we drove along the country roads, with the crisp fall air biting through the open sunroof, I often found myself observing Leo. He was so much more carefree outside of the house, especially on those long drives. It became more difficult not to notice the mounting number of differences between Leo and Adam, much to my dismay.

Things remained stagnant in my relationship, and while I would never dream of cheating on a partner, it didn’t escape my notice that my thoughts kept drifting to what being in a relationship with Leo would be like. The more I got to know him, the more he opened up to me, the more information I craved.

I hadn’t ever felt that hunger for knowledge with Adam. He had always been so transparent to me, despite his best efforts to hide behind his well-manicured appearance and tailored suits. But so much of Leo remained an enigma, luring me into what was surely a trap within the stuffy confines of Willowbrooke.

“What’s our first stop again?” Leo asked, bringing me crashing out of my reverie.

“Tileworks,” I replied absently.

“Excellent.” He flashed me what had once been a rare grin but was slowly becoming much more common in these quiet moments between the two of us.

I worried at first that Leo might become bored with sourcing all the materials and making so many small decisions, but he never once complained or acted in a way that made me think he was annoyed with the process. While he typically defaulted to me on decisions, he spoke up if he felt strongly about something, and true to his word, money seemed to be of no object.

Throughout the first few weeks, outside those brief flashes of candor on our road trips, Leo remained aloof and reserved, but occasionally I would get glimpses of him letting his guard down, like when he’d reassure himself quietly, “Dad would like that,” or something similar, after picking a specific component.

I was sympathetic to his grief, as he was so deeply impacted by the loss of his father, and I wondered what he had been like before. Had he always been so solemn and solitary? I was desperate to know more, and I did sense the very early seeds of a potential friendship blooming between the two of us.

Did he feel the same?

Could you be friends with someone who never shared a single thing about themself with you?

Could I be satisfied with such a mysterious acquaintance?

The answer to all of the above was probably not.

I was beginning to enjoy the routine Leo and I had started to settle into. He’d have a fresh, hot cup of coffee waiting for me every morning at eight a.m. on the dot. We’d review our plan for the day over said coffee, and get to work.

At first I brought lunch with me, but after a couple of days, Leo started ordering in for us, which was a nice treat and one less thing for me to worry about, considering how the long commute and continued distance from Adam was weighing on me.

Leo’s small, kind gestures further exacerbated the conflicting feelings escalating inside of me over my relationship with Adam. Leo was my boss, and that was a line I couldn’t cross…a line I shouldn’t even be thinking about in the first place.

But being appreciated and considered by someone made me realize maybe I didn’t want things to work out with Adam. I didn’t think he was capable of treating me how I wanted to be treated.

The thought of ending things made my stomach knot up. Confrontation had never been a strength of mine, and Adam always had a way of twisting what I was saying and thinking to make me feel he was in the right.

“Dare I ask how things are going with Adam?” Mina asked delicately over coffee one weekend.

“I don’t know…” I hedged.

“Penny.” Mina’s tone took on a warning note.

“He’s been working closely with a new architect at the firm, lots of late nights on the project.” I sighed. “I’ve just been a little lonely, is all.”

“New female architect?” she asked hesitantly.

“Yeah…”

I had never been the jealous type before meeting Adam two years ago, since I had known going in that he was a flirt. It was just the kind of guy he was. In the beginning, things were so intense that it took a while for me to realize that kind of behavior, no matter how innocent, made me feel insecure.

It was quite the whirlwind romance after he’d started at the firm. We’d moved in together quickly, and he’d swiftly risen up the ranks at my parents’ architecture firm.

Any time I mentioned my discomfort with him being overly friendly with the female staff, he’d explain the situation, which always sounded so much more reasonable when it came from him, and then I’d be left feeling silly for being jealous, wondering if it was all in my head.

Our relationship as of late had become a bit more tenuous. I’d get upset over feeling neglected, and he’d be mad that I hadn’t given him the benefit of the doubt. It was a never-ending, vicious cycle that I hadn’t found a way to exit. I’d never struggled in a relationship the way I did with Adam.

Before I’d met Leo and realized the disparity in how Adam treated me compared to the way Leo did, there had been moments of love and clarity that I’d clung to, that had made me want to fight to be with him. Those moments seemed to pale in comparison to the possibilities I saw on the horizon, in a future without Adam.

Between my recent realizations and Mina’s validation, I was left spiraling, wondering if all this time and effort spent trying to make things work was even worth it.

I already knew the answer. The question was if I was ready to do anything about it.

“Are you going to talk to him?” she asked softly.

Having been on the other side, trying to pull Mina out of an emotionally abusive relationship in college, I knew she was wary of alienating me. It could backfire and push me toward him, rather than pulling me away. She was trying to be supportive, while making sure I knew her stance on the matter.

“And tell him what?” I slumped in my seat. “I already know what he’s going to say, that he’s just friends with Zoe, and that I need to trust him.”

Mina leaned forward, reaching for my hand across the table. “Penny, you know you could stay with me.”

“I know.” I nodded. “I’m not there yet.”

“What’s really holding you back?” she asked.

I met her gaze. “When I talk to him about how I’m feeling, he explains things in a way that makes sense in the moment, but then later, it just makes me more confused.” I wasn’t quite sure how to vocalize how mixed up I felt about everything.

“Adam always seems to have an answer to everything,” Mina observed.

“He’s always so eager to make things work, and tries to find a solution to make things better, but then lets everything fall apart again.” I blinked back tears.

I knew the writing was on the wall. I knew what advice I would give Mina if she was in the same situation, but every time I got up the courage to try to confront Adam about my misgivings, he just had this way to make them all disappear.

“Like the day I gave my two weeks’ at the firm,” I brought up as an example. “After we talked through why I didn’t tell him about it before, he offered to take me to dinner to celebrate my new job. But we never went.”

“What?”

“He ended up having to work late at the office on his big project and forgot about it.” I felt a twinge of embarrassment, even though it had happened weeks prior.

“What do you mean he ‘forgot’?” Mina gritted her teeth.

“I mean, I got dressed up and sat at the apartment, waiting for him to get home, and fell asleep on the couch. But he brought me flowers the next day to make up for it,” I added, knowing it wasn’t enough. “I thought maybe he’d try to take me out a different night, but he never brought it up again after the flowers.”

“He’s always been all talk.” Mina couldn’t hold back any longer. “But you didn’t answer my question. What will it take for you to leave, Penny?”

“Courage.” I frowned.

Leo and Willowbrooke brought much-needed distraction into my life while I struggled to figure out how and when to end things with Adam.

While Leo and I were slowly warming up to each other, the house was a different story altogether.

Despite the constant natural light I insisted upon, the atmosphere remained heavy. I felt safer with Leo’s comforting presence nearby, but when alone, I was easily spooked by noises and tricks of the light that had me questioning my sanity. I always made sure to leave before dark, an increasingly difficult task as fall progressed, not to mention the guilt it instilled as I worried that I was leaving Leo with a bad impression of my work ethic.

I tried to brush off the weird feeling, the tingling at the back of my neck when I was alone in a room, or the sense of being watched. But one day, a few weeks into the project, I couldn’t ignore my instincts any longer.

While doing the furniture inventory, I had used my phone to take as professional “before” shots of the home as I could. I was referencing one of the photos of the pink room, one of the three guest bedrooms upstairs, when I noticed an odd shadow in the corner, but it was absent from the subsequent photos. On top of that, there were weird light specks littered across the last few photos of the same room.

“Leo, come look at this.” I beckoned him from the storage room behind the kitchen, where he was sorting through a wall of junk that had accumulated—our project now also seemed to include both organizing and decluttering the entire house, but I didn’t mind, because it meant more time with Leo.

Leo sauntered out of the room and glanced at my camera, but he just shrugged, unimpressed with the photos.

“That’s not normal,” I declared, swiping back and forth between the photo with the shadow and the next one, the same composition, where it was gone. “And what about the specks?”

“It’s just dust, Penny,” he dismissed me, already on his way back to the storage room.

“That shadow isn’t dust!” I called after him. I created a new folder on my laptop and decided to throw any incriminating photos into it. Maybe if I had more evidence, he’d believe me. Not that there was anything either of us could do about it, if the house was haunted, but I would have appreciated some validation.

A week later, another incident transpired in the basement. Leo remembered there might be extra dining chairs and a table leaf down there, and asked if I could check it out.

The basement was a whole other level of terrifying.

Only lit by two dangling and dim light bulbs hanging on opposite ends of the expansive space, the basement had never been touched by any of the previous renovations. Save for a new set of stairs descending into the must and cobwebs, it looked as it would have when the house was built in the eighteen hundreds.

“You want me to go down there alone!?” I croaked.

Leo raised a brow, biting back his amusement at my terror, and challenging me to refuse.

I gulped, nervous, but still determined to stay in his good graces, and made my way down to the basement, using my phone as a flashlight as I tried to locate the missing furniture. Sound was oddly muffled, perhaps by the stone walls. It felt as though I was in a different house entirely.

I thought I heard a scraping behind me, but when I spun my phone around, nobody was there. I was becoming desperate to find the stupid chairs and debated going back up and admitting defeat, when something touched my shoulder.

I let out a bloodcurdling scream, only to be met by laughter…Leo’s laughter.

“Oh, Penny,” he wheezed, placing a hand around my shoulder, pulling me into his side, in apology, “I’m so sorry.” He held his other hand over his chest, trying to slow his breathing. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“What the hell, Leo!?” I pushed him away.

“I came down to help you look,” he sighed, still trying to get over his amusement at just how badly he had frightened me. “I’m sorry, Pen.”

But then a strange thing happened…I started laughing too. I saw how silly I was being, but it also dawned on me that it was the first time I’d heard Leo laugh, and the sound was simply glorious.