Vulnerable [Suncoast Society] (Suncoast Society #29)(46)

Laurel seemed to puzzle it over. “I think so. Is that okay with you, Uncle Jesse?”

“It’s perfectly fine with me.”

“Good.” She headed for the door. “Let’s eat. I’m starving, and there’s a California roll with my name on it.”

Leo didn’t even respond. He held his hand up for a silent high-five, which Jesse returned, before the men followed her into the restaurant.





Later that night, once Laurel was safely asleep, Leo called Jesse for a debriefing.

“Holy f*cking crapballs,” Leo said. “She was in fine form tonight.”

“She was adorable, but is she always like that?”

“No, that was out there, even for her.”

He loved the sound of Jesse’s laugh. “Did you tell her to call me Mr. Jesse?”

“No. See, that’s what you missed. The conversation all the way from Eva’s to the restaurant, once I told her you were joining us and she started her version of the Spanish Inquisition, only without the fun and games for all ages. You’d have thought I was under cross-examination.”

“I’m glad she liked the coloring book.”

“You totally rocked that selection, dude.” They fell into a comfortable silence. “You have no idea how glad I am she liked you,” Leo said. “She can be very fickle. She’s at this weird stage where she either immediately loves or immediately dislikes people when she meets them, no in between, get-to-know-you stage. It’s one or the other.”

“I’m glad I fell into the loves category.”

“Me, too,” Leo said. “Because I love you.”

He heard Jesse sigh. “Love you, too, Sir.”

Another moment of easy silence passed. “Look,” Leo said, “you’re going to be starting your classes in a few weeks and working less hours, which will hit your paycheck, right?”

“Right.”

“I stopped by the apartment manager’s office today. When I first rented, I had put in for a larger unit, if one became available, and one did. This was all they’d had when I moved in that was two-bedroom. It’s only two hundred more a month, and it’ll be available in two months. Now, I can swing that much by myself. But I’d like to put it out there that if we’re still feeling this good about each other when I move, if you’d like to move in with me then, we could talk about it. No pressure, though. We could share expenses. Two hundred a month, and help with groceries and utilities. That would help you out, right?”

“Okay,” Jesse said. “Yeah. Let’s keep that option on the table. What about Laurel? Would she be okay with that?”

“The question is, will you survive weekends clothed?”

Jesse let out a playful, melodramatic sigh. “If it’s for the greater good, I suppose I could endure wearing the bonds of my servitude to make my Sir and his adorable little kidlet happy.”

“The bonds of your servitude?”

“Hey, I’m brain fried. That wasn’t bad for me tonight.”

“I’m not going to lie. I’m scared.”

“I’m scared, too,” Jesse said. “But I have a safety net. I know if we do this and it doesn’t work, I can move back into Kel’s for now. What’s your safety net?”

“I can afford the apartment.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Leo knew what he meant. “I don’t know how Eva’s going to react or if the divorce will even be final by then.”

“I don’t want to cost you your child.”

Leo knew he was in love with the guy, especially after that comment. “You won’t. This will work out.”

“Even if we need to put Laurel first and not live together until after the divorce is final, I’m okay with that. We have weeks together when she’s not with you.”

Holy crap, if Jesse had tried he couldn’t have said anything more perfect.

“I want us to have the goal of living together.” Leo dropped his voice. “When she’s at her mom’s house, Sir will enjoy his naked boy’s ass all he wants.”

“Holy f*ck,” Jesse hoarsely said. “Now you made me horny, Sir.”

“You have my permission to rub one out without me tonight. But I should get off the phone.” He hesitated. “Love you, boy.”

“Love you, too, Sir.”

Leo hung up and stared at his phone.

He really hoped Eva didn’t drag this out any longer than necessary, but he’d find out next week.

Probably Monday night.

Because if Eva was going to go off the deep end again, that would be when it happened, when she’d had a chance to grill Laurel about the weekend.

How much more slack am I supposed to give her?

So far, he’d kept the battle between him and Eva away from Laurel as much as he could. There would eventually hit a point where Eva would totally burn him out emotionally and he would have to slap her down legally the way Ed Payne had been begging to for months and bring it to a final, harsh close.

And Leo was afraid, if it came to that, what would happen. He wasn’t even afraid for Laurel.

He was afraid for Eva.





They were eating leftover sushi for breakfast the next morning when Laurel gasped. “Daddy! Did you call Uncle Jesse this morning?”