Coming Home(25)

“The old lady found it?” Holly asked.

“No, her grandson did. Well, sort of grandson.”

Robyn let out a huge breath. “Ugh, thank God. I kept picturing your dad’s face when he found out and it made me want to cry. When did you go back down there to get it?”

“I didn’t. Her grandson met me in White Plains.”

Robyn and Holly exchanged a look, and Holly put down her glass, folding her hands on the table and looking pointedly at Leah.

She rolled her eyes. “Cut the crap. It wasn’t like that. He was just being nice.”

“Hmm, a nice guy. Good start. So what’s he look like?”

“Um, tall. Black hair. Blue eyes.” Leah shrugged.

“Cute?” Robyn asked, her brow lifted.

Leah reached for another chip. “I guess.”

Holly narrowed her eyes, pointing at Leah. “Come clean. You want his bod. You think he’s sexy.”

Leah smirked as she stared at the chip in her hand, turning it over. “He’s kind of sexy,” she conceded softly, and Holly whipped her head toward Robyn, her eyes huge.

“Oh my God, I was only kidding! Leah, that’s awesome!”

She shook her head. “It’s not a big deal.”

“It is a big deal,” Robyn said, swatting at Leah’s arm. “This is the first time in like forever that you’ve even looked at a guy that way!”

“I know. It’s unsettling.”

“No, sweetie. It’s a good thing,” Holly insisted. “You can’t let that f*cktard ruin you. Not all guys are like him.”

Leah took a breath and nodded just as Robyn said, “So what happened? You met him in White Plains, and then what? He gave you the bracelet and left?”

“Well, no. We had lunch.”

Holly’s hand came down on the table, causing the plates and glasses to rattle. “Are you kidding me that you’re just telling us this now?”

“You went on a date?” Robyn asked.

“No, no,” Leah said quickly, wishing she hadn’t said anything at all. “We just decided to get something to eat. Spur of the moment. It was more out of convenience than anything else.”

“And?”

“And, we talked, and ate, and it was nice.”

“So how did you leave it?” Robyn asked, and Leah pulled her brow together.

“Well, I left, and that was it.”

“Did you exchange numbers?” Holly asked.

“He already had mine from the note I left when I lost the bracelet, and I have his from when he called to tell me he found it, so…” She trailed off with a shrug.

“Did he ask to see you again?”

Leah shook her head, reaching for her drink.

The girls looked at each other quickly. “That’s okay,” Robyn said. “I mean, date or not, it was the first time you hung out with a guy alone in almost two years. And you admitted you thought he was attractive. Another huge step. I’m proud of you, girlie.”

Leah smiled softly as she picked up her drink. “So,” she said deliberately, “are you getting excited about this weekend?”

Holly laughed menacingly, and Robyn shot her a look. “I already told you guys, nothing too crazy.”

“Robyn, you’re having your bachelorette party on New Year’s Eve. How do you think it’s not going to get crazy?”

“It can get crazy, but can we just go easy with the penis paraphernalia?”