Coming Home(53)

It had been one week since she’d kissed Danny outside The Rabbit Hole. One week since she’d totally put herself out there for the first time in years. One week since the fire coursed through her veins and burned in her belly at the feel of his mouth on hers.

And one week since she’d heard from him at all.

He hadn’t called. He hadn’t texted. But the most frustrating thing of all was, this time Leah knew it was her fault. After all, she had been the one to push boundaries multiple times that night. She had been the one to initiate the touching under the table. She had been the one to chase him outside after he’d already said good-bye. And she had been the one to initiate that kiss.

She wasn’t angry at him; it wasn’t his fault if he wasn’t interested in her that way. In fact, it was something she had sort of suspected all along. But now she’d made it awkward; he probably wouldn’t ever call or text her again for fear he’d be sending her the wrong signals.

Robyn and Holly had been so upset on the drive home, alternating between bouts of silence and strings of apologies for pressuring Leah to go out after him that night. She tried over and over to reassure them, telling them it just meant Danny wasn’t into her, and it was probably better she found that out sooner rather than later. This seemed to placate them, and Leah found it somewhat amusing that she was the one doing the consoling when she had just made a complete fool of herself in front of a guy she really liked.

At least it provided her with a much needed distraction.

Leah placed her cup of tea on the coffee table before she fell back onto the couch with a sigh, stretching her arms above her head. Her phone buzzed with Holly’s ring tone, and she leaned over, swiping it off the coffee table before bringing it to her ear.

“What’s up?”

“Hello my love. Are you showered and ready?”

“Showered and ready for…?”

“It’s Friday night. Let’s go out.”

Leah yawned, rubbing the back of her hand over her eyes. “Not tonight.”

“Please, Leah? It’s the last weekend before Robyn’s wedding, and then she’ll be gone for two weeks on her honeymoon.”

“Okay, so go out with Robyn. We can hang out whenever.”

There was a stretch of silence on the other end before Holly exhaled. “Don’t go backward, Leah. I don’t want you sitting home and moping over him. It’s not worth it.”

“I’m not moping,” Leah said.

She wasn’t moping or pouting or fuming or brooding. She wasn’t…anything.

“Leah.”

“I swear, I’m not moping,” she said with a laugh. “I’m just tired. We can hang out tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay,” she sighed in acquiescence. “Call me if you change your mind.”

“I will.”

“Alright. Peace out, baby.”

Leah laughed. “Peace out,” she said with an eye roll before she ended the call.

After a minute she sat up, grabbing her mug and turning off the television before she made her way down the hall, shutting off the lights as she went. Leah grabbed the book she had just started before she padded into the bathroom and ran herself a bubble bath.

“Exactly. What. I. Needed,” she breathed as she submerged herself under the steaming water, placing her book on the edge of the tub as she rested her head back and closed her eyes.

She read until the water chilled, and then she pulled herself lethargically from the bath and drained the tub, throwing on a pair of flannel pajamas and crawling into bed.