Leo's Chance(71)

I go into work late the next morning, finally falling asleep for a couple hours in the early morning. On my way in, I stop by Evie’s apartment, ringing Maurice’s bell. He comes lumbering out, looking at me suspiciously. I smile my most charming smile and ask him if he’ll put the manila envelope I’ve placed the letters in under Evie’s door. I want her to read them but I don’t want her to have to face me until she’s ready. Until it’s her choice. Maurice nods and closes the door.

I close myself in my office. Several times throughout the day, Doc's words run through my head …it’s my hope that you will see, that I fought for you because you’re worth fighting for.

Will Evie think so now that she knows the truth?

Later that evening, I walk out to get a coffee down the street, needing the fresh air and the caffeine in order to keep myself from nodding off over the last couple of emails I plan on sending.

As I step off the elevator to the lobby, I see Gwen walking my way. I cringe internally, but keep my expression blank as she veers toward me. The expression on her face is the same one I would imagine a shark wears right before it sinks its teeth into a porpoise. Coming in for the kill.

"Hi, Jake," she says, a fake smile on her face.

"Gwen," I say back, moving past her.

"I ran into Evie at the spa," she speed talks.

I stop and turn to her. She’s the one who told Evie about my tattoo. Not that it matters. In fact, maybe the way it happened was for the best. Except for the fact that Evie was probably publicly accosted by Gwen the land shark, noshing her way through those who dare to get in her way.

I look at her thoughtfully for a second. "I should probably thank you then, Gwen. Evie needed to see my tattoo and I had hesitated too long. She needed to see it because it’s her. It’s our story."

Gwen draws back, her brows snapping down. "What? She is the girl you had tattooed on your back?" She keeps frowning, pausing for several seconds. "I just always assumed that girl was dead."

I shake my head. "No, not dead. Very much alive. And very much loved. And I pray to God, very much mine. Have a nice life, Gwen." And I turn and walk away.

I return to my building fifteen minutes later, caffeinated and feeling more alive. I wonder if Evie has read my letter yet. I wonder what she’s thinking for the hundredth time since she ran out of my condo. I wonder if she’ll respond to me, and if so, when. Fight for her. Oh, I intend to.

You’re worth fighting for.

Maybe I’m getting there. Maybe I’m not the bad bet that I believed myself to be for so, so long.

I step on to the elevator and wait as the small group of people step on with me. As I’m waiting for the doors to close, a man next to me taps me on the shoulder, and when I look over at him, he points at the glass behind me. I turn around and there she is. My lion tamer, my Evie, my love. For a second, I don’t understand. She’s smiling up at me and she mouths, "I choose you." Time seems to slow and the background noise fades out around me. I suck in a huge breath, the sudden lump in my throat threatening to choke me.

You’re worth fighting for.

I yell out, "Stop the elevator!" and push through the people in front of me, the door opening at the next floor so I can step off.

I run toward the escalator to the left of me, and even though it’s going in the wrong direction, it’s a way down to Evie and so take it, jumping three and four stairs at a time, ignoring the people swearing at me and giving me dirty looks as I push past them.

You’re worth fighting for.

She’s the only thing I see, the only thing in focus as I leap over the railing once I’m close enough to the bottom.

We run to each other and I pick her up, spinning her around, pressing my face into her hair, trying desperately to stay in control of the emotions that are steamrolling over me – joy, thankfulness, hope, love. She continues to chant, "I choose you. I choose you, Leo. Always."

You’re worth fighting for.

The sounds of people clapping and whistling breaks through the haze of joy around me, and I look around to see people staring at us. I laugh, an unbelieving laugh, and look back at Evie who is grinning, too, her face full of love.

"I love you, Evie," I say, my voice deep with emotion, even to my own ears.

"I love you, Leo, my loyal lion."

"You still believe that, after everything?" I look deeply into her eyes and see that she does.

You’re worth fighting for.

She nods. "Even more. You found the courage to jump through fire for me. You found yourself on the other side, didn't you?"

I look at her, thinking that yes, I think she’s right. I think that the fire turned out to be my own fear, my own sense of worthlessness. "I guess I did. But you were the one holding the ring." You were the one who always believed in me. You were the one who always thought I was enough.

"That's the easy part, my beautiful boy. Believing in you is effortless. It always was."

God, I love this beautiful, beautiful girl. I grin. "I'm going to take you back to my den and maul you now."

She grins right back. "Yes, please."

I take her hand in mine, our future stretched out in front of us, the promise to give her a beautiful life is a vow etched on my heart.