“I needed to do this. I needed to stop thinking about Andre…it was the only way.”
She noticed the sad look on his face and for a moment, she wondered what she could do to make it better. And the fact that she was so focused on her own shit made her feel a little selfish. Like she was trying to make a big deal of something that was not even supposed to be a big deal.
“Thanks for this,” she said as she gave him a hug. “And you cleaned up too,” she added as she pulled away. “Did I mention those seven days were way too long without you around?”
“Yeah, I noticed that the apartment was a little…neglected,” he said and she shrugged.
“Maybe.”
“I love you, baby girl, and this comes from a place of pure love, but you stink. You need to shower.”
“I told you I stopped by a burning building.”
“Yeah, you smell like it too.”
“I’ll have a quick shower and then come out for the late lunch…or whatever,” she said as she walked out of the kitchen. She smiled when she walked into her room. This was the first time in a week she was seeing her room actually clean. She stripped down and started the shower before she stepped under the running water.
“And it just gets better,” she thought when she saw the extra towels and conditioner.
She took a long deep breath as she stood under the running water. She was still thinking about the man she had met earlier. And how much he got to her. How was it that she had never seen him before especially since she had been a volunteer fire fighter for almost three years?
She took a longer time in the bathroom than she intended to, and by the time she made her way back to the living room, Leo was talking on the phone and by the tone in his voice she could tell that he was either talking to Andre or leaving a message for him. She leaned against the wall and looked at him walking up and down the living room as he spoke in low tones. She was trying hard not to eavesdrop, but she could not help it. She sighed as she looked at him and for a moment, every shred of anger she had simply floated away. It seemed like forever before he finally hung up. She slowly made her way into the living room and forced a smile.
“I see you went with the classic bathrobe,” he said and she nodded.
“I like the feel of the robe against my body when I’m tired.” She slowly made her way towards him. “Everything okay?”
“I’m fine,” he lied.
“Really?” she asked and he shrugged.
“I just wish I didn’t have to talk to do this.”
She shook her head.
“Do what?” she asked.
“Call him and beg for him to listen to me or something…this is not me.”
She walked to the living room and sat down. She noticed a bottle of wine and the food on the table.
“Oh, you went all out. That’s sweet,” she said and he forced a smile. “The least you could do for me is stop thinking about Andre.”
“I am trying to…it’s just hard to…” Leo’s voice trailed off. “I just can’t.”
She looked at him and reached for his hand.
“I know that you don’t want to talk about this, but I have to ask, is there any way…any chance that he might be angry with you about something?” she asked and he shrugged.
“Even if he was angry with me…about whatever, is telling me so hard?” he asked and she sighed. She was not so sure how she was supposed to handle this situation. It was always Leo handling all her mishaps and now that the tables were turned, she was not very sure how she was supposed to go about it.
“I don’t want to talk about Andre right now. Talk to me about your day and the obviously burning building you were in.”
“You make it sound like it’s a bad thing helping the fire department,” she said.
“Well, to be honest, I don’t like the idea of you running into burning buildings and stuff,” he said a little too honestly. “I mean, you are a volunteer fire fighter. That does not give you leeway to put on that suit you got on eBay and run into buildings that have been reduced to embers.”
“Whoa,” she said in a soft voice as he poured two glasses of wine. “Don’t hold anything back on my account.”
He sighed.
“I’m just worried about you. That’s all.”
“Don’t worry. I have never had an incident.” She took one glass from him and shrugged. “But that’s beside the point. I need to tell you about this asshole I met today.”
“Oh wow, new guy. Cute?” There was an excitement in Leo’s voice.
“What makes you think it’s a man I am talking about here?” she asked and he laughed.
“You have the ‘I met a new man’ look.”
Macy took a sip of her wine and shook her head.
“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked. “Did you miss that point when I said I met an asshole?”
“Well, the said asshole would not have gotten to you this much if you did not feel some type of way about him.”
He handed her a plate of lasagna and a side of salad, smiling. She looked at him and took a bite. She wanted to snap at him. Say something that would make him understand her side of the story, but she knew that explaining what had happened would actually make him side with Victor Racine. She rolled her eyes as she took a bite of her lasagna. Even the thought of his name drove her mad.
“Admit it, you saw a little more than just an asshole,” he said. “You saw a sexy SOB, didn’t you?”
“Leo Grant, I swear if you don’t shut up about this whole thing, I am going to turn this fork into a murder weapon,” she said in a warning tone.
“Okay, now I want to know who this guy is. What’s his name?” Leo asked, smiling.
It was the first genuine smile she had seen on him in a long time.
“I am not telling you his name,” she said.
“Oh come on,” Leo said as he reached for his iPad. “I can easily tell who he is just by scrolling through the fire department’s website.”