Emily pulled into the driveway and Leo parked his truck behind her Jeep. They walked to the front door together, each holding a to go cup of hot cocoa.
She opened the door for the two of them.
He smirked. "Seems like that lock is working okay."
"Don't start," she warned. She closed the door behind him and put her purse in the hall closet. Then she confronted him with a sly smile. "Rachel and Ella said you told them about me puking onstage at our Christmas program."
"It wasn't like that." He laughed. "I told them all. It was supposed to be a story of encouragement."
"Right." She laughed. "So, the point is, you do remember me. You remember me just fine."
He shrugged. "I confess."
She rolled her eyes at him. "Why did you say you didn't?"
"Did I say that?" He shrugged and touched his chin. "I don't think I said that."
Emily half-laughed. "Why did you let me think you didn't remember me?"
He shrugged again. "You didn't remember me."
"I'm sorry," She was slightly embarrassed by that. How could she not remember someone who had thought so highly of her? "High school was a weird time for me."
"I want you to know..." He started, sighed, then restarted. "I know that was a traumatic experience for you. I remember you just ran out. You were crying."
She nodded. The memory was still humiliating. "Everyone was laughing."
"Not everyone," he said.
She sighed.
"I wish I'd been more confident, more extraverted." He stepped closer. He held his cup in one hand and he put the other hand on her arm. "I wanted to say to you..."
She smiled. "It's okay."
"You were crying. I wanted to go after you and tell you it's okay. It's just high school. It doesn't matter." He smiled sadly. "I wanted you not to feel so bad."
She nodded and smiled back. "I wish you had."
"I don't know." He shrugged. "I was just a goofy little music nerd. My grandpa was the principal. None of the cool kids wanted to know me."
"I was not one of the cool kids." She laughed. "I was shy. A book nerd. None of the cool kids knew me either."
"You were always cool to me," he said. "I used to have this little crush on you. But that night, after that concert, I went home and told my grandma I was in love."
"Gross, you weirdo." She laughed. "You fell in love with me because I puked in front of everyone?"
He laughed and crossed to the table, so he could put his cup down. He looked at her sheepishly. "Well, I was 15, so it wasn't love love. But I was pretty infatuated with you. There was definitely a strong admiration."
She laughed a little harder. "Because I puked?"
"Because it happened, yeah." He rolled his eyes. "Because you were so hurt, and I wanted to take that hurt away."
"Oh, my hero." She scoffed and put her cocoa down beside his. "I could have used a friend. You never said a single word to me all through school."
"I know." He looked down. "But you came back to school the next week like it never happened. You didn't dwell on it, you just moved on and... and then I just really admired that even more."
She shook her head. "I can't believe you told your kids that story."
"Yeah. I did." He shrugged. "I did. I told them because I wanted them to know it's okay if they don't want to do a solo."
Emily laughed out loud. "Glad I can be a terrible warning to others."
"And I wanted them to know that when something goes wrong in life, it's not the end of the world," he said. "I told them how you came to school the very next day and the next and the next. I wanted to show them what emotional strength looked like."
"That wasn't strength," she said. "I wanted to quit school, change school, move, whatever. My mom made me go back."
"Whatever the reason." He shrugged. "I told my kids that story because I felt bad that I never told you how much I believed in you, and I wanted them to know how much I believe in them."
She smiled. The Universe had been playing the long game with her, hadn't it? "You want to know something, Leo?"
"What?" he looked at her, all seriousness and sensitivity, but that shy boy smile was just under the surface.
"I'm glad you believe in me." She unbuttoned her coat and draped it over the back of the chair. Her suddenly bare back gave her a little insecurity, but she met Leo's eyes anyway.
He was smiling, wider than normal. "You look incredible."
She took a step closer and tugged at the front of his ugly sweater. "Well, you look ridiculous."
"Thanks." He moved in for the kiss. "I've wanted to do this ever since that night."
She could feel his breath on her mouth. "You wanted to kiss me after I puked? Gross, Leo."
He smiled against her lips. "Well, I was 15. You know how boys are at that age. Probably wouldn't have mattered."
She caught his smile between her lips and kissed him, fully and without reservation. Her right hand held the back of his head and pulled him closer, tighter. Her left arm slid up his chest and over his shoulder. She had never been the one to initiate the kiss. It was always too intimidating. But this kiss... She just wanted to kiss Leo over and over.
He pulled her close, arms around her back and waist, sealing his body against hers from shoulders to knees. He was gentle, but firm, hungry, but patient. It was sweet, sexy, romantic, all at the same time. This is what a kiss should be—something that made you anticipate and appreciate, but not expect. She could kiss Leo forever.
Suddenly he stiffened and pulled away. He was still touching her shoulders, but his hands had lost all strength. She gasped air as the seal between them was broken. As she opened her eyes, she saw he was looking over her shoulder, mouth open, face pale.
She didn't have to turn to know who was there. She just watched Leo's face as he tried to comprehend.
"How?" He finally croaked. "Is this real?"
Emily slid one arm around his back and turned to Rose and Mr. Statton. She looked up at Leo, still gaping. "I believe you already know these two."
Rose was beaming, obviously proud of her handiwork. She was practically vibrating with excitement. "Well, go ahead and kiss her, Leo."
Leo's mouth opened as if he were going to say something, then he snapped it shut. There was one more moment of disbelief, then acceptance washed over his face, and he smiled. He kept his eyes on the two ghosts, but said to Emily, "Yeah, no. There's no way I can do this in front of my grandma."
Mr. Statton scowled. "If you'd close your eyes when you kiss, like a normal person, that wouldn't matter."
Rose gave him a playful slap on the arm and then wrapped her arms around his waist. "Hush, you."
Mr. Statton kept his gruff expression, but he embraced his wife and kissed her forehead. "Stop shushing me, woman."
Then the two were just gone.
"Wait!" Leo blinked several times. His eyes searched the air all around him. "Where did they go? I wanted to ask... I wanted to talk to them... I wanted to say..."
She sighed. "Yeah, they pretty much only show themselves when they're making trouble."
He thought about that a moment. She could see him concede the situation in his mind. Then his smile was back, and he pulled Emily closer. "You want to go to my place?"
She cocked her head toward where the elderly couple had been standing. "Are there ghosts there?"
"No." He laughed. "Not a one."
"Then, yes. Definitely." She grabbed her coat off the chair as he pulled her toward the door.
They were halfway down the steps when she stopped. "Wait, I left my purse inside."
He tugged at her hand. "Do you need it?"
"Well, no, but I feel a little naked without it." She looked back at the front door.
Leo smirked. "That's okay with me."
"My keys are in there." She rolled her eyes, and they headed back up the steps. As they approached the door, the lock clicked.
Leo gave her a look and twisted the door handle. It was locked. In the front window, the curtains moved, and Rose and Mr. Statton watched them, laughing.