29. Leo
Chapter twenty-nine
Leo
It was still dark when we got there.
Pitch black, actually.
Just the lights from our phones and a long line of headlights winding up the mountain. Apparently, everyone had the same idea at the same ungodly hour.
Haleakalā.
Sunrise above the clouds.
Here I was freezing my ass off on a volcano in Hawaii that was absolutely worth it.
Because I was freezing my ass off… with her.
I shoved my hands deeper into my pockets, breath coming out in faint clouds as the wind cut through my hoodie.
“Why is it so cold?” Cherise’s voice came from beside me, wrapped in about three layers of attitude, my hoodie, and a blanket she’d stolen from the villa. “I did not fly to Hawaii to experience winter.”
I huffed a laugh. “You’re on a volcano thousands of feet in the air.”
She rolled her eyes. “Take me back to the beach.”
“Not happening.”
She glared at me, but pressed herself into my side anyway. “Then I need body heat,” she said through chattering teeth.
My arm came around her, pulling her closer as she tucked herself under my chin.
She exhaled in satisfaction, her nose pink from the cold. “Ok, I guess we can stay.”
I smiled into her hair. It smelled amazing, like that shimmery custard shampoo that exploded on me in the shower.
Around us, the group was slowly gathering near the railing.
Chelsea already complaining. Savannah taking pictures. Grace stood quietly beside Logan, fingers laced together, her head resting on his shoulder as he kissed her forehead.
Everything felt still.
Like the world hadn’t woken up yet.
Cherise shifted slightly in my arms.
“You think it will be worth it?” she asked.
I looked out over the horizon.
Nothing but darkness.
Clouds stretched out below us as if we were standing above the world.
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I think it’s one of those cross off your bucket list kind of things.”
“I guess this trip has been filled with bucket list checks, then.”
She had no idea. “Yes… yes, it has.”
A hush fell over the crowd.
And then—
The sky shifted.
A faint line of gold stretched across the horizon.
Like the world was taking its first breath.
Cherise’s fingers curled tighter in the fabric of my hoodie, bunching it in her fist.
“Leo…”
Her voice barely made it past a whisper.
It was beautiful.
She was beautiful.
The light hit her face. Soft pink, gold, and warm. For a second, I didn’t know where to look.
The sunrise…
Or her.
“Okay…yeah,” Grace said quietly, a small laugh slipping out. “This was worth waking up before the roosters crowed.”
Logan chuckled, rubbing his hands together. “I can’t even complain about the cold,” he said, nodding toward the horizon. “This is insane.”
Grace stepped back into him, tucking herself under his arm as she looked over the water. “It’s like we’re in heaven.”
I let out a quiet breath.
Yeah.
This was heaven.
My gaze drifted back to Cherise.
And she was the best part.
The epitome of an angel in my eyes.
“Greg,” Savannah called, grabbing his arm and tugging him around, “turn around, we need a selfie.”
“Can we just enjoy the view?”
“You can enjoy the view after you get my good angle.”
“You have one good angle?”
She gasped. “Excuse me?”
He grinned. “Relax, you have several.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Better answer.”
She took a few dozen pics, critiquing each one until she found the one where the light hit just right.
“Let’s take a pic,” I said, digging my phone from my pocket. “I want to remember this moment.”
She didn’t argue. My hand slid along her waist, pulling her closer. We turned around, I leaned against the rail, then she melted into me.
“Ready?” I asked, lifting my phone and crouching down.
Instead of looking at the camera…
She looked at me.
Time stilled.
I hit the button.
Right before the flash—
Her lips pressed against my cheek.
Soft and gone way too fast.
I glanced at the pic.
The cast of the horizon beamed behind us.
It was perfect.
She was perfect.
“I’d tell you to send it to me if I had my damn phone.”
I laughed. “I got you. I’ll take plenty of pics and send everything once you’re back home and get a new phone.”
She studied me. “Promise?”
I didn’t hesitate.
“Promise.”
She held my gaze for a second longer.
Then she nodded.
I pulled her back close, resting my chin back on the top of her head.
Neither of us said anything.
We just existed in this moment.
Taking it all in.
The sun had climbed higher now, warming everything up, chasing away the chill that had us so bundled up in the first place.
Behind us, Savannah was still directing Greg like she was running a full-blown photoshoot.
“Greg, no, turn your head. No, the other way. Oh my God, why is this so hard?”
“I’m literally just standing here,” Greg said.
“I know... that's the problem. Give me some pizzazz, a smolder, something.”
Cherise laughed, the sound muffled against my chest.
I closed my eyes for a second.
Let myself feel it.
Her.
Right here.
Because I knew this didn’t last. By tomorrow, we’d be back to real life.
Back to normal.
Back to me fixing toilets and pipes, and her being off limits.
Not mine.
Never mine again.
My grip tightened around her. Like if I held tight enough, I could slow it down.
Make it stay.
But time doesn’t work like that. It keeps moving. Dragging you with it, whether you’re ready or not.
And I wasn’t.
Not for this.
Not for her to walk away like none of this ever happened. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to loosen my hold on her.
Because if I didn’t…
I might not let go at all.
***
I stared at myself in the mirror, tugging at the collar of the suit for the third time.
Behind me, the room was loud. Eric talked over everyone, Milo was fixing Logan’s tie, and Miles poured shots.
I rubbed my hand over the back of my neck and let out a breath.
It was a little weird being here.
Standing in Logan’s suite. Dressed like I belonged in his circle. I barely knew the guy. I liked him, yeah. He was cool. Easy to talk to. Nothing like what I expected.
But still…
This wasn’t my place.
You’d think someone like him would have a room full of people. Childhood friends. Industry guys. People lining up to stand beside him. Instead, it was just Milo and Eric.
That was it.
I guess when everyone knows your name, you get real careful about who you keep close.
“Yo, Derrick,” Eric called, tossing me a look. “You zoning out or what?”
I blinked, forcing myself back into it.
“Sorry, I’m good. Just got a lot on my mind.”
“You need to be thinking about taking a shot with us,” he said, handing me a shot.
“To my boy Logan, I wish you many years of marital bliss.”
We clinked shot glasses. I brought it to my lips and knocked it back.
The burn hit quick.
My thoughts drifted to Cherise.
I pictured her in another room, probably laughing with the girls and doing that thing where she talks with her hands to prove her point.
I buried the thought.
I shouldn’t be thinking about her right now.
I should be here. Focused on celebrating with Logan.
But every second in this room felt wasted. Time I could be spending with her. Time I wasn’t getting back.
It was selfish. I know it was. This day wasn’t about me. But it didn’t stop the thoughts from creeping in anyway. It played in my head like a broken record.
After today, it all ends.
I swallowed, setting the empty glass down a little harder than I meant to.
“Are you good?” Miles asked, giving me a concerned look.
“Yeah,” I said quickly. “I’m good.”
I wasn’t.
Not even close.