31. Leo
Leo
Iglance up and see my sister walk into the ballroom. She waves at me and walks over.
“Hey, little brother,” she says as we hug. “You look pretty good in that penguin suit.”
I roll my eyes. When we break apart, she smiles at Lucy, then looks at me. “I didn’t know you were bringing a date.” Her big brown eyes sparkle with intrigue. She turns to Lucy. “I’m Zoey. Leo’s favorite sister.”
They shake hands as I roll my eyes again. “My only sister.”
“Way to ruin the joke,” Zoey says.
Lucy laughs. “I’m Lucy. Leo’s friend and roommate.”
Zoey’s eyes brighten. “You’re Lucy?” She smiles. “Leo told me about you.”
Lucy blushes. “Hopefully only good things.”
My sister aims a knowing smile at me. “Only good things,” she reassures. “Hopefully, living with my brother hasn’t been a total drag? I lived with him for most of my life, so I know how annoying he can be.”
“Hey, you weren’t a walk in the park to live with,” I say. “Remember how you hogged all the bathroom counter space with your makeup and skincare and hair stuff?”
Zoey gently shoves my shoulder. “It wasn’t the whole counter. And I don’t know why you’re complaining. You never had that much stuff anyway. Just a toothbrush, a bar of soap, and a bottle of Axe body spray.”
Lucy covers her mouth as she laughs. I roll my eyes and hold back a laugh at my big sister roasting me.
“Wow. We’re taking cheap shots, huh?” I look at Zoey. “Should I mention how you almost set the bathroom on fire with your candle and body spray addiction?”
“That was one time.”
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize lighting the bathroom on fire was okay if it was just one time.” I turn to Lucy. “She lit a candle, then doused herself with vanilla body spray while standing next to it. Some of the spray hit the candle and poof. You should have seen how big those flames got.”
Zoey crosses her arms and frowns at me. “I was a kid. I didn’t know that body spray was flammable.”
Lucy bursts out laughing.
Zoey breaks into a smile. “I’m hoping living with Leo has been a bit smoother for you?”
Lucy nods. “It’s been great. He’s a sweetheart. I feel so at home.”
A warm feeling burrows inside of me, wrapping around my heart. I try to rein in my smile, but I catch my sister staring at me.
A server walks by with a tray of champagne glasses. Zoey grabs one. She and Lucy chat while sipping on their glasses of champagne. I stand back and sip my drink, happy that they’re getting along.
I glance around the ballroom, wondering where her boyfriend, Jeff, is. Maybe he didn’t come. That would be a nice surprise.
But then, a minute later, he walks up to our table. He wraps his arm around my sister’s waist. For a second, it looks like she stiffens, but then she turns to him and smiles.
He kisses her cheek. “Sorry I’m late. I had a work call.”
“It’s okay,” Zoey says. She hands him her flute. “Want a sip of champagne?”
He takes the glass and drains it. “Damn, that’s good.”
I notice Zoey’s smile turns tight. Annoyance zooms through me at how he finished her drink when he was only supposed to have a sip.
When he looks at me, his expression hardens. “Leo. Hey.”
I nod, barely looking at him. I’m so sick of this guy.
Zoey ignores our tense greeting and turns to Lucy. “Lucy, this is my boyfriend, Jeff. Jeff, this is Lucy, Leo’s friend and roommate.”
“Good to meet you,” Jeff says before glancing around the room. “Where’s the waiter? I could use some more of that champagne.”
“So you have a job now?” I say to him.
He turns to me, brows raised like he’s surprised at my blunt question.
He clears his throat. “Yeah. I’m day trading.”
“What is that?” I don’t bother to disguise the irritation in my tone. That doesn’t sound like a real job.
He frowns, like he’s pissed at my question, but I don’t care. This guy has been unemployed for months, living for free off of my sister. I have a right to ask him about what he does for a living.
“It’s basically buying and selling stocks day to day.”
“Huh. That sounds pretty volatile. And unstable,” I say.
My sister gives me a pointed look, silently scolding me.
Jeff purses his lips. “Well, it’s working out pretty well so far for me, so I guess that’s all that matters.”
He tugs at the lapel of his tux. The tux that my sister probably rented for him. That annoyance inside of me seeps into anger.
“You couldn’t get a normal office job?” I ask, the curtness in my tone crystal clear.
“Leo.” My sister says my name in that firm, warning tone.
Jeff slides his arm around her again, pulling her close.
He flashes a smug smile, dialing it back when he looks at her.
“It’s okay, babe. He’s just being a protective brother.
” He looks at me. “All you know is hockey, so it’s probably difficult for you to understand what work life is like for the rest of us. ”
I grit my teeth at his passive-aggressive dig at me.
“You’ve never had a job, have you, Leo?”
“Hockey’s my job,” I say sharply. “When I graduate, my job will be playing it professionally. But you wouldn’t know anything about that.”
That smug smile disappears. “You’re right. I’m not a hockey player. I’m also not the kid of a retired hockey pro. I haven’t had everything handed to me. I’ve had to work for what I want in life.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “Weren’t you unemployed for like six months?”
He glares at me.
“Aren’t you living in my sister’s house, letting her take care of everything? The housework, the expenses, all that?” I don’t let him answer. “It sounds like you’re getting stuff handed to you too.”
“Guys, come on,” Zoey says. “Let’s not do this here.”
I feel Lucy tug on my hand. “Listen to your sister,” she says quietly.
That anger swirling through me fades.
“I’m gonna make another work call,” Jeff mutters as he walks off.
Zoey grabs his hand, but he pulls away. She turns to me. “Could you maybe lay off of him, just for one night?”
I tug a hand through my hair. “Zoey, come on. Do you really expect me to just stand here and say nothing while your boyfriend gloats about his new BS job?”
She exhales sharply and reaches up to tuck her long, dark hair behind her ear. That’s when I see a dark spot on her arm.
“What happened there?”
She looks down at the small bruise and shakes her head. “What? Oh, that. It’s nothing. I was reaching up to grab my phone from the nightstand and hit my arm on it.”
She glances at where Jeff walked off. “I should go after him.” She turns back to me. “You were a jerk.”
“Zoey, I’m just trying to look out for you.”
She purses her lips. “I’m your older sister, Leo. I don’t need you to do anything for me. Back off.”
I watch as she walks away.
“Damn it,” I mutter.
A second later, Lucy touches my arm. I look at her, taking the concern and worry in her gaze.
“I don’t think you should go after her,” she says gently. “I think she wants to be alone.”
I press my eyes shut and shake my head. “Fuck, this is just…”
“I take it you don’t like your sister’s boyfriend very much?”
I shove a hand in my pocket. “Nope. He treats her like crap. He picks fights with her constantly. He doesn’t have a job. He’s a lazy, entitled jackass, and she deserves better.”
“I’m sorry. That must be so hard to see your sister go through that.”
I huff out a breath. “I know this isn’t the way to deal with it. It always makes her mad. I just wish I could help her.”
“Of course. You care about her. You love her, and you want what’s best for her.”
I rub the back of my neck, feeling frustrated but also guilty. I hate fighting with my sister about her boyfriend.
“Sometimes people don’t want help, even if they need it. They’re not ready for it. ”
I look at Lucy, taking in what she just said.
“The more you push against Jeff, the more she’s going to defend him and stand by him.”
I exhale sharply and nod at what she said.
“Maybe the best thing to do is be patient and supportive. And then when she’s ready to come to you, it’ll feel less strained,” Lucy says.
“Maybe you’re right.”
She gives me a soft, warm smile. The ballroom gets more crowded as more people file inside. I spot my mom and wave to her.
I pull her into a hug and introduce her to Lucy. I don’t miss the way her smile turns hopeful when I say that Lucy is my friend.
“My son is lucky to have such a beautiful date,” Mom says when she shakes Lucy’s hand.
Lucy blushes. “That’s so sweet of you to say. Thank you.”
A minute later, my sister comes back over.
Mom greets her with a hug. “Hey, sweetie. Where’s Jeff?”
“He had to leave to take care of something for work. He’s sorry he has to miss the rest of tonight.”
Mom’s smile is pinched as she nods. She doesn’t like Jeff either, but she does a better job of hiding her feelings than I do.
Another waiter walks by, and Lucy grabs a glass of champagne for her. While they visit, I turn to my sister.
I think about what Lucy said, how I need to be patient and supportive instead of telling my sister what to do.
“Hey. I’m sorry. It was wrong the way I got into it with Jeff a minute ago.”
Zoey's eyes are big as she stares at me, clearly surprised at my apology.
“I care about you, and I want the best for you. But that’s not how I should express it. I’m really sorry.”
She blinks, and the look in her gaze softens. “Apology accepted. Thanks.”
She grabs my glass and takes a sip of my club soda. “I gotta say, I’m a little thrown off by what you said. It was very grown-up and mature. Not like you at all,” she teases.
I crack a smile. “When you left, Lucy gave me a pep talk that made me realize that I might be in the wrong.”
Zoey raises an eyebrow. “I like her even more.”
I look at Lucy laughing with my mom. I think about how much more stressed out I’d be if she weren’t here.
I smile. “I do too.”