CHAPTER 185

After that emotional moment with Leon, I felt a sense of calm wash over me, like the storm of doubt had passed, at least for now.

He kissed my temple softly, and I leaned in against his chest, feeling his warmth. I was just thankful for his presence, his strength and most of all and the important thing, was his patience. We stayed like that for a moment longer, just the two of us with aunt Lou and letty in our little bubble.

Then Aunt Lou cleared her throat, breaking the silence. “Well, I think that’s my cue to head to bed,” she said with a knowing smile. “Come on, Letty, let’s give these two lovebirds some privacy.”

Letty grinned, winking at me before grabbing the towel from the table. “Don’t stay up too late,” she teased. “You two have a lot of catching up to do.”

I shot her a playful glare, but the warmth in her voice made me smile. It felt good to be surrounded by family, especially with everything going on.

Once they were out of the kitchen, Leon took my hand and led me towards