Chapter 230

Chapter 230

“I’m really sorry to drop this on you like this, but I’ve had feelings for you for a while now. You don’t have to feel any kind of way about it because this has always been my deal, not yours or anyone else’s.

I never even dared to hope that you’d feel the same, and I didn’t want to mess with your life. If it hadn’t been for Selina getting hurt, and me getting the chance to actually talk to you, I would’ve probably kept this buried forever.

But seeing you unhappy, knowing about the stuff you’ve been through, I couldn’t help but wish – against my better judgment – that I could be there for you, comfort you, protect you. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble, but I ended up causing issues for you, and for Curtis. And for that, I’m truly sorry.

Please forgive me for overstepping these past few months. I’ll be heading out of town for work after the Christmas, might be gone for a couple of months. When I get back, let’s just be friends, okay?

Leanne put away her phone after reading the message.

She looked up at the road ahead, her breath forming a cloud of mist in the cold air.

Jeremy was genuinely a good guy, always so considerate and careful with her feelings, always tiptoeing around, scared of stepping over the line.

She was just as cautious, unable to give him anything in return, afraid of accidentally hurting him.

So, there was always this wall between them, keeping them from being just friends.

If Leanne was a bit more selfish, maybe she could enjoy his attention while keeping him at arm’s length, under the guise of friendship.

But she wasn’t built that way.

Curtis often told her she was clueless, and maybe he was right.

As she reached her front door, she texted Jeremy back.

[Hope everything goes well for you]

The morning of the fourth day, Leanne woke up to find the sky overcast. Pulling back the curtains, she saw the ground covered in snow.

It was her turn to work at the hospital over the holiday, so she had to get going.

It seemed like Curtis had dropped by again. Leanne was putting on her shoes when she heard some noise outside.

He had a habit of bringing different kinds of breakfast every day, but she hadn’t touched

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any of it.

The kid from next door, though, had gotten quite attached, having not seen Curtis for a few days. He was eagerly waiting by the door, peeking through the peephole.

As soon as Curtis showed up, the kid shouted excitedly, “Sir, you’re here to bring me breakfast again!”

Then came Curtis’ laid-back voice, easy to picture him sprawled out without a care, “So I’ve been feeding you all this time, huh? Did I fatten you up all by myself?”

“No way!” the kid retorted, “My mom did.”

Leanne opened the door to find Curtis lounging on a chair that hadn’t been in the hallway before, with the next-door neighbor kid showing off his toys.

A simple Rubik’s cube was no match for Curtis nimble fingers, and he solved it in seconds, tossing it back with a look of disdain “I stopped playing with these when I was three.”

Seeing Leanne, both Curtis and the kid looked up.

Curtis stood, his tone soft as if talking to a child, “Got you some coffee and French toasts here, it’s chilly out. Want some?”

“No, thanks,” said Leanne.

The little boy happily took the breakfast, always sweet-talking her since she moved in, his family had raised him right. “Good morning, beauty! You look even prettier than yesterday!”

“Don’t get it twisted,” Curtis chimed in, “Call her miss.”

The kid’s face twisted, “But I’ve always called her beauty’.”

Curtis gently ruffled his hair, “Do you still want free food?”

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