fín (sequel to Neighbor)

chapter seventeen.

LEO'S POV

I decided to take everyone to an ice cream place that was a few blocks down from where my hotel was. We had dinner a little bit ago, and the kids wanted dessert. 

Lauren and I hadn't spoken since the fight we had earlier. When we did, it was always about the kids or something along those lines. We had to make it look like we were okay for the sake of my mom and Dakota and Beau.

The five of us were sat at a picnic table at the park that was just across the street from the ice cream place we went to. The weather wasn't too bad; it had stopped raining and the sun was starting to set and it looked beautiful.

"Daddy," Dakota said, causing me to come back to reality.

"Yes sweetheart?" I said as I continued to lick my ice cream cone.

"Why did you marry mommy?" 

The question caught me off guard. Dakota was always a very curious little girl and I should have expected this question from her at some point. I looked up at Lauren who seemed by as caught off guard as I was.

"Well," I started off. "I've always loved your mommy very much, and I still do. We were meant to be."

"Did you always love daddy, mommy?"

Lauren gave her a small smile. "Not at first, but eventually I started to fall in love with him. He's very charming."

Dakota let out a giggle as she continued to eat her ice cream. She moved onto another conversation with my mom, and I looked over at Lauren once again. She was looking over at the sunset and seemed to be admiring it or lost in thought. 

She must have noticed that I was looking at her because she eventually turned her head towards me, making eye contact. I gave her a soft smile, which made her blush and look down at the table. She still makes me feel like a teenager that's madly in love.

It was eventually time to go back to the hotel to get ready for the rest of the night and go to sleep before we go sightseeing tomorrow. Lauren went off to the kid's room to help them get baths and get ready for bed. I said goodnight to the kids and my mom before heading back to mine and Lauren's room to get a shower and finish some things for work.

My mind kept drifting off to the conversation I had with Lauren earlier. I really did mess up. Lauren lost a lot of trust in me and I can't blame her. I've had my mind wrapped around this job and being such a good employee to impress people that I didn't even notice that I was hurting my family in the process of it. 

I need to talk to Lauren about it at some point tonight because I can't keep living with this guilt. Part of the reason I brought my family here was to talk to Lauren and hopefully get everything back to the way it was before. 

The door to our room opened, snapping me out of my thoughts. Lauren was back from the kids room. She let out a sigh as she shut the door behind her and turned to look at me. I looked up from my laptop.

"I'm gonna shower," she said in almost a whisper. I just nodded in response, and she headed into the bathroom. I eventually started to hear the water run.

As I was typing an email to someone, I felt my phone vibrate. I picked my phone up and saw that it was a text from Amy.

Can we talk about what happened at the club at work tomorrow? I just want to clear some things up. Sorry for upsetting you again. It read.

I let out a frustrated groan as I read it. This is probably about the tenth text Amy has sent me since what happened and I've ignored every one.

I took the next 3 days off because my family is here. Sorry. Was all I sent in response. I didn't want to engage in anymore conversation with her. 

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the bathroom door open. Lauren appeared with her pajamas on and her hair still went from taking a shower. She threw some clothes into her suitcase and grabbed a book from her bag and sat down on the couch. She still wasn't talking to me, so I was the one that needed to say something first. 

"Can we talk about what happened earlier?" I spoke up. 

Lauren looked up from her book that she just opened. "Are you willing to listen to my side for once?"

I nodded, not wanting to say anything that would jeopardize the conversation. She got up from the couch and sat on the other side of the bed. 

"I'm sorry,"  I was the first one to say something. "I know you're hurt and upset and I can't tell you how sorry I am. I never meant to hurt you. I was just so focused on starting this new job and being a great employee and I... I'm really sorry, Lauren."

She looked down at her lap. "It's been so difficult without you at home and seeing you every day. I worry about what you're doing all the time, and so far you've given me so many reasons to keep worrying. It's so frustrating."

"I know, and I'm so, so sorry. There's no excuse to what I've done."

"And what about the girl you kissed?"

I knew she was going to ask that. And I was going to tell her the truth because there was nothing more to it than a kiss. 

"It was just a kiss, nothing more. I pushed her off of me."

She shook her head. "I just... How could you not realize that she wanted to get with you? I always tell you how sneaky girls can be."

I shrugged my shoulders. I honestly had no idea that she was trying to get with me.

"I thought she just wanted to be friends with because I'm new at the office. I didn't think that she was going to do that. And the only reason I said yes to going out was because I just wanted to make new friends at work. That's all."

She was silent for a moment, clearly deeply in her thoughts. 

She looked up at me before speaking. "I want you to stop seeing her outside of work, Leo. I mean it."

"What?" I asked. That was a little bit too much. "Seriously?"

"Yes," she said, seeming frustrated. "I get that you guys work together and I can't stop you from talking at work, but I want you to stop seeing her outside of work. I mean it. She clearly doesn't want to be just friends with you."

I sighed, giving up. She did have a point. Amy seemed really sweet, but she did kiss me even though she knew I was married and have children. I have to talk to her about this when I go back to work or she's going to keep pushing hanging out with me. 

"Okay," I responded. "I will only talk to her at work or about work. I promise."

She nodded and moved closer to me. This was the closest we've been in awhile, besides when I gave her a hug at the airport. I wanted so badly just to wrap my arms around her and hold her and kiss her. I missed it. 

"You also have to promise that you're going to call or text everyday. The kids ask every day if they can talk to you and I keep having to make up excuses as to why you can't talk to them just because you never call and text."

"I promise," I said, looking over at her. 

"It's going to take me awhile to completely trust you again, Leo," she sighed. 

"I know. It's okay. It's my fault."

She moved even closer to me, finally wrapping her arms around me tightly.  I pulled her even closer to me and buried my head in her shoulder. I missed this feeling so much. 

We hugged tightly for a few minutes before she pulled back, looking at me. I gave her a soft smile before leaning down and pressing my lips to hers. 

It felt so good to finally kiss her again. Words can't even begin to describe how much I missed her and I feel horrible that I've been the cause of her pain. 

"I love you," I whispered once we pulled apart.

She smiled. "I love you, too, Leo."

"Do you want to cuddle and watch a movie? I miss holding you," I said truthfully, causing her to let out a laugh.

"I thought you'd never ask."