My heart was leaping with a mixture of nervousness and excitement when Leo did call me the next day. My grandma was the one who answered the phone first, since I was busy eating lunch with Colette. We were just having turkey sandwiches with a light amount of mayonnaise and a slice of tomato, along with leftover fries from the night we had dinner there with Leo.
"Laura, it's for you," my grandma told me, a faint smirk painting her lips.
I could already tell that it was Leo, since no one else would be calling me. My friends from home would, but they couldn't afford the long distance charges.
"Hello," I asked as I cradled the beige phone in my hand.
"Hey," a familiar, deeper voice greeted. I was glad that he couldn't see how widely I was smiling as I swayed side to side a little.
"Hey," I breathed, biting my lower lip as I forgot about everyone in the house.
"I just wondered when you would want to get together again."
"Oh, it would be up to you. I mean, your schedule must be really busy with you being famous and all."
"I have a lot of free time coming up, so it depends on when you're free," he explained as I searched my brain for a more definite answer.
"Why don't you invite him over for lunch tomorrow," Colette whispered to me, far enough away that he couldn't hear.
"Why," I mouthed back.
"Because your parents aren't sold on you seeing him. I think they'll change their minds if they spend more time with him. I already have."
"Would Grandma mind," I asked extra quietly as I covered the receiver.
"No," my grandmother happily whispered back, causing me to blush that she was paying attention to our conversation too.
"Um, would tomorrow for lunch here be okay? You could get to know my parents better," I added once I was talking with Leo again.
"They don't really approve of me, do they," he guessed, causing the rosiness to worsen on my cheeks.
"Well... They're wary. I mean, I've never dated a celebrity before. They're not used to it."
"I understand. What time do you want me to come over?"
"11, but we'll be eating at noon," my grandma said only loud enough for me to hear.
"11, but we'll be eating at noon," I repeated as I awaited his answer.
"Alright, I'll be there. I would drop by tonight and take you out, but I better wait until your parents trust me," he admitted, causing disappointment to flood me. I would have loved nothing more than to paint the town with him that evening, but I knew that he was right.
"Yeah, it's better to just wait until tomorrow. Would Johnny be coming over?"
"Why? Colette does know he has a girlfriend, right? She spent hours with them both last night." I could detect the smirk in his voice as I felt my skin burning from embarrassment.
"Yeah, she knows, but even if she never has a chance with him, I mean, I think she would like to see him again."
"I'll have to wait and see. He might be busy, and I'm sure he'd have to check with Winona too. They go practically everywhere together," he softly chuckled.
"That's okay. So, was there anything else you wanted to talk about?"
"I'm not sure what."
I nodded as I gripped the cord telephone a bit tighter, my cousin and grandma finally exiting the room to give me more privacy. My parents were already busy watching t.v., so they weren't paying attention.
