Free Coming Home by Priscilla Glenn Page B

bottle of water before she leaned over and yanked the curtains closed.
    And then she flopped facedown on her bed, immediately falling back asleep.
    When she woke again, it was one thirty in the afternoon. She felt tired and thirsty and in desperate need of a shower, but that was still significantly better than when she woke the first time.
    Leah rolled over and stretched with a groan, exhaling heavily as she let her arms fall back to her sides. The phone call with her father crept into her consciousness, and she pulled her brow together as she turned her head to scan the bed for her cell phone.
    She sat up slowly when she spotted it, running her thumb over the screen.
    She could have sworn she texted him. She definitely remembered looking for her phone last night for that exact reason. Was it possible she fell asleep before she hit send?
    Leah pulled up her sent messages.
    And there it was. A text sent at 3:49 a.m. to…
    “No,” she breathed, her stomach lurching. “Oh, no, no, no . ”
    She had definitely sent the text. But it didn’t go to Dad.
    It went to Danny.
    “Shit,” she hissed as she opened the text message, having no recollection of what she’d actually sent.
    Jus got home happy newyear I love u.
    “ No !” she wailed, throwing the phone to the other side of the bed as she brought both hands to her face. “Shit, shit, shit!”
    Okay, relax, a little voice in her head cajoled. So this guy has made it clear on two occasions now that he’s not interested in you, and you just texted him that you loved him. No big deal.
    “Oh my God,” she groaned, grabbing a pillow and pressing it over her face. If she never talked to him again after this, it would be too soon. But her stupid pride wouldn’t allow her to move on and forget this little disaster ever happened. She felt the need to explain herself so he didn’t think she was some pathetic weirdo.
    Leah had no idea why she even cared what he thought of her, but she did.
    She sat up quickly, tossing the pillow off the side of the bed as she reached for her phone, staring at the screen for a few seconds before she opened a new text message to Danny.
    Sorry about that text last night. I meant to send that to someone else.
    She hit send and closed her eyes, dropping back onto the bed as she brought her fingertips to her temples, massaging slow circles. A minute later, the soft double beep of her phone caused her eyes to flip open and her stomach to drop.
    It was her text message alert .
    Leah held her breath as she opened his reply.
    Hold on—you don’t love me? I’m in a jewelry store picking out your ring, so if you don’t love me, tell me now .
    A slow smile spread over her lips. This wasn’t angry, standoffish, daffodil Danny. This was Cheesecake Factory Danny.
    She hit reply.
    Hmm. Well, before I decide, how big is the ring ?
    Leah placed her phone on her stomach before she stretched her arms over her head, biting her lip to fight the goofy smile she felt forming on her face. The sound of her phone ringing startled her, and she slapped her hand down on her stomach, bringing the phone to eye level as her bottom lip slid out from between her teeth.
    He was calling.
    She took a breath as she hit the button to take the call, hoping it was still Cheesecake Factory Danny.
    “Hello?”
    His laughter floated through the phone. “So, I guess size matters to you?”
    His voice was playfully suggestive, and she felt her cheeks flush with heat as her stomach fluttered. “Happy New Year, by the way,” he said.
    “You too.”
    “I’d ask if you had fun last night, but your sloppy texting kind of answers that question.”
    Leah laughed, combing through her hair with her fingers. “It really wasn’t as sloppy as you’re making it out to be. I was trying to text my father. Dad and Danny are right next to each other in my contacts, and it was almost four in the morning. Cut me some slack.”
    “Ah, so that text was for your father?”
    “Mm-hm,” she