Leanne was itching to know what had happened twenty years ago, but from the look of it, Curtis was in the dark as much as she was.
Who else could she turn to? Who could she trust?
If her parents' demise was in the Richardson family's hands, how was she supposed to face Mary and Curtis?
The sudden pressure and whirlwind of thoughts were too much for Leanne's mind to handle.
"What was your uncle like?"
"He was a character, not as stern as Dad. He's taught me how to swim."
Curtis had a special bond with his uncle during his younger years, far more than the strict and solemn Maddox. During those years when he felt misunderstood and lived recklessly, Curtis sometimes thought his Uncle Hanley, the second child like him, could empathize with him.
Leanne fiddled with his button. "Were you close to him?"
"Yeah, but it's been twenty years. I might not even recognize Uncle Hanley if I bumped into him." Curtis let his eyes drop in a lazy way, his silence hanging heavy for a few moments, "Are you aiming to get me undressed?"
Following his gaze, Leanne noticed she had almost torn off his button.
She let go of the noticeably distressed button, trying to smooth it back into place with a few swipes of her palm.
Curtis caught her hand, holding it in his, and leaned down to press his lips to hers.
It wasn't about desire but a tender moment of intimacy. After a while, Curtis asked her, "Have you put in for your vacation yet?"
"I have," Leanne replied, "I can take twelve days off at the end of the month."
"How about we go to Iceland?" Curtis suggested, "I promised you before."
One had to make up for regrets to feel complete.
Leanne thought of the island near the Arctic Circle, a land of ice and fire, with its polar glaciers and lava volcanoes, not to forget the romantic Northern Lights.
"You also promised to teach me skiing. But then, you took Suzan."
Curtis squinted. "When did I teach her?"
Leanne glanced at him, mentioning that day Suzan shared on her social media.
Curtis clicked his tongue. "I didn't teach her. That day you weren't there, it was dull, and I left early."
"I know. I was giving you a hard time," Leanne stated boldly, "especially since you bailed on our honeymoon last time."
"My bad," Curtis admitted, sliding to his knees in a playful apology, "I promise no bailing this time."
When Caleb entered to deliver documents, he saw the office curtains drawn, blocking the intense sunlight.
With her bare feet, Leanne was cozily nestled in Curtis' arms, deeply asleep.
Curtis held her, willingly serving as her human cushion.
The office was dim, and the chaos outside couldn't compare to the significance of the person in his arms.
The secretary dared not interrupt, leaving Caleb to face the frontline alone.
Curtis glanced up, signaling him to scram with his eyes.
Braving it out, Caleb whispered, "This financial report needs your signature ASAP. Finance is waiting to process the payment."
Without changing his posture, Curtis reached out one hand for the pen while holding Leanne with the other.
Understanding the drill, Caleb uncapped the pen for him and held the folder steady.
Curtis quickly signed off. Then Caleb retrieved the pen and folder and tiptoed out of the room.
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