Leo has him now.“Yeah, my mama says there are two kittens in the pool house. Brand new. My mom isn’t impressed, but she usually isn’t.”
About anything, really.
“You have two moms?” Nix’s voice is wistful.
“I’m pretty lucky. I have a sister, too.”
“Me too. Or, I did.” Nix breaks off, and he smells sad.
Leo worries that maybe this isn’t a good idea.
“No one’s home? We could just see the cats, and I could see your old room, maybe?”
“We can. Are you sure?” Leo asks.
Nix pulls at a button on his cardigan before giving a decisive nod. “Yeah, let’s do it.”
Chapter Two: Leo
The Costas estate sits majestically behind decades-old wrought-iron gates, glowing in the warm autumn sunshine. Its terracotta roof and Mediterranean style are surely out of place among its neighbors’ more modern designs. But Leo’s mother, Lauren, has always chosen her own path, and this home is reminiscent of one of her favorite places in the world. It may be extravagant and over the top, but it has always welcomed Leo home.
The open courtyard is empty when they park the Lexus. The flower boxes are freshly watered by a landscaper who makes the rounds of the neighborhood estates. For them, fall means warm-hued flower beds and wrapping trees for winter. Soon, it’ll mean Christmas decorations and snow removal. Leo admires how they create art out of living things while caring for the world around them.
This courtyard had been one of the many backdrops for some of Leo’s best childhood memories. It’s empty now—no basketball net (never his game, no matter how he tried), no bicycles or skateboards.
It had been the place where he and his friends played loud rock music before Leo’s father moved the chaos into the detached garage. The place where they learned dances on weekends or after school, or hung out on the steps waiting for Leo’s mama, Frankie, to bring out snacks and give pointers.
She’d been a dancer for several well-known singers before starting her family and couldn’t resist joining them occasionally—much to Leo’s abject horror. She had been in her element then, and many of Leo’s friends hadhad crushes.
Ew. Seriously, ew.
“Leo, it’s beautiful. Bet you hung out here all the time,” Nix says, following Leo up the steps to the wide double doors.
“All the time. Come on, you’ve gotta see this.”
Leo enters the code on the door lock—which, as far as he knows, has never been changed since he was tall enough to reach the buttons—and steps inside. The opulence of the foyer never fails to steal his breath.
He disarms the security system, closing the door behind his mate.
The family usually uses the side entrance to the family’s quarters, but this is a must-see.
Much like Grayson had with the Rhodes Pack home, Lauren Arnell Costas had a clear vision when they shipped in marble, wood, and fixtures from places around the world.
Leo thinks it’s the high ceilings, hardwood paneling, and marble floors that make it look like a museum, but the acoustics are phenomenal. He and Luca had practiced their audition for Ripley right here more than a decade ago, and Luca still often snuck away to sing something in here when he visited.
“It’s really nice.” Nix’s voice is so quiet, even in the large, open foyer. “Holy shit! Look at the chandelier!”
Directly across from the door is an enormous staircase that splits into two. In the center of the room, a table holds a decadent floral arrangement—roses, chrysanthemums, daisies, ivy, and sunflowers.
Leo’s Mama, Frankie, taught him the language of flowers—by his estimation, she’s sayingwelcomeandso glad you are here.
These are the guest areas, reserved for times when his parents host business associates and his mother’s celebrity friends.
Lauren has been an actress and model since the late 1980s, and she still takes the occasional role when it suits her—but only when she doesn’t find the director uninspiring and pedantic.Her words.
“It’s really fancy in here.”
For now, Leo leads him past the formal dining area and into the Costasfamily’s inner sanctum. The family room sits just off the kitchen, both having been recently remodeled. It’s where his family has always spent their time.
