Chapter 5: The Right WordsSam hadn’t entirely meant to say it. That last part. Those words.
He meant it—he’d thought it, had been thinking it, knew it—and so the words had just tumbled out. Bursting into existence.
Leo’s eyes went huge, inches from his. And Leo’s lips parted, but no sound emerged, which wasn’t promising.
“I know,” Sam panicked, “I know, it’s too fast, it’s—like you said, we haven’t known each other that long—I’m sorry, but actually I’m not—I mean, if you don’t want me to say it, I won’t, but—”
“But,” Leo whispered. “But you…you did say it.”
“I did. And…” He searched Leo’s face, the green and brown of Leo’s eyes. New leaves, trembling. He hoped he was guessing right.
He thought maybe—knowing Leo, the way he was starting to, the way he wanted to—he could say it, here a
