She looked at Leo—really looked at him—and saw he wasn't trying to take over her world; he was just asking for a seat in it.
As the upbeat tempo of a familiar song drifted through the diner speakers, Maya found herself tapping her fingers against her coffee mug. Am I ready? The words looped in her head. She had done the work. She’d spent months turning her mirrors into shrines of self-love, practicing the art of being "fine" until she actually was. "You're doing that thing again," Leo said, his voice warm. "What thing?" "The 'I'm about to run out the door' thing." Lizzo - 2 Be Loved (Am I Ready) (Lyrics)
Maya laughed, but it felt breathless. He’d caught her. Every time things felt too easy, too sweet, her internal alarm went off. How am I supposed to love somebody else when I’m still figuring out how to let them love me? She looked at Leo—really looked at him—and saw