He stood up and walked around leaving Sarah with the thought of her petting her— Then it hit her as she jerked her face back at the photo of her, smiling big. The big fluffy cat sat on her lap as her open palm slid over its fur: She was sending Leonardo a photo of herself petting her pu**y.

Feeling her face instantly fire up, she closed the photo out but at the same time had to hold in the laughter. Yeah, that’s the kind of conversation she wanted to elicit. Okay X that photo too. God, she was ridiculous.

“What’s so funny?” Angel asked, walking back towards her.

Shaking her head a little too hard, Sarah wiped the silly smile she didn’t even realize was plastered across her face. “Nothing,” she said, unable to suppress the small laugh that escaped her.

Angel glanced curiously at her laptop screen as he set his phone down on the counter. The photo of her leaning against Angel’s car was now the one on the screen. “That’s a cute one. What’s so funny about it?”

Feeling her face get even hotter, she shook her head again. No way was she telling him why she was laughing. He’d think she was as ridiculous as she was feeling. “I just need to stop obsessing about what stupid photo to send him and write the email already. This one is good enough.”

Clicking on the screen to get back to her email screen, she opened up a blank email and started to type. She wasn’t going to fixate about this either. Angel took the stool next to her and ate silently, texting between bites as Sarah worked on the email.

Less than fifteen minutes later, Sarah was proud she’d written a simple enough email without over thinking every sentence. She attached the photo and sent if off. “Done,” she said with a proud and very satisfied smile. “Now I just respond to my dad that I sent Leonardo an email, and I’m done with this.” She glanced at Angel, who smiled at her as she stuck another fork full of his heavenly French toast in her mouth. She savored it as she chewed then inhaled deeply after swallowing. “These are delicious by the way,” she said, leaning over and kissing him. “Thanks for taking over breakfast while I knocked this out.”

“Anything for you,” he said, squeezing her thigh.

She hadn’t even finished sending out the email to her dad when her inbox dinged with a reply from Leonardo. For a second, she wondered if maybe it was an auto out-of-the-office response. To her surprise, it was a response to her email already.

“Oh wow,” she said as she clicked on it and saw it wasn’t even a short response. It was rather long. “That was fast.”

Angel turned to her. “What was?”

“Leonardo already responded to my email.”

“The one you just sent him?” Angel asked his tone as bemused as she felt.

“Yeah.”

Angel scooted over to take a look, and she opened it big on her screen and read it.

Sarah,

Funny that you’d email me right this minute. I added this message to the top of this email because I was about to hit send on the email I’d just written to you when yours came through. I just copy pasted what I was going to send you to this one. I’ll comment on your email at the end of this.

Hey, Sis!

I know I’m supposed to be waiting to hear from you, but I’m not sure if “Dad” told you I’m an impatient one. I’ve been dying to connect with you for a while. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve stalked your social media sites and checked out anything you don’t have set to private.

First of all, I think I’m allowed to say this. I have a beautiful sister. Your eyes. Jesus, I should’ve been ready for them, considering Omar’s are just as green. Don’t tell him, but I think they’re far more flattering on you than him. Ha!

Second, I know Omar said you’re a little gun shy about all this, and I totally understand. I won’t push to rush this or anything. If you’d prefer to get to know each other this way for a while, maybe Skype or FaceTime, I can do either. Just let me know when and we’ll set it up.

I know Omar told you a little about me already, but let me elaborate. I’ll be twenty next month. I go to school in Phoenix, but that’s not really working out. I guess I’m not much of a school kind of guy. I’ll be taking a break from school this semester and checking out what else is out there for me. I’m thinking of taking the test for the LAPD. Omar already said he has my back if I want to go out there and stay with him while I try and pursue that, and I just might take him up on the offer. This means we’ll only be a few hours away from each other. I don’t have any other blood siblings, so you’re it, girl. This is why I’m so anxious to get with you and catch up. Okay, I said I wouldn’t push, so I’ll leave it at that and hope I hear from you soon.

That’s where I had ended my email before yours came through. As for your email, this confirms you want to take it slow, and I’m cool with that. You mentioned Skype. Let’s set it up! And the photo. I know I already said it up there, but I’ll say it again. Beautiful. =)

Thanks so much for the email. It totally made my day. Let me know when you want to set up the Skype chat. REALLY looking forward to that!

Already excited about hearing from you again!

Your brother How cool is that? ;)

Leo

Sarah turned to Angel, who was still reading, and waited for him to finish. When he did, he turned to her with an unreadable expression. “He’s anxious.”

Nodding, she smiled big. For as much as she was trying, Sarah couldn’t hide her giddiness over this. The butterflies in her belly were going nuts, and for the first time since she first heard about her father and brother looking for her, it was finally sinking in. She really had a sibling who was just as anxious to get to know her as she now felt about getting to know him.