by Keeland, Vi
A little while later, Alex was playing quarterback instead of Levi. He looked right to find a receiver, and when he dropped back to throw the ball, one of the high school kids on the other team ran at him from the left and tagged him a little too hard. Alex flew in the air and landed on his ass. Levi was by his side in two seconds, making sure he was okay.
Almost a half hour later, Levi wrapped up the friendly game. But he stayed on the field for another twenty minutes signing autographs because a bunch of kids had showed up once word got out that he was at the school this afternoon. Alex stayed dutifully by his side the entire time. When the crowd finally scattered, I’d probably taken over five-hundred pictures.
My son was still smiling when the two of them walked over to where I sat.
“Mom, I’ll race you up and down the bleachers!”
I laughed. “Aren’t you tired from all that running around you did today? I’m exhausted from watching you.”
Alex looked at Levi as he shrugged and thumbed in my direction. “She’s afraid I’ll beat her.”
Levi nodded and folded his arms across his chest. “Yup. Classic chicken response.”
They both smirked. So what choice did I have but to set down my camera and accept the challenge? “Fine. But the loser loads the dishwasher after dinner tonight.”
“You’re on.”
Levi chuckled. “Give me your camera. I want to capture my little buddy beating you.”
I squinted and stuck out my tongue. But I also passed him the camera and showed him how to use it.
Once we were ready, Levi put his hands out, keeping us behind an imaginary line. “On a count of three. One. Two. Three!”
I took off down the bleachers and turned up the first set of stairs. My son might be fast, but my legs were still longer than Alex’s, so my strides had me in the lead until I got halfway up the bleachers. I started to get a little winded as I reached the top, but Alex seemed to grow momentum. The little brat overtook my lead and made it back down and to the finish line a full fifteen feet ahead of me. And I hadn’t even let him win.
Levi fist-bumped Alex, and the two of them gloated.
“Mom’s doing the dishes,” my son sang. “Mom’s doing the dishes.”
I bent over to catch my breath. Apparently I needed to get my butt to the gym more often. “Fine. But I said the loser loads the dishwasher. I didn’t say I was cooking or that there would be any dishes. I think tonight we’re having takeout—and Uncle Levi is paying.”
Levi laughed. “I’ll do you one better. How about I take you both out somewhere?”
“Fine,” I grumbled. “But I’m picking the most expensive thing on the menu since the two of you seem to be ganging up on me.”
Dinner turned out to be appetizers, a main course, dessert, and another impromptu autograph signing outside the restaurant when some people recognized Levi. By the time we got home, it was pretty late. Alex asked Levi to write down some of the plays he’d run this afternoon, and Levi said he would walk him through them while he put him to bed.
So I sat in the kitchen by myself, having a glass of wine while I waited for the photos I’d taken today to download to my laptop. I’d gotten a ton of great shots of Levi with the high school kids. But when the ones he’d taken of Alex and me running up the bleachers started to populate on my screen, they really caught my attention. Levi had zoomed in and taken some close-ups of me laughing. I studied my face. Typically I always had the same smile in photos. It was practiced and posed—didn’t show too many teeth or wrinkle my face too much. But in these photos, nothing was faked. My entire face was smiling; I looked so freaking happy. Staring down, I realized it wasn’t that I looked happy. I was happy—for the first time in a very long time. And much of that had to do with the man behind the camera lens.
I was still looking at the photos Levi had taken when he strolled into the kitchen. He walked up behind me and began to rub my shoulders. “I think he’ll be out cold in five minutes. He was yawning while I was showing him the plays.”
I closed my laptop. “He had an amazing time today. Thank you for inviting him.”
“Of course. He’s a great kid.”
“Thank you.” I let my head drop as Levi dug his thumb into the muscle where my shoulder and neck met. “I got some great shots today. I think your agent and publicist will be happy. Tomorrow morning after I drop Alex off at camp, I’ll stop at CVS and print them out so you can see which ones you want me to send them.”
“Thanks.”
I groaned as he dug his fingers in deeper. “God, that feels so good.”
Levi leaned down with his mouth next to my ear and lowered his voice. “Anything else I can make feel good for you?”
God, that was a seriously tempting offer, but Alex had just gone to bed, and I still needed to go up and say goodnight. It was safest to do that now before what little willpower I had near this man completely disappeared.
I stood sort of abruptly. “I’m going to go say goodnight to Alex.”
Levi nodded.
I took a few steps but stopped at the doorway and turned back. “Levi?”
“Yeah?”
“Alex wasn’t the only one who had a great time today.”
He smiled. “Oh yeah?”
I nodded. “I’m glad I came. Goodnight, Levi.”
“Goodnight, sweetheart.”
***
The next morning, my new boss called to ask if I could possibly stop up at the school today to get my picture taken for my identification card. I’d been scheduled to go in next week, but apparently there had been some mix up. So after I picked up the photos from CVS, I needed to jump in the shower and make myself look halfway presentable.
Levi was in the kitchen when I arrived home.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.” I smiled. “Here are the photos from yesterday. I was going to sort through them and just give you the best ones to choose from, but I have to take a quick shower and run up to my new job to get an ID card. Do you mind if I leave you all of them to pick your favorites? I know your agent needed them by this afternoon. Maybe you can just make me a pile of the ones you like best, and I’ll send those over to your agent electronically when I get home?”
“Yeah, of course. No problem.”
“Thanks. Sorry I don’t have time to chat. I’m in a rush.”
“Do what you gotta do.”
I jumped in the shower, dried my hair, and put on makeup. On my way out, Levi was still going through the photos.
“These really came out incredible,” he said. “It’s hard to narrow it down.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you mind if I keep a few of them?”
“No, not at all.” I grabbed my car keys from the hook. “Take as many as you want.”
“Will you be around later?”
“I have some errands to run. But I’ll be done in time to pick up Alex and his friend from camp. Alex is staying over at Kyle’s tonight, but his mom works late. So I’m going to pick the boys up and feed them, and then drop them over there afterward for their sleepover.”
“So you’re free after that? I told a few friends I’d go to that new bar that just opened over on Main Street. They have line dancing tonight. Why don’t you come? You know most of the people going.”
A night out line dancing actually sounded like fun. Lord knows, I didn’t do it often. So I shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”
Levi smiled. “Excellent. I have a couple of meetings this afternoon, but I’ll probably head out around eight.”
“Perfect. I’ll see you back here sometime before that.”
***
Later that evening, after I dropped Alex and Kyle at Kyle’s house, I came back and straightened up the common areas of The Palm while I waited for Levi. He’d left a windbreaker on the kitchen chair, so I thought I’d hang it in the closet. As I picked it up, something fell from the pocket. Or rather a bunch of things—photos. I bent to collect them. They must’ve been the ones he’d
decided to keep. There were probably about a dozen in total, but the one on top of the pile was a close-up of me that he’d taken on the bleachers. When he’d asked if he could keep a few, I’d assumed he meant some action shots of himself. But as I shuffled through the pile, I realized he’d chosen five different pictures of just me. Me laughing. Me running. Me looking directly at the camera and smiling.
And five pictures of Alex playing. Alex celebrating in the end zone. Alex getting ready to throw the football. Alex smiling from the sidelines.
And two pictures of him and Alex together—one where they were high-fiving, and the other where Levi had lifted Alex up in the air to swing him around. There wasn’t a single photo of Levi alone.
Over the last few weeks, Levi had tried to convince me that what he felt for me was not something fleeting. He’d tried to assure me it was more than just sexual attraction. But I didn’t believe him—until now. For my part, I’d done everything I could to keep my feelings shoved down deep inside of me. I was afraid I was alone in what I felt. That seemed ridiculous now.
I was still crouched down, staring at the photos in my hand when the door opened and Levi walked in. He saw the pictures, and his eyes cautiously lifted to meet mine.
I stood and shook my head. “You really do have feelings for me, don’t you?”
Levi held my eyes and took a step closer. “I do. Big ones.”
I stared at the photos and let out a shaky breath. “I do, too.”
He smiled. “I know you do, babe. You just needed to find a way to accept them.”
“What are we going to do, Levi?”
He moved closer and took one of my hands, bringing it up to his lips. “See where it takes us.”
“But…you’re leaving in a few weeks, and your mother hates me, and then there’s Alex and Tanner, and—”
Levi pressed a finger against my lips. “Slow down. Let’s take ’em one at a time. Okay?”
I nodded, so he took his finger away.
“First, my mother doesn’t hate you. Second, just because I’m leaving doesn’t mean things have to end. When I pack my bags, my loyalties come with me on the road. Plenty of guys have girls back home. A lot even have wives and families. They find a way to make it work.”
I couldn’t believe we were even talking about this. Levi read the anxiety on my face and smiled. “I have more to say, but I’m starting to worry you might hyperventilate if I continue.”
I let out a big sigh and shook my head. “I’m nervous, Levi.”
“Years ago, when I was trying to decide what college to go to, I got offers from a lot of schools. There was one I’d been interested in initially. It had good academics and a solid football program. I went to visit to check it out, and when I got home they tried to push me to give them a decision faster than I was ready to make it. I hadn’t gone to see the rest of the schools yet. My grandfather said to me, ‘If you’re not scared about losing something, it’s not worth your time.’ For some reason, those words stuck with me over the years and have helped me make more than one important decision. If you weren’t nervous, I’d question if I meant enough to you.” He paused and squeezed my hand. “When the time comes—when you’re ready—I’ll deal with my brother and my family. And Alex…we can handle that however you think is best.”
I chewed on my lip. “God, Levi.”
“For most of my life, I didn’t think relationships were worth the trouble. They’re harder when you lead the life I do. I’m not gonna sugarcoat that. We’d have to fight for it. But you make me want to do more than fight for us. You make me want to go to war, Presley.”
I felt his words in my soul. There was so much I thought I should say right now, but words couldn’t express what was in my heart. So I did what felt right and pressed my lips to his. Emotions fed our kiss. Levi wrapped his arm around my back, holding me tight, and I arched to get closer. His other hand lifted to my neck, and his fingers curled into my hair. Our tongues tangled, and I wasn’t sure either of us remembered to breathe. When we finally separated, we were both panting.
Levi brushed his nose with mine. “You kissed me. Outside of the bedroom.”
I smiled. “I did.”
He pulled back to look into my eyes. “Don’t run away anymore. Let me show you how things between us could be. Just take it one day at a time.”
I nodded. I couldn’t believe what a difference a few pictures had made. For the last few months, it was like I’d had a gate locked inside of me, and seeing what was important to him in photos was the key to unlocking it. Not only did I not want to run away anymore, I also couldn’t wait to show him how I felt right back.
“Do you think your friends would mind if we bailed last minute?” I asked. “The house is empty. Even Fern is out.”
A wicked smile spread across Levi’s handsome face. Without warning, he scooped me up into his arms and cradled me against his chest. “Don’t give a shit if they do. Because tonight, we’re not fucking, sweetheart. We’re making love, and that’s going to take all night.”
My brows shot up. “All night?”
“All. Night.”
CHAPTER 19
* * *
Presley
The next couple of days almost felt like a dream.
Levi and I were inseparable. We worked on the inn together, ate meals together, and took turns sneaking into each other’s rooms after Alex was asleep. Last night we’d stayed awake until two or three in the morning, just lying in bed talking. Levi told me about what he wanted to do after he wasn’t able to play football anymore, and I told him about my dream of someday having my own gallery, like the one I’d worked at in New York.
Since we hadn’t slept much, I was surprised when Levi walked into the kitchen as I was getting ready to take Alex to camp. He smiled, and a swarm of butterflies took flight in my belly.
“Morning,” he rasped. I absolutely loved his early-morning voice. It was deep, but sleepy, with a gruff rumble to it.
I smiled. “You’re up early.”
“A dream woke me.”
“Oh? What was the dream about?”
Levi’s eyes flashed to Alex, who was reading the back of the Cheerios box while eating his cereal. He lowered his voice. “I was taking a bath.”
The thought of Levi dreaming about taking a bath was amusing for some reason. “Was it a bubble bath?”
He shook his head slowly. “Not quite. Do we have any of that rope left from yesterday when I hung the tire swing in the tree out back?”
“I think so. Why?”
Levi checked over his shoulder once again. Alex was oblivious as he slurped the milk from his bowl.
He moved his mouth to my ear and whispered. “How much weight do you think the showerhead can hold? Meet me back here after you drop Alex off. I’ll grab the rope from the garage.”
Oh. Oh my. I swallowed and cleared my throat. “Alex, you ready to leave for camp? I have to get back home to do some things.”
Levi grinned—a wicked, dirty smile that made my heart flutter—as he raised his coffee to his lips. “Yes, it’s a very busy day. Your mom will be all tied up.”
I’m pretty sure I broke the speed limit driving back home from camp. I also stepped on the gas at a yellow light a few blocks from the house and didn’t quite make it through before it turned red. I couldn’t get back to Levi fast enough.
At the house, I swung open the front door and could see the back of Levi’s head where he sat in the kitchen. For a half second, I considered stripping at the door and walking in naked, but I wasn’t sure if Fern was home or not. So I opted to remain clothed—for a few more minutes anyway.
“I think I just got one of those red-light tickets on the way home,” I said as I breezed into the kitchen. “And I think you should have to pay for it since—”
I froze. Levi was not alone.
A man sat across from him at the table.
Blinking a few times, I was sure my imagination had to be playing tricks on me. But unfo
rtunately, the smiling face was very real.
The man stood. “There’s my girl.”
My heart jumped to my throat. “Tanner, what are you doing here?”
He flashed a crooked smile. “Surprise?”
I wiped my sweaty palms on my shorts. “Yeah. It most certainly is.”
My eyes shot over to Levi, who stayed seated with his arms crossed. He looked troubled, but sympathetic—as if he were silently telling me he was so freaking sorry right now.
I’m sorry, too.
This was not the way this morning was supposed to turn out.
“I thought it was time to come home,” Tanner finally said.
With a bitter tone, I asked, “Why now?”
He nodded. “Well, to be honest, it’s been a long time coming. From the moment I found out you and Alex were moving down here, I’ve felt like I was missing out. I decided some time ago that I was going to come join you. But I didn’t announce it because I didn’t trust myself to follow through. I’ve just fucked up so many damn times with my son, and didn’t want to make any promises I couldn’t keep.”
“I’m seriously confused, Tanner. You barely came to visit him when we were in New York.”
He took a few steps toward me. “I know. This is less about Beaufort and more about where I am in my life right now, Presley. You guys just happen to be here right now. But this would be happening if you were in New York, too. I just needed to get to this place in my life first.” He sighed. “Look, I know I have a lot of explaining to do, okay? To both you and Alex. I hope you give me a chance.”
My eyes once again met Levi’s. The happiness I’d seen in his face the past few days was totally gone. It had been drained, replaced by the same fear, anger, and confusion I felt right now.