He looked at her for a moment and smiled. It was a different, softer smile than he gave to Evelyn. “You never changed your order. Same thing for twenty years.”
“Yes, sir.” She smiled back.
“I’ll take the lumberjack breakfast with extra butter on my pancakes and a pot of coffee with a truckload of sugar.”
“Coming right up.”
Evelyn walked away
She squeezed his hand. “I must be lucky.”
“Why?”
“I feel like I’m the only one who gets to see your cranky side.”
“You mean my real side.”
“Everybody thinks you’re so happy all the time. It’s okay if you’re not, Levi. Nobody can be.”
“It’s nothing, Shells. Don’t worry about it.”
“Are you regretting kissing me? It’s okay if you are, but I’m not sorry I asked you. I learned some stuff.”
He looked at her for a long moment as if he was dumbfounded. “If a man ever regrets kissing you he should be shot.” He took her chin between his fingers and kissed her lips softly but quickly. “You learned a thing or two, huh?” he asked with his voice low. “If you ever want a few more lessons, I’m an excellent teacher.”
Her heart began to race, but her mouth stayed firmly shut.
Her mind and body cried out yes. She could just imagine Levi as a teacher. His big hot hands on her body opening up her world to a barrage of new feelings and sensations. She felt breathless at the thought. If there was anyone she wanted to learn from it was him. She felt comfortable with him, like she could really be herself. There was no one else on the planet she felt like that with.
“Well, you sure as hell move fast,” she heard a man’s voice say, and it caused the thoughts that were making her warm all over to stop. “You haven’t even been here three days.” She looked up to see Ace, who’d completed the renovation of her bedroom when her father had gotten in over his head. “I don’t think we’ve met before.”
He extended his hand.
“It’s Shelly, you dumb-ass.” Levi shook his head. “Sit down and join us.”
“Shelly?” Ace’s eyes bugged out a little. “What happened to you?”
“Nothing.” Her hair was up, but in a high ponytail, and she had let some curls fall around her face. The only other difference was her clothes and they were nothing special, maybe a little more fitted than she was used to.
Ace sat down across from her, and there was a different look in his eyes. It was one of appreciation, which was nice, but at the same time she wondered what had been so wrong with her before. “You want to go out with me?”
“She doesn’t,” Levi said, answering for her.
“You never wanted to go out with me before,” she pointed out, a little miffed. A looser hairstyle and some tighter-fitting clothes suddenly made her more desirable to the world? She was the same person she always was.
“I was stupid. Unforgivably stupid and you should punish me after we’re married and have a couple of kids.”
She laughed.
“I take back my invitation. Go away, Ace. I saw her first.”
“Fat chance, Levi. You can’t keep her all to yourself.”
Ace stayed with them for breakfast, which Shelly didn’t mind because she found out that she liked him. She had known him for years but didn’t think she’d ever had a full conversation with him. It turned out he was a nerd in hot guy’s clothing. He’d had plans of being a physicist, but his father’s stroke prevented Ace from going away to college because he had to take care of the family business and his mother. On some level Shelly had known most of Ace’s story, but she didn’t expect to have so much in common with him.
His relationship with his mother changed the day his father died. Shelly had felt the exact same way. Torn between wanting a different life and loyalty to the parent who had already been left behind once.
Shelly could also tell that Levi and Ace were good friends, even though Levi had remained quiet throughout of a lot of the meal. She still couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him.
But the moment they walked into Lolly’s room his demeanor changed. He was smiling at the old woman in that charming way that never failed to brighten anyone’s day.
“Baby boy!” Lolly grinned at him, the smile reaching her perfectly lined and shadowed eyes.
“Hey, Lolly.”
“Hey, Shelly. Did you bring me more cash, baby boy?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He went over and kissed her cheek as he slipped a thick stack into her hand. “No male strippers. Don’t want you disrupting the rest of the patients.”
“Don’t tell me what to do with my money. And two things. First, you look good, Shelly. I knew you had a cute little figure under those frumpy clothes. And look at your bosom! Yours are nearly as good as mine, ain’t that right, Levi?”
“Lolly, I’m not sure how to answer that.”
“With a yes, ma’am. And second, what the hell is wrong with you? You’re in a mood.”
“No I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.”
“He is,” Shelly put in.
“People who love you can tell. Well, maybe not your brothers. Those two lunkheads wouldn’t know a feeling if it smacked them in the face. Are they bothering you? You want me to call over there and give them a piece of my mind?”
“No, ma’am. I’m fine.”
“He won’t say.” Shelly went over and sat in the chair beside Lolly’s bed and took the woman’s wrinkled hand. “How are you, Miss Lolly? I was sad to hear you aren’t feeling well. Is there anything I can do for you? I know you like the cookies-and-cream brownies I make. Can I bring you some?”
“You’re a good girl.” She patted Shelly’s cheek. “A pretty girl, too. Loves Jesus. Listens to her daddy. Doesn’t judge. Very loyal. Isn’t that right, Levi?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, narrowing his gaze at her.
“Looks like she can pop out a whole army of—”
“Lolly!” Levi cut her off. “What do you know about the factory closing down?”
“What?” Shelly asked, turning to face him. “The factory can’t shut down. Half of my class’s parents work there. There aren’t enough jobs at the casino for all those people.”
“Business has been slowing down for years,” Lolly said, confirming her fears. “They’ve been quietly getting rid of all of the old-timers for a while now. It’s inevitable. They can’t keep losing money.”
“But what will be left of this town if there is no way for people to make a living? It will die. This place will become a ghost town.”
Levi put his hand on Shelly’s shoulder and squeezed. “Maybe it can be saved.”
“Yeah. I think it will be hard to find anyone with enough money who would think it would be worth saving.”
*
“What smells good in here?” Levi strolled into the kitchen that night to see Zanna over the stove adding some kind of seasoning to a pot. He had been in a funky, foggy mood all day. For a bunch of reasons, but the fact that the factory was going to shut down and leave the town devastated was bothering him.
The King family had a lot of history with that place. It was the reason they had been hated for so long. His father had gone to work drunk; there he’d operated heavy machinery that nearly crushed one man to death and hurt two others. The whole factory had to be shut down for weeks afterward. Weeks of half the town without pay. It was hard to blame people for hating his father and them by extension. It was hard to look the kids of the man who would never be able to work again in the eye.
When Levi had some money from his racing he had sent the family a check as if it could pay for his father’s mistakes. They sent it back to him. Colt had beaten him to the punch, though he had never said anything to Levi about it. But it wasn’t just a check Colt had sent. He had renovated their home to make it wheelchair-accessible, he’d flown in a specialist to see the man, and he’d even apologized for their father’s sin. It was so
uncharacteristic of what the world thought Colt was.
Levi knew from Lolly that Colt once had a sensitive soul, but their father had beaten it out of him till there was no softness left in him. But as he walked into the kitchen and saw Zanna, he wondered if the woman could bring a little bit back to him.
Zanna looked up at him, offering him a small smile. “Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and garlic green beans. Sit down and have some. I made plenty.”
“I’m supposed to be taking Shelly out for a little dinner and line dancing,” he said, walking over, “but it’s been a long time since I had homemade fried chicken.” He took a drumstick off the plate and bit into it, surprised by how crispy and flavorful it was. “This is the best damn thing I’ve eaten all year.”
“What is?” Colt walked in and Levi noticed how his eyes swept over Zanna before settling on him.
“Zanna can cook,” Levi said, taking another big bite. “That on top of being beautiful. I’m not sure why you haven’t been snatched up by some man yet.”
“I don’t want to be snatched up.” Zanna held her head high, but she looked at Colt with heat in her eyes. “That’s exactly why I keep a gun under my bed.”
“I’m still pissed that I missed that,” Levi said as Duke walked in with a black duffel bag slung across his shoulder. “I would have loved to see you point a gun at Colt’s head.”
“You probably should be glad it was just him that walked in on me. If all three of you showed up, I might have started shooting.”
“I wouldn’t have blamed you.” Levi laughed, but he was glad that they were all standing there at the moment without bullet holes in them.
“Where are you going, Duke?” Colt asked him.
“I’ve got some business to take care of in town.” It was clear he was being evasive.
“What kind of business?” asked Levi.
“You didn’t tell him?” Duke looked Colt.
“Not my place.”
Duke nodded and a look of understanding passed between the two men that caused heat to rise up Levi’s back. They were keeping something from him. Just like when they were kids. They had tried to hide it when their father was drunk. They had stepped in and pushed him out of the way during their father’s rages, tried to take care of him when the man disappeared. He supposed they had done the best they could. But protecting him now was bullshit. He was a grown man and far from fragile.
“Somebody want to tell me what the hell is going on?”
“I have to do some research,” Duke said, not really meeting his eyes. “See if I can learn the truth about something.”
“Duke.” He knew Duke wasn’t lying about that. Duke didn’t lie, but his answer didn’t calm Levi. It just made him more suspicious, especially since the people who’d sent him to jail were all still in town. “Don’t do anything stupid that will land you back in prison,” he warned. “We’ve got too much to lose.”
“Maybe I should leave you all alone to talk.” Zanna dropped the dish towel she had been holding and took a step toward the door.
“No.” Duke put his hand on her arm to stop her. “There’s nothing else to talk about. I’ll be fine. I’ve just got to take care of some business.”
“Ain’t that some shit? What the hell do you think he’s up to?” Levi looked back at Colt to see if his brother’s face would betray his thoughts.
Of course it didn’t. Colt knew. Levi knew they both knew and were keeping him out of the loop again. “I guess we’ll find out when he wants us to find out.”
“Do you know something about this?” Levi asked him point-blank.
“I know what Duke just told us. If he wants us to know more he’ll tell us.”
Levi nodded, trying not to show his anger. “That’s Duke for you. He didn’t even tell us he was going to open King’s Customs till he knew he could make a go of it. He doesn’t reveal a damn thing until he’s absolutely ready.” He told his brothers everything. Every idea. Every decision. He sought out their advice. Listened to their opinions, but they never gave him the same consideration and he was done giving them his. He was done consulting with them. He was his own man and he was tired of them thinking that just because they were older they could handle more. He had been there when Mom died. He had been there when the town completely turned their backs on them. He had been there when their father skipped town. He had been through it with them all, even when they tried to shield him. He was younger, but he wasn’t stupid, and even when life was at its hardest he never broke. They could at least give him credit for that.
“You’re beautiful.” He kissed Zanna’s cheek, pushing his anger down. “You make beautiful chicken and one day soon, I would very much like to have another piece.” He kissed both of her cheeks again, knowing that it would annoy the hell out of Colt. “I’m going line dancing. You want to come?”
“Maybe next time, champ. You have fun.”
“I’ll be thinking about you the entire time.” He winked at her.
“Call me if you need a ride later,” Colt said quietly.
It stopped him. “Aw, Colty. You do care!” Levi grabbed Colt, squeezing him hard enough to crack his ribs and to remind him that he was no longer dealing with a teenage boy.
“All right, get the hell off me.”
“Okay. See you two later. Don’t wait up.”
He walked to Shelly’s house, suddenly not feeling like going out anymore. Her door was unlocked again, which irritated him further. He didn’t like the idea of just anyone walking in there, even though he knew that he was probably the only one who walked into her house without knocking.
He found her in the kitchen and was about to scold her for not locking her door, but the sight of her stopped him. She was wearing an apron and oven mitts and pulling a pan out of the oven—which caused her round bottom to be in the air and right in his line of vision.
Arousal was becoming a constant for him whenever he was around her. It was damn annoying.
He wanted her so bad, but knew he couldn’t have her. Because if he did, things would change between them and they would never go back.
“Hey. I made my mama’s famous macaroni and cheese with ham and peas. I know you said you wanted to take me out for dinner, but I was hoping we could stay in. I don’t much feel like dancing tonight.” She put the pan down, took off her oven mitts, and came over to him. “Is that okay?” She kissed his cheek and wrapped her arms around him.
He felt like something had smashed him in the chest that moment. He wasn’t sure what to make of the feeling he was experiencing, but he thought it might be nice to come home every evening to this. To a house that smelled good and a woman who felt heavenly pressed against him.
He wasn’t stupid. He knew what Lolly had been getting at today. But he wasn’t ready to get married. And they were just friends, even though sometimes he felt like they were so much more.
“What’s wrong, Levi?”
“Feed me first. I can’t think straight with all those good smells coming at me.”
“Sit down.” She smiled at him before she returned to the stove. “I’ve got pie, too. Peanut butter chocolate cream.”
“My favorite. You’re making it so I never want to leave here, aren’t you?”
She returned to him with a plate of steaming-hot cheesy noodles. “No, I know I only have you for a limited time, so I might as well spoil you.”
He knew she was right. He knew that after this month was over he was heading back to Vegas. But what about them? He wasn’t sure he could go back to how they were before. To just sending letters and a few occasional phone calls. He wasn’t sure he could go back to life without his best friend in it.
She took the chair beside him after she served herself. It was rare anyone cooked for him. It was rare he ate dinner sitting at a kitchen table. Most of his meals were takeout or pub fare. This felt weird for him, but nice.
“Do you always wear an apron when you cook?”
“Yes. It was my mother’s. My f
ather thinks I should put it away so it stays nice, but I like to wear it. Sometimes I think I can still smell her on it. I know that’s silly, but I do.”
“It’s not silly. Duke has a tattoo of my mother’s face. Colt has her cookbook.”
“I have my mother’s cookbook, too,” she said with a sad smile. “I think she knew she was going to leave us early so she wrote down all of her recipes for me.”
“She died of a heart attack, right?”
“It was a heart condition, but I never knew it until after … She was supposed to take it easy and not strain herself. The doctors warned her against getting pregnant, but she wanted children. My birth weakened her heart, but she never slowed down. She was always running around with me, taking me places, showing me new things.”
“She wanted you to experience life, Shells. I remember her. She was an awesome mom.”
Her eyes filled with tears that quickly spilled down her cheeks. “I’m sorry.” She dashed away her tears. “It’s been almost twenty years. You’d think I wouldn’t be reduced to a puddle of tears anymore. It was just talking to Ace this morning that brought back so much stuff. I don’t mean to cry.”
He took her hand and kissed the backs of her fingers. “It’s okay to miss her.”
“You’re a member of this sad little club, too.”
“I don’t remember much about my mother. I was four when she died. I try, though. But she had been sick for a long time before she passed.” He remembered his brothers forming a nearly impenetrable wall around him then; twenty-five years later they had never let it crumble. “Let’s take a walk. I’m not so hungry anymore.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to kill your appetite.”
“Don’t be sorry. Just take a walk with me like we used to.”
They used to walk all the time when they were kids. To the gas station. To the bowling alley. To the old theater in town. It had started after her mother died, when she needed to get out of the house and away from all the memories.
Sometimes they had talked the whole way. Sometimes they said nothing at all. Tonight was one of those quiet times. Levi wasn’t sure where they were headed until they got there, but they stood in front of the old water tower and looked up at it. He hadn’t thought about this place in years and he didn’t know why he’d decided to come here, but he knew that his feet itched to climb it. If for no other reason than to see if he still got the same feeling he used to.
Heart of a Bad Boy (Bad Boys of Destiny #3) Page 10