His smile told me I’d given the correct answer. He proceeded to tell me the hours and pay for the part-time position. It wasn’t much, but it was better than me being a hermit with no pay. I assured him all of that was fine, and my school schedule wouldn’t conflict with the hours of the job.
“School comes first, okay? So if anything comes up, let me know and we can work it out,” he stated.
“Yes sir,” I replied.
He dipped his chin, his eyes becoming serious. “Please don’t call me sir. I’m just Levi.”
“Yes sir..um..Levi,” I stammered out and felt a blush creep up my face. Good grief, keep it together Crane. This is your new boss.
He chuckled softly and stood. “Well, I’ll show you around and tell you a little about what the job entails. If you’re still interested, then it’s all yours.”
He took my coat from the door and held it open to me. I rose and turned, slipping my arms into the sleeves. He ran his hands over my shoulders, smoothing down the wool, before I could step away. I stilled at his touch, but managed to hold it together. I turned, giving him a small smile and caught a whiff of men’s cologne. It was a clean, woodsy smell and I realized it was coming from my coat. The scent was intoxicating, but somehow I resisted the urge to bury my nose in the collar for another sniff. Levi turned and lifted the other coat from the door and shrugged it on. Oh, that’s his cologne! How am I supposed to concentrate with his smell all around me?
He led me through the building, which was larger than it looked from the outside, stopping at some of the offices to introduce me to the employees. He opened a large, metal, double door at the back of a cavernous warehouse, and I had to shield my eyes against the bright sunlight as we stepped onto the grounds. He helped me into a golf cart and drove me down aisle after aisle of assorted trees and shrubs. The property seemed to go on forever. Since it was February, he told me that most flowers were dormant and their major business right now was the preparation of the numerous commercial landscape beds and lawns. I was amazed at all the people scurrying around, watering or tending plants.
We made our way back to the front counter where Sydney was packing up for the day. She gave me a quick rundown of what my job would be- answering phones, taking orders, waiting on customers, entering invoices into the computer, and of course, light bookkeeping. It was the same type of things I’d done for dad, only a different product. Sydney told me she could teach me all I needed to know in two days, and I was ready. She said a quick goodbye before heading out the door.
Levi turned to me and asked, “So what do you think? Would you like to work here?”
I smiled, excited at the thought of working at the nursery. “You’ve got a great business, and everyone I’ve met seems really nice. So yes, I’d like to work here.”
He smiled, looking pleased. “Okay, you start tomorrow. Be here at nine. You can fill out the paperwork and let Sydney get you set up.”
He looked down at my heels, which were covered in dirt. “I hate to say this because you look very beautiful, but you might want to wear jeans and tennis shoes to work. I wouldn’t want you to get your nice things dirty.”
I blushed at hearing him call me beautiful. “I think I can handle that.”
I started for the door when he called my name. I turned to look at him. He gave me his beautiful, dimpled smile and said, “I’m glad you decided to take this job. I think you’ll be surprised at what you might find here.”
I bit my lip as I gazed at this amazing man and wished there was more I could find here, but knew I couldn’t even try.
“I’m just looking for a paycheck and something to fill my extra time, nothing more.” I didn’t wait for his reply but heard his chuckle before the door closed behind me.
Chapter Two
I arrived at my new job thirty minutes early. I didn’t know what to expect on a Saturday, so I figured I better get there before they opened. I awoke at seven so I could fix my hair and apply a little makeup. No use scaring everybody on my first day. I would at least give it a week before I went back to my ponytails and no makeup. I dressed in jeans, a gray long sleeved shirt and tennis shoes, as Levi had suggested. I slipped my coat on and grinned as the woodsy smell invaded my senses.
I made my drive to the nursery surrounded by the incredible scent of Levi. There was only one vehicle visible when I pulled into the parking lot. A fairly new and expensive looking black truck was parked near the front door. I hustled out of my car, attempting to outrun the cold. I pulled open the door, stepped inside, and immediately noticed a large older man standing behind the counter. I watched as his meaty hands flew over the computer keyboard. He glanced up, noticed me standing there and frowned. I saw that his eyes were blood shot and sweat covered his face.
“Who are you?” he asked gruffly.
I took a step back and nervously replied, “I’m Kaitlyn and today is my first day on the job.”
The man continued to look at me, his eyes shifting from my face to the door behind me. He didn’t speak and quickly looked over his shoulder towards the back offices. His shifty behavior made me extremely uncomfortable. The hard look in his eyes brought painful memories to the forefront of my mind, but I wouldn’t look away. I let out a yelp when I heard a sound behind me. Strong arms came around my waist and I didn’t need to look to know who it was.
His smooth voice was in my ear, his warm breath on my neck. “Hey, it’s just me. You okay?” I nodded my head but continued to watch the man behind the counter.
“Dad, what are you doing here?” Levi called out behind me.
Dad?? Taken aback, I squirmed hoping Levi would release his grip on me. He reluctantly removed his arms and softly asked, “Would you please go wait in my office?”
I tried to find my voice, but my “okay” ended up coming out as a whisper. I rushed past his father and into the office. I closed the door and took a few deep breaths. What in the world is going on? That scary guy is Levi’s dad? That’s not good.
I moved to a chair and waited quietly for a few minutes. The door opened suddenly, startling me. I started to scream but clamped my hand over my mouth when I realized it was only Levi. He hurried over, concern etched on his face and crouched down at my side. He pulled my hand away from my mouth, and I knew he felt the pulse pounding in my wrist.
He spoke gently, as if I were a child. “You’re safe, Katie. Please don’t be afraid.”
Suddenly embarrassed at my overreaction, I pulled my hand from his. He stood and edged past me to the chair at my side and sat, facing me.
I gave him a weak smile. “I’m sorry. Your dad scared me a little.”
He shook his head. “Don’t apologize. He should never have been here. Did he say anything to you?”
“He asked who I was. He was doing something on the computer and acted nervous when he noticed me.”
Levi let out a deep breath, running his hand over his face. “Katie, I’m so sorry he was here. This used to be his business. He started it when I was a little boy, but his drinking got to the point where he couldn’t run it anymore, and I had to take it from him. He has no right to be here and no right speaking to you.”
I didn’t know how to process his news, but I did know that if his dad was going to be around, I wasn’t. “Is he going to show up here like that again?”
“He better not. I had a talk with him. He said he needed some money. I give him an allowance every few weeks. I told him if he showed up here without speaking to me first, I would cut him off. Please don’t be afraid because he won’t be back,” he pleaded, looking into my eyes.
Gathering my courage, I replied, “Okay, if you’re sure he’s not going to be around, I’ll stay.”
He reached over and patted my knee. “Come on out front. Sydney should be here to start showing you what to do.”
I followed him to the front counter where Sydney was waiting with a friendly smile.
“Katie got to meet my dad this morning,” Levi informed her.
; The smile vanished from her face. “Yikes! You okay, honey?” she asked.
I smiled halfheartedly and replied, “Yeah, I’m good now. It’s not what I expected on my first day of work though.”
Levi groaned, covering his face with his hand. I reached up and touched his arm. “It’s fine, really.”
He studied my face, trying to determine if I spoke the truth. “Okay,” he replied, giving me a small smile. “Now, enough craziness already. You have things to learn. I’ll come see how it’s going later. I hope you have a better morning,” he said and turned back towards his office, leaving me with Sydney.
“What?” I asked, noticing Sydney’s giant grin.
“I like you already, Katie, and I don’t think I’m the only one,” she said and snickered.
I felt heat creep into my cheeks. What am I getting myself into?
The rest of the morning went smoothly as I learned their ordering system and cash register. We were busy with customers and had several phone orders to fill. Sydney helped me through it all. It wasn’t that difficult, and I seemed to pick it up pretty fast. She was a nice woman, and we made friendly conversation throughout the morning.
When lunch time rolled around, she put a closed sign on the front door and led me to the break room in the back. I hadn’t thought to pack a lunch, so I made due with a soda from the vending machine and a granola bar I found in the bottom of my purse. Sydney offered me half of her sandwich but I refused. I knew how hungry pregnant women could get, and I was not about to eat part of her lunch. These thoughts caused my pain and regret to return for a moment. I usually couldn’t go longer than a few hours before the reality of my life weighed down on me again.
Levi sauntered into the break room as Sydney spoke about her church. I tried to focus on her words, but couldn’t help myself from stealing a glance in his direction. He was bent down rummaging through the fridge.
“Have you found a church home yet?” Sydney asked.
Levi’s head suddenly appeared over the top of the open fridge door, and our eyes met before I had time to look away. He grinned, apparently he was interested in my answer. Crap!! It’s too late to pretend that didn’t happen.
I turned my attention back to Sydney, who now wore a knowing smile. “Uh, I haven’t had a chance to visit anywhere yet. I went to a Baptist church with my family back home. I have seen a few around town but don’t know about going by myself,” I said hesitantly.
“Well, we’re Catholic, but you are more than welcome to join us sometime,” Sydney replied.
I just smiled. I didn’t think I would feel comfortable going to any church, but I wasn’t about to say that out loud.
Levi sat down in the chair next to mine. “I go to the Baptist church on Main Street. It’s a small church, but the people there are very welcoming. I could come and pick you up so you don’t have to go alone.”
“Thanks for the offer. I’ll think about it,” I said and gave him a weak smile. I could not get interested in this man. I needed to keep him at a distance. He seemed like too nice of a guy to get mixed up in my life.
“Excuse me,” I said as I got up and threw my trash away. I needed to get away from him and to the safety of the bathroom so I could calm the butterflies going wild in my stomach.
The afternoon went by in a blur of customers and phone orders. When Levi came out to check on me, Sydney informed him I was a fast learner and was already good to work on my own. He grinned, seeming pleased to hear this, before going back to his office.
Closing time came, and we gathered our things together to go home. Sydney and I headed to our cars and said our goodbyes. I hadn’t seen Levi again but that was fine with me. He was one distraction I couldn’t afford to have.
***
I arrived at my apartment and headed straight to the fridge. I was starving, but before I could decide between left overs or a sandwich, there was a loud knock on the door. I froze. Who would be coming to see me? I didn’t really know anyone from school yet. I closed the fridge and crept to the front door. I stared through the peep hole, sighing when I saw who it was. Why is he here? I considered pretending not to be home, but since my car was parked right out front he would know I was avoiding him. I took a deep breath and opened the door. With his beautiful dimpled smile in place, there stood Levi.
“Uh, hi,” I said hesitantly.
“Hey, Katie. I was going to ask if you wanted to grab a bite to eat after work, but you left before I got the chance.”
I kept my face unreadable. “How did you know where I lived? Are you stalking me?”
He let out a chuckle. “No. I’m not stalking you. Your address is on the paperwork you filled out. I would have called, but I didn’t know if you would answer a number you didn’t recognize. I noticed you didn’t eat much lunch today and thought you might be hungry,” he paused and with a smile added, “and I enjoy your company.”
I studied his face for a moment. I knew I should be pushing him away, but right now, I just couldn’t. His eyes looked so sincere, and I could use a friend. I was so lonely and missed having someone to hang out with.
“Okay, let me grab my purse...and my pepper spray,” I said as I turned to go back inside.
“I promise you, that won’t be necessary,” he said with a chuckle.
After locking the door, he led me to a shiny, red four-door truck. He helped me into the passenger seat before hustling around to his side.
“Where are we headed?” I asked as he pulled out of the parking lot.
“Do you like Mexican food?”
Dang it! Why does even a restaurant choice have to remind me of him? “Um, not really,” I replied, wrinkling my nose.
“That bad, huh?” he asked, noting my expression.
I took a deep breath. If we were going to be friends I at least needed to give him some sort of truthful answer. I mean, he did tell me about his dad being an alcoholic.
“It’s not so much the food, it’s.....never mind,” I said shaking my head. I was wrong. I couldn’t go into it.
Levi didn’t push me to say more. He carried on as if I hadn’t mentioned it. “Tell me what you do like.”
“Honestly, I love pizza. It’s my favorite.”
He glanced at me for a moment and smiled. “Pizza it is then.”
We rode in comfortable silence for a few minutes before he reached down and turned on the radio. It was tuned to a Christian music station. I smiled, thinking this man was just the kind of friend I needed.
We pulled into the parking lot of a local pizzeria I’d never been to before. When I stepped inside, I wondered if this was the kind of place for me. The atmosphere was loud, with college kids seated at booths covered in pizza and mugs of beer. Levi noticed my apprehension and took my hand, leading me to a room in the back where there were mostly families seated. We found an empty booth, and I sat down before he slid into the seat across from me.
He waited for me to get comfortable then asked, “How did you like your first day at the nursery?”
“I really liked it. I’ve pretty much got the hang of everything up front. Your business seems busy too, so it will keep me on my toes.”
The waitress bounced over to take our order. She eyed Levi openly. He smiled politely before focusing his attention back on me. She understood his meaning and turned her gaze to me, asking if I wanted a beer. I shook my head. “I’ll have water.”
Levi requested the same for him. “You don’t drink?” he asked when the waitress left with our drink and pizza order.
“No. I’m underage, but even if I wasn’t, I still wouldn’t drink. It can lead to bad things.”
His face suddenly changed, gone was the smile and in its place was a look of confusion. He studied my eyes, like he was attempting to see the secrets hidden behind them. Poor guy, he doesn’t know how much practice I’ve had keeping these secrets locked away.
I steadied my gaze, my cool demeanor never slipping. “So what about you?” I asked, my voice unwavering.
> “I’ve seen what alcohol can do to someone, so I don’t touch the stuff.” He paused and smiled. “I didn’t realize you were underage. I mean, I knew you were younger than me but not that much younger. How old are you?”
“I’m nineteen. Why? How old are you? Wait, let me guess. Hmm....thirty-one?”
When his mouth fell open, I kept a straight face. “What! You think I look thirty-one? I’m only twenty-five,” he protested and slumped back in his seat. Oh my, even pouty Levi is gorgeous.
I tried to hold in my laughter but couldn’t. He narrowed his eyes. “You were joking, right?”
I laughed even louder but managed to nod my head.
Relief washed over his face. “You had me worried there for a second. I thought I was going to have to start checking my head for gray hairs,” he said, straightening in his seat.
With my laughter under control, I replied, “I promise I was just playing. I knew you were probably in your twenties.”
“Probably?”
I shrugged my shoulders, but he continued to eye me expectantly. I should have never opened my mouth.
“I could tell you weren’t a college kid the first time I saw you.”
He suddenly looked amused. “Oh really? And how could you tell that?”
I felt a huge blush coming on. “College guys still look like boys but you looked like a.....” I cleared my throat, “a man,” I blurted out.
He gave me a cocky grin. “A man, huh?”
I rolled my eyes. Thank goodness our waitress chose that moment to bring out the drinks and food. I don’t think I could’ve handled much more conversation like that with him. I had a hard enough time keeping the butterflies at bay just looking at him.
We ate, and Levi told me more about the nursery and the different things there were to do in town. I couldn’t believe how comfortable I felt around a man I had only known a week. After dinner, he drove me home and walked me to the apartment door.
“Do you want to go to church with me tomorrow?”
I considered it for a moment but knew I wasn’t ready. “No thanks,” I replied softly.
Katie's Glimpse (The Glimpse Series) Page 2