“You do, but I understand.”
“Everything is okay now.”
“Really?” I asked with surprise.
“Yes. We got some new investors, and I think we can go ahead with the openings we had planned for next year.” I could hear him smiling through the phone.
“Wow, that’s great.”
“Isn’t it? These investors came out of nowhere, but they checked out.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Are you spending Thanksgiving with your mom?”
It was rare enough to talk to one parent in a day, now I was talking to two. “Nope, I’m going to spend it with my roommate’s family.”
“Oh. This isn’t because of your mother’s boyfriend, is it?”
“No, not at all.”
“Are you sure? I can fly back from China early if you want me to.”
China? I had no idea he was in Asia. “No, I’m all set.”
“Okay, just let me know if you change your mind.”
“I will, but my friend is waiting for me. I love you, Dad.”
“I love you, too. Have fun.”
I was finally on speaking terms with both parents—hopefully it could stay that way for a while.
***
“The least I can do is help cook. It is my fault the royal family is coming.” I washed my hands in the large farmhouse sink in the kitchen of Hailey’s childhood home.
Jan laughed. “Are my nerves that obvious? I am honored they decided to come to my home for the holiday.”
“I wouldn’t say they were obvious, but if they were, it would be understandable.”
It was the night before Thanksgiving and Hailey’s mom was rushing to finish the rest of her preparations. I hadn’t really considered that Levi would want to spend Thanksgiving with me, but he insisted on it. Originally, he wanted me to spend it at his house, but I’d already accepted Hailey’s invitation. His solution was to invite himself, which also meant his parents.
Jan filled a large pot with water. “You wouldn’t happen to know how to make cranberry sauce, would you?”
“You just add sugar with water and boil the cranberries, right?”
“That’s pretty much it. The cranberries are in the fridge.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
I was glad to be making myself useful. Hailey and Owen were out getting a few things at the store with their dad. I’d stayed back to help in the kitchen.
I found a saucepan, the cranberries, and some sugar, and went to work.
“I’m sure this isn’t easy for you.” Jan paused from cutting up vegetables.
I was sure that she wasn’t talking about making cranberries. “What part?”
“Any of it. Hailey told me you were upset about missing Thanksgiving with your mother.”
“I am, but I’ll find a way to see her over the holiday break, hopefully.”
“I’m sure she’s missing you, too.”
I just smiled and turned back to the stove.
Loud voices interrupted us as Hailey, Owen, and their father burst into the kitchen. “The store was a zoo. We’re not going out again.” Timothy paused in his rant to give his wife a kiss on the cheek.
Jan smacked him playfully with a dish towel. “That’s good, because I can use you in here.”
I finished up the cranberries. “Do you want me to wait for them to cool?”
“No, that’s okay. Why don’t you kids go relax. Thanks for the help, Allie.” I’m pretty sure Jan felt bad accepting my help at all.
“It was no trouble.”
It had actually been nice. I’d started to really appreciate the little things. I loved when I could forget about the craziness that was my life.
***
I’d never set a table for such a large number of people before. Compared to many Thanksgivings, it was small. Hailey’s extended family lived a few hours away and did Thanksgiving with her grandparents. Still, most of the Thanksgivings of my childhood were just Mom, my grandparents, and I.
“Happy Thanksgiving, babe.” Levi wrapped his arms around me from behind. I put down the last of the plates and turned to look at him. He’d slowly but surely started calling me babe again.
He’d stayed away from it ever since I screamed at him for calling me baby—too many bad memories. I decided the shortened babe form didn’t bother me as much.
“Happy Thanksgiving.” Levi looked great in a blue collared shirt and khaki slacks. We hadn’t planned it, but we practically matched. I was wearing a blue sweater that was the same shade as his shirt.
He leaned down and kissed me lightly on the lips. I closed my eyes for a second, opening them to see Robert standing directly behind Levi with a grin.
“Oh, hello, Robert.”
“Nice to see you, Allison.”
I looked around for Helen, but she must have gone right into the kitchen to help Jan.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” I said awkwardly.
“Maybe next year the two of you will host Thanksgiving?”
“Uh, maybe.” I might have been able to make cranberry sauce, but any Thanksgiving I hosted would probably have to be ordered in.
“I should make sure they don’t need help in the kitchen.” I slipped out of Levi’s arms and out of the room.
“Hi, Allie.” Helen greeted me warmly. As I expected, she was in the kitchen trying to help Jan.
“Hi, Helen.”
To Jan’s credit, she wasn’t showing any of the nerves.
We’d just sat down to eat when the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it.” Hailey got up and went out to the front hall. I heard a muffled conversation, and then she walked back in, followed by Jared. He carried a bottle of wine.
“Is it too late to join you?”
“Of course not, Jared. You’re always welcome here.” Jan busied herself setting another place at the table. Jared took a seat next to Owen.
“How nice of you to join us.” Robert turned his attention to Jared.
“Dad decided he didn’t want to celebrate this year, but I didn’t agree.”
“He’s taking Bryant’s disloyalty hard.” Robert took a sip of his wine. “That’s to be expected.”
“Of course he is. The perfect son did the unforgiveable. Now he’s just left with me.”
It was weird hearing Jared talk about himself so negatively. I wondered if he’d been drinking.
“You’ll make him proud.” Robert kept a stony expression, but behind his eyes I thought there was something else. I think he really cared about Jared.
Dinner was pleasant enough. I ate far too much and was more than happy to take a walk when Levi suggested it. We walked the few blocks to Audubon Park. After a few months in New Orleans, I’d decided the park was my favorite escape. In some ways, it was like an oasis in the city.
“I need to ask you something.” Levi grabbed my hand, holding it tightly in his as we walked under the live oaks.
“Should I be worried?”
“No. It’s a good thing.”
I pulled my left sleeve down as far as it could go. It was probably sixty degrees, but I was cold. Levi got the hint, and put an arm around me. “I need to go on a business trip in a few weeks, and I want you to come with me.”
“A business trip?” I stopped in front of one of the ponds.
“Yes. It’s a few hours away, and it would be great if you could come. I promise we’ll have fun.”
“What happens if I say no?”
“Honestly? My dad will probably want to talk to you.”
“Are you ever going to tell him?” I sat down on a bench watching some ducks play around in the water.
“There’s no reason to. We’re back together.”
I turned to him. “Levi…”
“Just say you’ll come.”
“Is it at least someplace cool?”
“Define cool?”
I sighed. “Oh no.”
“So you’ll come?”
“Do
I have a choice?”
He grinned. “No.”
I’m sure I could have kept arguing, but the truth was, the thought of a few days away with Levi didn’t sound nearly as bad as it might have a month before. “As long as I don’t have to miss class.”
“You won’t.”
“Okay.”
He tightened his arms around me. “It’s going to be fun.”
“We’ll see about that.” I wasn’t quite sure what I was agreeing to, but at least it would be a change of scenery.
“Can I ask you a question now?” Something had been bugging me since I talked to my dad.
He got up and pulled me to my feet so we could continue walking. “You can ask me anything.”
“Remember how my dad was having all those business problems?”
He turned toward me. “Yes. I remember that well.”
“Dad called and told me everything is fine because they have new investors. Did you have anything to do with that?”
“Did he say I did?”
“No. But it just seemed surprising that out of nowhere he’d have new ones.”
“You’re family, Al. That means I’m going to help.” He walked ahead.
I caught up. “Is that a yes?”
“Come to your own conclusion.” He smiled.
“Thanks. His company means everything to him.”
Levi looked at me seriously. “No, it doesn’t. It can’t mean everything, because he has you.”
I leaned up and kissed Levi on the lips.
Chapter Seventeen
“Remind me again why we had to take my car?” I cringed as Levi drove my Land Rover through another patch of mud. He had to run the windshield wipers to clean off enough mud for us to see.
“Because my car couldn’t do this. It’s what this car is meant for.”
“So what would you have done if I didn’t have a car that could?”
He downshifted. “I would have stayed on the main roads.”
“Levi!”
“Relax, Al. I’ll have your car looking as good as new.”
“You think I’m only worried about my car?”
I grabbed the ‘oh my god’ bar, needing it more than ever as he drove through an area that shouldn’t have been called a road. “I’m a little concerned about my life, too.”
“Don’t be.” He looked over at me.
“Watch where you’re driving!”
“My driving scares you more than my flying, doesn’t it?”
“Maybe. Come on, please slow down.”
“Only because you said please.” He let off the gas a little.
I sighed. “How much further?”
“Another twenty minutes, maybe.”
“Good.”
He squeezed my hand. “I’m glad you’re with me.”
“At the moment, I’m regretting it.”
“It’s going to be fun.”
“Fun? Isn’t this a work trip?” I looked out the window at the endless trees. We were definitely in the middle of nowhere.
“Work is a relative term.”
“How relative?” I stretched out my legs.
“Tonight’s a dinner we can’t miss, and tomorrow I have to preside over the dispute courts, but otherwise we’re free.”
“And what am I supposed to do while you’re presiding over the court?”
“Sit and look pretty.”
“That had better be a joke.”
He laughed. “You’re welcome to give me your opinion, but a lot of these issues are going to be new to you.”
“Meaning they are paranormal?”
“Yup. It should be an eye opening experience.” I was starting to think that everything surrounding The Society was eye opening. Nothing was straight forward.
“I bet,” I grumbled. I didn’t want to admit exactly how nervous I was. I’d agreed because I didn’t think I had a choice, and in theory it sounded cool.
I closed my eyes and leaned back into the leather seat.
“I hope you’re not worrying about your classes again.”
I opened my eyes. “Of course, I am. Exams are next week.”
“You’re not even missing class. It’s study period.”
“Yes, study period. I’m supposed to be studying.”
He touched my arm gently. “You’re going to pass your tests, Al.”
“I want to do more than pass.”
“You’ll be fine.” He ran his fingers down my arm. Even over my long sleeve t-shirt, it felt good. “All right, we’re just about there.”
“Here? Where the hell are we?”
“Just outside Shreveport.”
“It looks like the woods.”
“It is the woods. Notice how I said just outside.”
We pulled out of the trees, and Levi turned onto another dirt road. At least this one looked like someone had used it in the last fifty years. He parked the car in front of a rustic looking house.
“This is it?”
“It’s where we’re staying. It might not look like much on the outside, but the inside’s nice.” He got out and came around to open the door. “Come on.”
I unbuckled, and took my backpack and purse. Levi already had our other bags.
He unlocked the front door, and I followed him in.
“Wow.” I put down my stuff and walked around the open room. Exposed rafters went with the rustic look of the place, but plush couches, hardwood floors covered by several large area rugs, and a huge fireplace gave the room a really comfortable feel.
“I love this place. It’s probably the smallest of our homes, but sometimes small is better.”
“Smallest?”
“It’s only one bedroom. Originally, there were two small ones, but Dad combined them.”
“One bedroom?”
“Yes, love, one bedroom.”
“So you’re sure you can stand more time in bed with me without sex?”
“I think that’s a question you should be asking yourself.”
“I already know the answer, and at least there’s a couch.”
“Those couches aren’t as comfortable as they look.” He grinned.
“So are you going to show me this bedroom?”
“Of course.” He took off down a narrow hallway and opened the door to a large room. Sparsely furnished, a king sized bed stood in the center of the room with bed stands and a dresser finishing off the space.
“Nice.”
“Isn’t it?” He crossed his arms, leaning against the bed post.
“What time is our dinner tonight?”
“It’s at seven, so we have some time to explore if you want.”
“Explore?”
“You brought your hiking shoes, right?”
I shook my head. “Umm, no. You never mentioned hiking.”
“I’m sure you brought sneakers. That’s all you need.”
“Fine, give me a minute.”
“Absolutely, I’m going to check out the wine selection. The caretaker should have stocked it, but I want to be sure.”
“Wine? Won’t alcohol be served at the dinner?”
“Yes, but I want to pick out something nice for tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow night?”
He smiled. “Yes, for when I make dinner for you.”
“You’re making me dinner?”
“Yes, and since you can’t possibly have any other plans, you’re not getting out of it.”
“Okay…”
“Find your sneakers and do whatever you need to do, and then let’s head out.”
I dug out my sneakers from my bag and used the bathroom. I brushed my hair, pulling it back into a ponytail.
Levi was waiting for me in the kitchen. “You ready?”
“Sure, let’s explore.”
He grabbed my hand, towing me out the door.
We walked silently into the woods. I let him lead the way as we moved so far in that it got dark. “Are you sure you know where we’re going?”
“This might sound like a weird question, but where did you sleep when you came, since there was only one bedroom?”
He laughed. “I slept where we’re sleeping.”
“Then, where did your parents sleep?”
“The main house.”
“So we’re in…”
“The guest house. I just like it better.”
“Oh…”
“When I was a kid I stayed with my parents, but I started staying in the guest house at sixteen or so. I’d drive out here to get away.”
Every time I learned anything about Levi’s childhood, it surprised me. He always seemed so polished. It was hard to imagine him as a teenager trying to escape his parents.
“I get that. I’m sure there was a lot of pressure.”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
“This is a big deal, right?” I didn’t take my eyes off the path in front of me. I was usually well coordinated, but coordination did nothing when it came to tree stumps.
“Presiding?”
“Yeah.”
“Very. Dad letting me take over a session means he’s testing me, seeing if I’m ready for more. If this one goes well, he’ll hopefully let us do some in cooler places.”
“You say that, but you like it here.”
He smiled. “Yeah, but I wouldn’t mind seeing other places with you…”
He stopped walking and put his hands on my waist. “There are so many places I want to take you.”
“What places?”
“All over the world…but most of our travel will be in North and South America—our territory.”
“So someone else runs the other continents?”
“Yeah. My dad’s second or third cousins or something run Europe, and I’ve met the family in Africa, but I don’t know much about the others. It’s hard enough to deal with all of the families in our territory.”
“Like the Blackwells…”
He leaned in closer. “You don’t need to worry about them, Al. You know I’m going to keep you safe.”
“I know.” I tried not to think about how close I’d come to getting held hostage by them or worse just a few weeks before. I knew it wasn’t Levi’s fault, but it definitely made me doubt my safety—at least when I wasn’t with him. Somehow, being tucked in Levi’s arms made me feel like nothing could ever hurt me. I might have gotten annoyed at Levi a lot, but I didn’t doubt his strength or devotion to protecting me.
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