Page 95 of This Baby Business
“Oh,” Carly said. “Did you read this? Because I can explain…”
He let her voice trail off and didn’t fill the silence with words. He cracked an egg instead. Two eggs. Three eggs.
“I was going to tell you this morning.”
“No need.” Four eggs. Should he crack a fifth? Oh, to hell with it. Crack. Five eggs. Six eggs.
“Babe, really. Please look at me.”
He should probably go for an even dozen. Seven eggs. Eight eggs. Well, he was better off cracking eggs than cracking heads. Anyone in their right mind could see that. Nine eggs. Ten.
“You do what you have to do.”
“Levi,” she pleaded with him. “Don’t do this. Don’t freeze me out.”
“Seems like you’re the one who did that. You’re leaving. And you didn’t tell me.” Good. He was talking. That meant he wasn’t too pissed for words. But he was pretty damned close, and yeah, it had been a long time since he’d felt so much of…freakingeverything.
How great for him.
“Only for a little while.”
“How long? A week? Two?” He knew the answer.
She ran her hand along the counter edge. “No. A few months? That’s it.”
“Yeah. Long distance doesn’t work, babe. You’re looking at someone who knows this like I know the back of my hand. It doesn’t. Work.”
“But you and I—”
“It’s fine. You should go back and finish school. Makes sense. I get it.” He looked at the dozen eggs in the mixing bowl and remembered he had to take a shower. Get to work.
“You’re a pilot! I’m sure you can visit me.” She followed him out of the kitchen. “Are you saying I don’t even mean that much to you? You won’t take a plane ride to see me? I’m the one who said I love you first. Don’t think this is going to be easy for me.”
“Listen, you probably said you love me in the heat of the moment. You didn’t mean it.”
“But I do mean it!”
“Too bad, then. Relationships are hard enough without putting distance into the equation.”
“Are we talking physical distance or emotional distance?” She put her hands on her hips. “Because I know how I feel. I know I will be faithful to you no matter how far away I am. Is that what you’re worried about? I’ll hook up with someone else?”
He didn’t answer, because damned if he’d let her know she’d hit the nail on the head. It had happened before, time and again. Even his parents had left him for the greater good. Which meant that he was still apparently not enough for the people he loved to stick around. No, he wasn’t going to go there and open up his stupid heart any more than he already had so she could throw her poison-tipped darts at it.
When her eyes filled with pain, he almost knew what she’d say before she did. “Oh, I get it. You’re the one who will find someone else.”
“I need to get to work. I’ll be late.”
Forget the damn shower. He’d shower at the freaking gym he’d joined but never went to. He dressed in his uniform, shoving pants, socks and boots on viciously. He’d just stepped out into the cold October morning when Carly called out to him. He turned back, and she stood in the doorway holding Grace in one arm. She held up his white Mcallister Charters shirt in the other.
He glanced down, shocked to find he was outside with no shirt on. No wonder he was so damned cold. He walked a few steps back and took the shirt from her, tugging his arms through the sleeves quickly.
“Thanks.”
“I want to talk.” The words squeaked out. The misery in her eyes reflected the feeling in his heart, and kicked him in the gut hard enough to make him wince.
“Later,” he said. “I need a minute.”
Or two.
