Page 20 of Code of Heart
Grace rolled her hazel eyes as she laughed, shaking her head at Ivy, her auburn curls bouncing as her shoulders shook.
Her tone took on a more serious note as she asked, “But seriously, Levi, how are you doing with all of this?” She reached over and squeezed Levi's hand in an extra show of support.
“I think I’m doing less okay than I initially thought,” Levi said slowly, trying to focus on the warmth of her hand as a distraction. There was a jumble of feelings whirling around like a tornado in his mind, making it tough to pin them down.
He was acutely aware of Owen and Isaac's eyes on his back as they held their breath waiting for his reply. It was uncomfortable, like he was a bug inspected under a microscope. Their gaze prickled at his skin.
“I’m still upset and embarrassed about how I reacted in the Board meeting. I know I shouldn’t have let Tyler get to me the way he did.”He lowered his gaze and stared into his mug of coffee, as if the wisps of steam held the answers he needed.
“I’m tired,” he said hoarsely. A sharp crack of pain settled in his chest. “I’m tired of having to spend so much extra timepreparing for meetings just to be on par with everyone else. I’m tired of coming home alone to this uselessly large house that’s creepy at night…and I’m simply tired of going through this life alone.”
He looked up at both Ivy and Grace, both with eyes as glassy as his probably were.His knuckles were white from how hard he gripped his coffee mug. It was a miracle that the cup had not yet shattered.
“Don’t get me wrong, you’re the most amazing group of friends that anyone could ever ask for…but it’s a different kind of support I’m missing.” He looked longingly at Grace and Isaac when he sighed, “I want what you two have.”
Taking a shuddering breath, he absently shrugged, peering back into his coffee. It had grown cold, much like the rest of his life, Levi realized.
“After what happened yesterday, it seems more like a sliver of hope that sliced through the fog I didn’t realize I was trapped in. I’m actually kind of excited to go to a matchmaker. It’s unconventional, but nothing else has worked either.”
The silence that followed was thick and full of despair. No one uttered a single word, internalizing what Levi shared.
That is, until Levi heard what sounded like someone trying to conceal a soft sniffle behind him.
Confused, he glanced over his shoulder in time to catch Owen flipping his back to them, as if gazing out the kitchen window. He brushed a hand over the bridge of his nose as he growled, “There’s nothing to see here, guys. I’m simply admiring the general splendor of the birds chirping in the overpriced backyard hydrangea bushes.”
“I dream of the day you admire the general splendor of anything that isn't your reflection, you closet POLmArK TV Romance lover,” Isaac said dryly, his eyes misty behind his glasses.
Owen's hackles rose as he twisted around, his voice growing marginally louder with indignation, “Who the hell do you think you are, sir? There isnothingwrong with a strong, virile man appreciating the comforting joy of a guaranteed happy ending—and inno wayam I ashamed to admit that!”
“Is that a serious statement? I’ve caught you watching them so many times at our house after Gracie left the television on that channel—andevery single time, you jumped like a baby deer in the woods who got spooked by a leaf blowing by,” Isaac fired back, whatever emotion he had been experiencing replaced with exasperation.
Owen sneered. “For someone who loves data and making fact-based decisions, you sure are comfortable throwing outwildlyunsubstantiated and incorrect accusations! I jump because you like to lurk in the shadows and leap out at me like a serial killer once I’m invested in the new love blossoming,” he hotly countered.
Levi shook his head, internally questioning his judgment in friends for the umpteenth time that morning. He turned his attention back to Grace and Ivy. Continuing to bicker over the “mental health benefits” that Owen stated came from watching those movies, they were too engrossed in their argument to notice.
While Ivy's attention was on the spectacle unfolding behind them, Grace’s face held a twinge of regret, seemingly blaming herself for not trying to help him sooner. She opened her mouth to speak, but Levi beat her to it. “There is nothing you could have done to help—even I hadn't come to terms with what I’ve been feeling. The only good thing Tyler's bullshit has done so far is make me realize it.”
He finished off his coffee and went to refill it. He interrupted Owen and Isaac, their heated debate now focused on what Isaac referred to as “unrealistic occupations,” by loudly saying, “WhileI agree that this is a very controversial topic that I too am personally invested in, could you twomaybeput a pin in this for later?”
They abruptly stopped, remembering where they were and why. Sheepishly nodding their heads in agreement, they both began to relocate to the kitchen table where their two other friends were struggling to keep straight faces—but not before Owen pointed a finger in Isaac's face and said, “We arenotdone with this conversation.”
They were there for a couple of hours, but that had been more than enough time for Levi to immensely regret involving his friends…or at least two of them. If they took a shot of liquor every time Owen wove in a TV romance movie reference, everyone would have alcohol poisoning.
Not one to be outdone, Isaac would instantly counter Owen’s remark with what he felt was a logical rebuttal, and one thateveryoneneeded to consider.
Levi wanted to punt them both off a cliff and into a lagoon.
Their incessant squabbling aside, it was more productive than he expected it to be, having obtained a solid understanding of the overall process and expectations. Levi was surprised to find himself a little excited about his consultation scheduled for tomorrow, especially since Ivy told him they already had a potential match in mind.
Levi tried his best not to get his hopes up, afraid of how far he would fall if it were too good to be true. But they had a 100% success rate, with dozens of successful matches behind them.
“They already agreed to take you on as a client, based on detailed information I provided about you—you’re welcome, bythe way,” she said with sarcastic sweetness while Levi sorted through a bunch of sheets. “Tomorrow, you’ll meet with the matchmaker for a detailed, confidential consultation. This is where they will focus on your goals, lifestyle, values, and expectations for the service.”
Levi drew in a sharp intake of breath upon hearing the word “tomorrow,” but didn’t get a chance to reply before Owen interjected excitedly. “This isexactlyhow the movieSpuds n’ Love Budsstarted—a professional potato cleaner was having a rough time on dating apps, so he agreed to go to someone who arranges marriages.”
“Oh, I remember that one!” Grace exclaimed. “It was so cute!”
“I’m sorry, but what the hell kind of a job is a potato cleaner? This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard of,” Isaac shouted, once again getting worked up over the topic.
