Page 39 of The Bad Boy's Homecoming
“Ah ya, I could see that being more appealing than the young man with a cheeky grin in a dress.”
“You think I have a cheeky grin?Is that code for you think I’m hot?”
“Yes your grin is cheeky—you almost always look like you’re up to mischief.I assume that’s how you gained your reputation.Among other things.”
Levi didn’t fail to notice she didn’t really answer his second question and he leaned in closer.“Maybe that’s more about you than me being cheeky.”He was still holding her one good hand and threaded his fingers with hers while he looked into her eyes that had gone wide with his comment.
“Do you need me to help you find your things for our walk?It’s windy enough for you to need some kind of jacket.”
She shook her head no.
He let go of her hand and watched as she spun around and headed toward the walk-in closet.Then she reappeared with some slip-ons on her feet and a blanket in her hand.
“I don’t think any of my coats will fit over this wrap on my hand but I can just wear this blanket like a shawl.”
“Okay hang on, I might have something that could work.”He went down the hall to his room and grabbed one of his hoodies that zipped and looked at the sleeves.Then he grabbed a pair of scissors off his gran’s sewing desk and cut the cuff off the right side.
Back in the hallway he held out the sweatshirt like it was a fancy coat.
She turned to put her right hand in and then he helped guide her injured hand through the now large opening.
“Did you just cut your fleece for me?”she asked.
“Genius right?My mom always said I was special.”
Next he zipped her into the way too big sweatshirt that hung to her thighs.And he couldn’t help but think how right she looked in his clothes.
“It’s pretty warm and the wind isn’t bad today, but if you get cold we’ll head back.”
“Okay.”
He led the way down the backstairs and grabbed his other lightweight coat from the hook, then opened the back door for her.Once they were out in the backyard Levi decided to follow his instincts.Every good decision he ever made in life was risky but he’d followed his heart.There were a few steps on the wooden dock to get down to the beach but if she held his hand he could help her.Reaching out he captured Missy’s good hand and threaded their fingers together again, but didn’t say a word.Once they were on the sand she didn’t let go and they walked out to the path toward the beach.
“I remember sneaking out here when I was a kid.”
“To do what?”
“Oh it varied, sometimes just to hang out with my older brothers and their friends.We’d make bonfires, roast marshmallows.Then as we got older, we’d meet girls or go surfing.”
“Sounds idyllic to grow up in that big house on the beach.”
“It was.Everything was perfect.We were really lucky until we weren’t.”
“I wonder if that’s worse than never having a real loving family.I think it would be harder to have it all ripped away,” Missy said, giving his hand a squeeze.
“So, you didn’t grow up on the beach with your mom and dad?”Levi said, knowing he was probably risking her shutting him out, but she’d brought it up.
“No, I never met my dad, and my mom wasn’t really interested in being a mom.But she would bring me to my Aunt Honey’s, Declan’s mom, a lot and that felt like a special holiday.Declan was usually off in the army, and I’d have my aunty all to myself.We would bake together, walk on the beach, color, draw—she would take me everywhere with her.And she kept a special quilt she’d made just for me, so she’d make my bed up in Declan’s old room, with a nightlight that would shine stars on the ceiling, and she’d read me stories.All my best childhood memories have Aunt Honey in them.”
“She was the mom you needed.That’s pretty special.”
“The best thing my real mom ever did for me was drop me off at Aunt Honey’s that last time.”
“How old were you?”
“It was my fourteenth birthday.She didn’t even stay for cake—she just told my Aunt Honey she needed to be somewhere and left.And she never came back.”
Levi’s heart ached for Missy, because as horrible as it had been to lose both his parents on the same day.It had to have been harder to know your mom didn’t want you or couldn’t be bothered to choose you over everything else.Especially when she was old enough to comprehend it.
