The cute customer, who has been keeping me busy for the last ten minutes looking for books that I swear do not exist, smiles at me. It’s a great smile, perfect actually. Like he could be in a commercial for toothpaste and wouldn’t have to even get his teeth whitened for it; they’re that on point. I swear he’s flirting with me, but I honestly can’t be sure. I don’t even know what flirting is anymore; I only know what making out with Levi feels like and it’s probably the closest I’ll ever get to heaven.
“I probably think about it twice a day,” he says, placing both hands on the counter as he treats me further to his lopsided grin. “I’ve got history classes at Appalachian State.”
Ah, young and cute. And a student. He’s also the man standing in between me and an afternoon of trying on bridal dresses.
“So it’s required reading?” I ask, and he shakes his head no.
“I’m a professor,” he says with a little flair as the front door of the shop opens. The professor doesn’t bother turning around to see who’s entered the room; he only keeps his eyes trained on me. Yep, he’s definitely flirting.
When I pull my eyes from his to greet my new customer, I’m a little shocked when I discover Levi standing at the door, the handle still in his grasp as he stares at the man in front of me. I watch as his other hand flexes, opening and closing into a fist, and it makes me a little…happy? Younger Georgie would be telling Future Georgie to stay away from a man who seems to have a temper, but in this case, I know this man and he’s showing me something I didn’t think he had in him—jealousy.
Green is so not his color, but I can’t help but dig it. Just a little. A huge grin immediately washes across my features; I can feel my cheeks swelling.
“Hey!” I wave. “Wasn’t expecting to see you.”
In a matter of seconds, Levi is behind the counter and placing an arm around me, brushing his lips against my cheek. “Wanted to surprise you, sweetie.”
I watch as Levi’s eyes slide over to the professor and he holds out his hand. He goes to introduce himself, but the professor is already in his own state of shock and awe.
“You’re Levi Porter!” He takes Levi’s hand and pumps it furiously. “Dude. Your Super Bowl game this year was epic! It’s so cool to meet you.”
Levi’s energy shifts almost instantaneously as they pair chat away, the whole standoff ending with Levi scribbling an autograph on a piece of paper and the professor buying two books from the “TikTok Made Me Buy It” table at the front.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as the customer leaves. “I was about to close up for the day and meet Bex.”
“Duncan’s got therapy, so I’m killing time.” He cocks his head to one side. “What are you and Bex doing?”
Do I tell him that I’m trying on wedding dresses so I can get a free drink and a gift card for a mani pedi? No.
“We’re going…shopping.” Technically, not a lie.
His eyes narrow. “You’re closing up early to go shopping?”
Grabbing my bag, I point to the clock. “Only an hour early, and it’s a Friday. I’ve had a busy week.”
He follows me to the door and out onto the sidewalk while I lock up. When I turn around, he’s standing right behind me. So close I can basically taste his breath.
“We need to find time, me and you, to talk.” A lone finger begins tracing its way across the back of my hand. “We didn’t quite get a chance to finish our conversation, thanks to little ears.”
“Did you have to explain anything about fake engagements?”
Levi shakes his head. “Your cover that we were talking about some plot point for a movie worked, but he still wanted to know why people would do it.”
I wince, but only slightly. “Well, we need to be extra careful with him around.”
“I’m not going to argue with you since the hearing is in a few weeks. There’s still time for him to find out that we’re being, shall we say, devious. Call me crazy, but as his role model, I don’t want that to happen.”
“Noted,” I say, laughing. As I do, I realize his eyes are fully focused on my mouth. He is staring at my lips, hard, and I pat myself on the back for exfoliating them this morning. A girl has to do what a girl has to do.
Not to let the moment pass, I test the waters and lick them, his sigh evidence that I did catch him in the act. One of his fingers twirls through thebelt loop on my jeans as he pulls me close.
Everything inside of me hitches and seizes as he slowly and tenderly places his lips on top of mine, right here, out in front of Pages and Prose. Right here on Magnolia Lane for all the world, and Mr. Altman, to see. Right here, across the street from Lorna.
I stop and pull away, but Levi’s hand stays on the small of my back.
“Lorna’s over there,” he manages with a grumble.
“I know,” I retort. “With a group of her friends.”
