“Well, I’m calling it off now,” I say, giggling as I stand. I hold my hand out for him. “I do need to get back to the store to open it for the day, though. Walk me back?”
Levi’s eyes rock to my hand before he takes it, his fingers threading through mine. We walk in silence, two people who are both going down their own paths in life and somehow, some way managed to find a spot where these paths cross.
“Do you want me to go with you Monday?” I ask. “To court?”
He nods. “I’m nervous.”
Squeezing his hand, I try to jolt him back to the present. “Don’t be. You’re good for Duncan.”
I don’t have to be facing him to know that those dark blue eyes of his are swirling with worry. His silence tells me all I need to know. As we make our way back down 2nd Street and turn back onto Magnolia Lane, all I can think is that I want tohelp. I want to help fix the blunder that has opened up this whole Pandora’s Box.
But the only thing I can think of to do could also be the one thing that could break this whole situation. It could actually cause more chaos and anger, if it’s not done correctly.
The more I think about it, the more I see a light. A path to fixing this in a more organic way. But it’s a risk. I could lose everything, including Levi, if it doesn’t go as planned.
It kind of begs the question: How much is all of this worth to me?
NINETEEN
Levi
Pulling up outside of the apartment building where Georgie’s staying, I navigate my car into a parking spot. I’d just finished my morning coffee and was still reveling in the fact that the swelling had gone down in my face when Georgie texted me. A pipe had burst this morning and the first floor was flooded.
As soon as I put the SUV in park, I hop out of the vehicle and race up the steps to the front door. I knock on it a few times and wait. I’m a little surprised, to be honest, that she’s not out here waiting for me. Her text made it sound like she was on the Titanic and it would go down if I didn’t get here in time.
I raise my hand and knock on the door a few more times, wondering where she could be. Backing down the steps, I decide to go around to the back entrance. I spin around only to run straight into Lorna.
“Whoa!” she cries out, putting her hands up to stop me from barreling into her. “Where are you headed so fast?”
What are the odds I would continue to run into this woman all over town? Sweetkiss Creek is small, but come on.
I incline my head toward the building. “Georgie’s using my apartment and she said a pipe burst.” I move past Lorna and start to walk away only to have her call out behind me.
“Well, I guess I’ll wait here for you?”
“Wait for me?” I stop in my tracks, then spin around to face her. “Why?”
She cocks her head to the side and looks at me like I just sprouted ten heads. “Because of that email you had Georgie send me?”
The plot thickens. “What email?”
“The one asking me to meet you here to talk,” she huffs.
I’m starting to get an idea here that one bookshop owner may have tried to do the ole switcheroo.
Something out of the corner of my eye catches my attention in the window of the first floor. I look over to find Georgie standing just beyond, peeking around the curtain. She jumps back, trying to disappear into the shadows, but it’s too late.
“Georgie,” I command with as much authority as I can muster. “Can you open the window for a moment please and clear something up?”
The window slides up and she sticks her head out. “Okay, I know I may have overstepped by lying to you both, but you two need to talk.”
“Indeed, young lady, you overstepped,” Lorna says, going to her usual stance of hands on hips. “I've got better things to do than be here trying to talk sense into Levi.”
“No one needs to talk sense into anyone,” I say, feeling slighted. “Anyway, if someone is going to talk sense into anyone, it will be me when I talk to you. I cannot seem to get it through your head that your son wanted me to be…”
“And this is why I tricked you two,” Georgie shouts as she claps her hands with each word. She’s like a mini Judge Judy. We’ll call her Judge Georgie. “Levi, you want the best for thatsweet boy and you need to get that across to Lorna without insulting her or reminding her of what her son wanted.”
Putting aside the fact I feel like she’s just slapped me upside the head, she’s right. However, she’s not done. She turns to Lorna.
