A heavy sigh slams against my ear. “To say I’m so sorry again. I cannot believe that Duncan tried to lift a book from your shop.”
“It’s fine. He’ll come in and work it off today. It’ll be a lesson.”
“But why did he have to do it to you?” I can hear the upset in his voice. “It’s not the best way to start our new life together.”
“Look, this is new for you. You’re going to have moments like this where he’s going to test the boundaries and you have to be prepared.”
“When I was younger and I messed up, or if Austin did, our punishment was to go and work on our neighbour’s farm.”
“Why the neighbor’s farm and not yours?”
“They have milking cows and need their manure pit cleaned out.”
“Ewww.” I giggle. “Then he needs to be told how lucky he is.”
“That’s the truth. It’s not fun.” When he goes silent, I let the line between us stay quiet. I’ve gotten to know him well enough that I know he’s in thought, so I stay focused on the path in front of me and trot along after my dog, who has his nose in the air chasing some rogue smell or another.
“Thank you for being so cool about this,” Levi murmurs as he finally breaks the silence. “I’m going to come in with Austin to drop him off. We need to check in on some of our rentals, plus there’s a couple of properties we’re thinking of buying in Sweetkiss Creek as investments. I’m trying to find a suitable home for Duncan and myself.” Levi pauses, inhaling sharply. “But, I don’t know. He’s quiet, Georgie. The most he’s spoken to me so far was last night when we were outside the bookstore.”
I feel Levi’s sadness like it’s mine. The defeat in his voice isn’t something I’m used to. “Well, today’s a new day. And these things take time, right? He’s been living with his grandmother and who knows what that was like for him.”
“Lorna is not the easiest woman to be around, that much I remember from conversations I’d had with Tom and Katie over the years.” There’s a rustling sound as Levi moves around on his end of the line.
“Are you still in bed?” I ask.
“Yes. As a new parent, I need all of the rest I can sneak in, thank you.” I’m fighting a laugh when there’s a high-pitched shriek in my ear, almost like a mix between a squeak and a yelp, followed by a dull thud as the phone hits the ground. It’s a brief but intense moment of chaos, a cacophony ofnoise followed by the clatter of it skidding across the floor before all noise abruptly ceases.
“What happened?” I manage as Levi comes back on the line. “Were you assaulted?”
“Yes, by Mom’s cat.” I hear a door slam and Levi breathes out on his end. “That stinking cat has been at my door all night.”
“Aren’t you allergic?” I’m trying not to laugh, but the octave of his squeal still reverberates in my head. If only Sports Center’s hosts had heard it. It would be a viral sound to be used on TikTok over and over again by millions of viewers in a heartbeat.
“Very. But somehow this cat keeps getting inside at night and there’s no other room, no other door, no other person it wants to hang out with. Just me.”
“Of course. It’s a cat.”
What do you mean?”
“They can sense things. Like when someone doesn’t like them.”
“It’s not that I don’t like them, I think cats are awesome. I just can’t let it get too close to me or I’ll swell up like a balloon.”
“How is he getting in?”
“It’s a mystery. No one knows. Everyone swears it’s not them and I can’t find a way that he’d be sneaking in…”
“Like a tunnel? Or a trap door? Maybe the cat has a gang and they have a vault in the basement.” Another thing about talking to Levi that makes me happy: I can be myself and there’s just silliness. We can be serious, but he gets me when I’m just trying to make him laugh.
“And this is where you get ridiculous and I say goodbye,” he says with a chuckle in my ear. My heart skips a beat; my job is done. “Before I go, I’m going to say I’m sorry again andthank you for letting him work off his misstep at your store. He’ll be there at nine fifty-five exactly.”
“See you guys then.”
Disconnecting the call, I’m surprised that my cheeks are aching. I’m smiling that wide. This is what the man does to me.
Having a friend like Levi is the absolute best. To start with, he’s the first guy I’ve met who listens to me—and asks questions. I know, shocking, right? If only I could clone him and date him. It’s a thought I’ve had over the past year as I’ve struggled with my own feelings for this man.
Am I harboring a bit of a crush? Yes. I mean, the guy is HOT. He’s like this Greek god who landed on earth and was put in this little town for all others to aspire to. And I’m being serious when I say that. From the moment I met him, I wanted to know more. He’s one of those people who has a pull, a charm. Charisma that brings you into his orbit...if you’re lucky enough, that is.
