Page 33 of Into the Fire
He picked up fast. “Is she okay?”
“She’s asleep,” Emery answered. “She was asking for you, so I let her crawl into your bed.”
“Thanks,” Levi said, quieter. “I hate this. I should be there.”
“You can’t be in two places at once,” she murmured, trying to sound more sure than she felt. “She’s okay. But I just—” She hesitated, her throat tightening. “I feel a little in over my head. It’s one thing towrangle laundry and toys, but when she’s sick… she just feels so small. And she just wants you.”
Levi exhaled, long and low. “I know, baby. Trust me, I hate being out here when she’s like feelin’ like this. But I’m glad it’s you there with her.”
That made something warm twist in her chest. “I’ll stay close tonight, in case she wakes up again.”
“Let me know if she gets worse. Or if you need anything. I’ll keep my phone on.”
“I will.” Her voice softened. “Be safe out there. Sleep good”
“You too.”
Emery ended the call and stood on the porch for a long second, letting the quiet settle around her. The crickets chirped softly. She closed her eyes for just a moment, leaning into the stillness as if it might steady the whirl of thoughts inside her.
She turned toward the screen door, ready to step back inside, when her phone buzzed in her hand.
LEVI:I miss her…
LEVI:And you.
Her breath caught. The words were simple, but they landed heavier than she expected.
The message was simple but carried a weight that settled low in her stomach, reaching into a familiar ache deep in her chest.
She didn’t reply right away, but quietly slipped back into the house, locking the door behind her, the floorboards creaking softly beneath her bare feet. She slipped into Levi’s room, where June was curled up small in the middle of the bed, one hand still clutching the edge of one of Levi's pillows like a lifeline.
She climbed in beside her gently, careful not to wake her, and lay back against the pillow Levi must usually use.
His scent hit her immediately.
That rugged, familiar mix of juniper and rosewood. It was him, woven into the sheets and pillowcase, and it was surprisingly comforting. Intimate, even. She let her eyes close for a beat, breathing it in before grabbing her phone from the nightstand.
Levi’s message still sat there.
LEVI:I miss her…
LEVI:And you.
Her fingers hovered over the screen before she typed back.
EMERY: I just stole your side of the bed. Smells like you.
LEVI:That sounds like more motivation to get back quicker.
Her heart did a slow tumble in her chest.
EMERY:You saying you miss your pillow, or me?
LEVI:…Maybe both.
LEVI:But definitely you.
Emery bit her lip, warmth creeping up the back of her neck.
