Page 41 of Into the Fire
Levi was at the stove, flipping pancakes with one hand while June perched on a stool next to him, carefully pouring orange juice into two glasses with extreme concentration.
“You guys starting a restaurant without me?” Emery rasped with a smirk.
June turned. “We made breakfast! Daddy saidyou should rest.”
Levi gave her a smooth sideways glance, lips twitching into a grin. “Was gonna bring it to you in bed. Figured you earned it after pulling solo-sick duty.”
“You’re sweet,” she murmured, walking over to join them in the kitchen.
“And you're beautiful, but you look exhausted,” he replied, more serious now. “Why don’t you really rest today? I’ve gotta run into town for a bit—errands, feed pickup, and I promised June we’d stop at the hardware store to check out the new baby chicks.”
June gasped in excitement. “I wanna pick one out and name it Popcorn!”
Levi chuckled. “We’re not getting another chicken, but you can name someone else’s.”
Emery smiled, feeling warm, and a wave of exhaustion seemed to come from nowhere. “Okay, you two have fun.”
“You good?” he asked, coming closer to press a hand to her forehead. “You’re warm, I hope you'renot getting June’s cold.”
“I’m fine,” she lied. “Probably just tired, definitely gonna cash in on a nap.”
???
LEVI:We’re heading back soon. The hardware store was a zoo. June made three different employees guess her favorite animal.
EMERY:Poor guys, they never stood a chance.
LEVI:You feeling okay?
EMERY:Yeah, just have a headache. Got a little worse. I took some Tylenol. Lying down now.
LEVI:Em...
EMERY:Don’t Em me. I’m resting. Promise.
LEVI:I’m picking up soup and Gatorade. You’re not fine. I can see right through you,baby.
LEVI:I’ll swing by Lainey’s and water her plants. You better be in bed when I get home.
EMERY:Or what?
LEVI:Or I’ll put you there myself. Gently. With extra pillows.
When Levi walked through the door, June bounced in ahead of him, talking a mile a minute.
His eyes found Emery instantly, curled on the couch, cheeks flushed, her hair a little extra mussed. A blanket was tucked tight around her, but her skin was pale, her lips slightly dry, and the tissues on the coffee table told him everything he needed to know.
“Alright,” he said, setting down a bag on the counter. “You’re officially banned from doing anything but existing today.”
She tried to sit up, and he was immediately at her side. “Nope,” he said firmly, hands on her shoulders as he guided her gently back down. “You'remine now, sunshine. And I’m gonna take care of you.”
Mine? Emery swooned as she thought about how she’d never wanted any promotion as badly as she wanted to be Levi’s. As June got settled down at the table with her coloring book, Levi brought over a bowl of soup and crouched in front of her. Emery couldn’t help the soft flutter in her chest.
“Eat a little, okay?” he said softly.
Emery nodded, blinking as the steam rose from the bowl, making her eyes sting more than they already did. As she took a few sips of broth, she felt it creeping in—the vulnerability of being taken care of like this. The quiet way he anticipated her needs, the way he didn’t hover but never strayed far.
He didn’t act annoyed. He didn’t make it seem like a favor. He just showed up—like it was the most natural thing in the world.
