Page 5 of Into the Fire
He let out half a laugh, but a real one this time.
Emery tilted her head, studying him. “Okay, so if you had help... what would it look like?”
He rubbed his jaw. “I guess getting June to school in the mornings would be a big one. The mornings are chaotic, especiallyduring harvest. Maybe a few chores.
Just enough so I’m not doing dishes at ten o’clock and missing her telling me how she learned to spell dinosaur.”
Emery nodded slowly. “Just someone who fills in the cracks.”
“Exactly,” he said. Then, after a pause, “And maybe someone who doesn’t mind glitter. June’s in a serious princess phase.”
She grinned. “I’m not scared of glitter.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You say that now.”
Emery leaned back into the swing with her tea. “You know… you’re not completely insufferable.”
Levi huffed. “High praise, I'll take it. Did you decide if I’m the jackass you probably assumed I was?”
Emery gave him a side-eyed glance. “Jury’s still out.”
His mouth twitched. Another almost smile.
Silence fell again. But it wasn’t awkward anymore. It felt… like something. Like a shift.
Emeryswirled the ice in her glass, then settled her gaze on Levi. “So… what if we didn’t overthink it?”
His brow creased. “That sounds careless.”
She ignored the comment. “What if it’s just a trial? Short-term. Five weeks. While my cousin’s still gone and I’ve got the time. If it doesn’t work out, you can say thanks but no thanks, and I will go back to my life. No drama. No hard feelings.”
Levi looked at her skeptically.
“You wouldn’t owe me any explanation,” she added. “And I wouldn’t be stuck here. We both get to walk away if it’s a disaster.”
He rubbed his jaw, considering it.
“It’s not forever, just enough time to see if having a second set of hands around helps you function a little easier.”
He didn’t answer right away.
“I just don’t want anyone coming in and thinking they’re going to fix things,” he finally said.
Emery smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to fix you. Just to follow you around and clean up some of the messes you make.”
He gave a grudging, crooked grin. “You’re a little mouthy, you know that?”
“Only when someone tries to fire me before I’ve even been hired.”
That earned her a low chuckle.
“Alright,” he said. “Five weeks.”
She nodded. “Five weeks.”
He leaned back on his hands, the tension in his shoulders loosening a bit more. “June gets out of school around three. Tomorrow, you can come by and meet her. Spend some time with her, see how you two get along.”
“Sounds good.” Emery stood and handed him her empty glass.
