Page 14 of Get Lost with You
His index finger brushed under her chin, lifted it. “True. Butwhen I think about that night, I think about how badly seventeen-year-old me wanted you to kiss me. How much, even though I was excited about school, I didn’t want to leave in that moment.”
It was like fifteen-year-old Jilly and almost-thirty-year-old Jilly shared a dramatic chest bump inside of her rib cage. He’d wanted it too.Okay. Let that be enough.
Jill stepped back, did her best to school her expression and calm the fizz of energy inside of herself. “Teenaged Jilly would be happy to know it wasn’t one-sided.”
Mature.She mentally patted herself on the back.
Levi pushed off her car. His expression was a strange mix of longing and determination. He gave a barely visible nod, like he’d decided something for himself. “Yeah? How aboutthisJilly? How does she feel knowing it’s still not one-sided?”
Her gaze widened, and because she simply couldn’t maintain her chill around him and the universe clearly hated her, she moved back, tripped over a raised piece of the path that led to the school. Levi might not have seen the cooler in his path earlier but his reflexes werenotlacking. His arms darted around her, yanking her against him and stopping her fall. Of course, this meant she was tucked up against his chest, all too aware of how good he smelled, despite having run and rolled around a bit on the ground, and how solid his abs felt under her fingers.
“Careful,” Levi said, his voice gruff, his breath warm against her face.
Careful.A good word to focus on. “I am.”For very good reason.
The recess bell rang and, like they’d been waiting at the door, dozens of children sprinted out into the sunshine.
An electric energy filled the air with the pounding of feet on the ground as students aged five to thirteen fought for every single second of freedom in these final days before summer.
Jillian stepped away, grateful for the timing. She’d never actually beensaved by the bell.
“Mom!”
Before she could turn fully, Ollie body-slammed her thighs, her small arms snaking around all she could grasp of Jilly. A unique kind of happiness that could only be inspired by her daughter rose through Jill, reminding her of the here and now.
Jilly’s world righted and focused on her little girl. With the ease of a well-practiced mom, she bent her knees, boosted her daughter up for a hard squeeze before letting her go.
“Hey, sweet pea. How’s it going?”
“I’m good. I gotta go. I’m it for Man Tracker. I like to give them a head start ’cause I’m so fast. Who’s this? I’m Ollie.” She stuck her hand out, staring up at Levi.
His lips twitched as he crouched down so they were eye level. “I’m Levi Bright. A friend of your mom and your uncles.”
Ollie nodded. Her reddish hair had grown out and the curls were more pronounced so they bobbed along with every movement. “Hi. You should come to our lodge. It’s the coolest.”
Jillian couldn’t help but laugh at the unfiltered mini-marketer she was raising.
Someone shouted her name. “I gotta go. Bye, Mom. Bye, Levi.”
Ollie raced off as fast as she’d shown up, a little blur of movement and energy that fueled Jilly’s soul.
Levi rose, his gaze meeting hers, and she noted the softness in his eyes.
“She’s adorable. Feisty.”
“You have no idea.” And she was the reason Jillian didn’t do impulsive things like dating just because her hormones were in overdrive. Her ex had let her down in more ways than she couldcount, but she never wanted Ollie to feel the emotional impact of that. The men in her life were steady. Secure. Not that Levi wasn’t, but he was a threat to Jilly’s heart and carefully curated life. He stared after her daughter a minute, then looked into Jilly’s eyes. “She looks like you. I’d love to get to know her.”
Damn it. Her heart surged. While other men might see a child as an obstacle to get to the mother, Levi wouldn’t. But that didn’t make him any less dangerous. If anything, that might make her more vulnerable.
“I’m sure you’ll get a chance. We’re all friends,” she said, reminding herself as much as him.
She might have sucked at marriage, fumbled her way into divorce, and been subpar at dating, but friendship she could do.
Seven
Despite the rough start to the day, timing was on his side when Levi sat down at the long, diner-style countertop of Pete’s. Who better to talk to about a food truck, or any culinary venture, than a man who’d run a restaurant successfully for Levi’s entire life?
A big, burly man who looked like Santa and often acted like Scrooge, Pete ran the go-to place for breakfast, brunch, and lunch in Smile. Pete’s was a favorite of tourists and locals alike, not just for the great food but the vibrant and utterly unique art that adorned the tables.
