Page 71 of Holiday on the Rocks
“Levi, the way it happened sucked. But she would’ve never left to go to Columbia if you were together. She would’ve only been focusing on you. Look at what’s she’s accomplished. She’s literally saving lives on the daily.” She put her hand on my arm. “In a way what you did that day was allow her to achieve a dream she had.”
The thought of her missing out on anything because of me turned my blood to tar. “I would’ve supported her in everything she wanted to do. I should’ve never walked away.”
“I know you would have. But she wouldn’t have gone for it, would have never put herself first.”
I looked over to see Lexi, Royce, and Kristina talking to Allie just off the ice. One glimpse of her and it was difficult to take a breath.
Rachel let out a sigh. “Levi, please tell me you’re leaving this alone.”
I stood and stretched my arms over my head. “Okay. I’m leaving this alone.”
I started toward Allie at the same time Rachel’s voice drifted in the breeze. “Levi, you leave her alone. Do you hear me right now?”
I shot her a wink. “I hear your words.”
I took another step. “But are you listening to my words?”
I put my hand to my ear. “What?”
“Are you listening to my words?”
“What?”
“Levi Dawson, you’d better listen to me or somebody’s going to be dead soon.”
Kristina’s arm waved in the air as her voice echoed across the ice. “Hey guys, we’re going to the town square to have hot chocolate before we head back to the house!”
I got closer to find Lexi and Kristina each carrying a tray of red and green striped cups topped with thick whipped cream. I took a tray in each hand.
“Allow me, ladies.”
Allie was trying to hide her grin while she stared up at me. I noticed Evan’s eyes darting between us, and I quickly stepped away. “Are we ready?”
Lexi pulled on her gloves. “Where’s the town square? Close enough to walk?”
“Yeah, follow me. We saw it the other day.”
Oh, shit entered my blood stream as Lexi and Rach stared at me as if I were speaking Turkish.
Lexi pointed. “You and Allie saw it?”
I swallowed hard as panic shot through Allie’s eyes.
Evan slapped me on the shoulder. “Me and Levi saw it when I got gas earlier.”
Lexi squinted her eyes at my cousin who was attempting to save my ass.
“Gas?”
“Yeah, while you gals were doing shots at Wiernerlicious we got some fuel and gum.” He pulled a pack out of his pocket. “Hubba Bubba?”
Lexi took a piece, popped it into her mouth, and chewed angrily as she glared at me.
We made it to the town square to find a scene that belonged in a Christmas book or some shit.
A large white gazebo containing a man playing a guitar and a woman slapping a tambourine against her hip. Above them hung greenery and white twinkly lights that lit up the space. To the right was a large Christmas tree filled with lights.
In front of the microband were white benches where people sat and sang along to Deck the Halls.
