Page 51 of Blind Date with a #FORMERPLAYER
Fighting the urge not to groan, I drive away from the curb, telling her, “It’s a surprise.”
“That’s why you’ve been so secretive,” she chimes, her lips curving up. “I like surprises. Will I like this one?”
Laughing, my heart fills, glancing at her out of the corner of my eye. “I sure hope so.”
Chapter 26
Layla
I’m pretty sure I know where we’re headed, but it’s quickly confirmed when we turns into the same gravel parking lot where we picked out the pumpkins we still haven’t carved. “Are we going on that haunted hayride?” I question, bouncing in my seat.
Levi parks his car and glances at me, grinning. “I did promise you we would come back for it.”
“Yes! This will be so much fun!” I grin.
We step out of the car and he drapes his arm around my shoulders, drawing me close and pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “You told me you could handle scary things, but you never said if you actually like them. I hope this is okay,” he prods, shifting slightly, suddenly appearing unsure.
Placing my palm on his chest, I look up at him, appreciating his concern. “I think they’re fun, but I do get spooked too. I’m happy we’re here.” Pausing, I pat his chest for emphasis. “I promise.” His shoulders relax, his anxiety draining out of him.
Strolling towards the back, we see a banner over a walkway, advertisingThe Haunted Hayride, but there’s a rope across thepath with a sign. “The Haunted Hayride is closed from 7:30-9 pm tonight for a private event,” I read aloud, my disappointment clear. “No,” I whine. “That sucks. I guess we’ll have to come back.”
“Or…Come with me,” Levi urges, ducking under the rope and bringing me along with him.
“Levi, we’re not supposed to be over here,” I whisper, tugging on his hand. Anxiously, I look around as if someone is standing in the bushes waiting to catch trespassers and attack them.
Chuckling, he claims, “We are if we’re the ones who reserved it.”
It takes a moment for his words to register and when they do, I gasp, staring at him wide-eyed. “What did you do?”
He shrugs, a sexy crooked smile on his face and his eyes sparkling, fixing on me. “I didn’t want to have fans infringing on our date like last time we were here. You should be my focus. Plus, I thought it would be a lot more fun to do this with our family and friends.”
Before I comprehend his words, a voice sounding exactly like my brother calls out from off to the side. “They’re finally here!”
Spinning towards the voice, I spot Gabe first, grinning broadly and my mom standing next to him. “Mom?” I question with apparent disbelief.
“Took you long enough,” Gabe teases as we walk towards them, waiting near a small group of people.
“Hey, Layla.” Chloe waves, holding Beck’s hand with the other and her Nana, Nora, standing alongside them, grinning.
“Chloe!” I shriek in excitement. “What are you doing here?”
“Levi invited all of us,” she answers, giving me a look that tells me she’s happy for me.
“I wanted to surprise you,” he says, unexpectedly bashful, running his free hand through his hair, keeping the other touching me at all times.
That’s when I take a moment to look at the small group of people, seeing all the familiar faces. Levi’s Aunt Miranda and Uncle Steve smile, watching from the back of the group. “Scotty?” Iprompt, leaning against the hay wagon, with his arm protectively around his husband, George.
“Are you ready for this, Layla? I painted my fingernails to match the occasion,” he says, wiggling his sparkly black, orange, and purple nails.
Tears blur my vision. “They look great, Scotty.”
“Doesn’t look like you can see anything,” Gabe teases.
“Oh, hush,” my mom chides him making him laugh.
Blinking back my tears, I look at Levi, my heart feeling like it’s about to burst. If I had any doubt about my feelings for him before, he just made sure they were completely solidified. “Everyone I care about is here,” I rasp, barely able to get the words out. He nods, his face flushing, still staring. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” I question, my voice cracking.
He opens his mouth to say something, but before he can speak, I grab the back of his head and pull him towards me, kissing him in front of everyone. Quickly, I fall back on my heels with a huge smile on my face, seeing Levi’s cheeks turning red. “Thank you, Levi.”
