“I’ve missed you.” Which was the honest truth. Which was crazy. He had seen her at both the hospital and in the evenings at the center.
She stared up at him for long moments, then smiled tentatively, squeezing his hand. “I’ve missed you, too, Levi.”
He lifted her hand to his lips, pressed a kiss to her fingers. “We’ll talk later. Figure this out when we’re not surrounded by people.”
“Levi, son, come here and meet Nikki.” His father patted him on the back, interrupting the moment, causing a leeriness to return to Madison’s eyes. “She’s writing an article for the Southern Star magazine and wants to interview you.”
Nikki was a tall, svelte brunette who was looking at Levi like she’d like to take a bite out of him. Madison took a step back, as if she thought perhaps Nikki planned to bite her, too.
Instinctively Levi pulled her closer, situated himself between them protectively. “Madison and I were just headed over to greet her friends.”
“But, Levi, Nikki here wants—”
“Then you take care of Nikki. I’m busy.” Levi grasped Madison’s hand all the tighter and headed toward where Karen and her date had entered the building. Although a large tent had been set up for the actual gala, the center itself was open and people were coming and going from the building.
“Do you and your father not get along?” Madison asked when they were out of earshot.
“Not particularly.”
“But you’ve been doing his bidding night and day for the past month to make this place happen. You’ve spent a lot of time working with him making this happen.”
“For my mother.”
“Because she was abused?” Madison’s soft words jabbed beneath the protective layer around his heart.
Levi closed his eyes.
“I’m sorry.” She placed her palm against his cheek in a gentle caress while her other hand squeezed his. “I have no right to ask.”
He glanced at her, taking in her concerned green eyes, taking in the way her fingers clasped his tightly, as if she’d hold onto him for ever. For some reason that thought didn’t scare him as much as it should have. “Yes, Madison. My father hit my mother and although I was there, I couldn’t stop him.” He closed his eyes, trying to close the memories out of his mind. “Just on the one occasion to my knowledge, but I suppose that’s naïve to believe. That’s when she filed for divorce. For the longest time I thought if I’d been able to stop him that night, maybe she wouldn’t have divorced him.”
“Most children blame themselves in some way when their parents divorce. But whatever happened between them, Levi, it wasn’t your fault.” Madison’s forehead wrinkled in confusion as she glanced around the building then back at him. “So your father built this center as an apology?”
He didn’t answer Madison’s question simply
because he didn’t know how to. He hadn’t considered that his father might be sorry for what he’d done. He’d never heard Jonathan say anything to that effect. Was it even possible? He’d just automatically assumed he had ulterior motives, but what if he really had always regretted the way his marriage had ended?
What if he moved from one woman to the next as if they were interchangeable because they really were, because they weren’t Margaret?
Or was he giving his father too much credit? Probably so. Jonathan was a cold-hearted player through and through.
“Come on.” He tugged Madison to him. “Enough talk about my past. Let’s go outside and dance.”
An hour later, Madison glanced around the large tent that had been set up outside the center, taking in the glamorous people who sipped champagne, donated generous amounts of money, and made sure they were seen and photographed by the press.
Ugh. She’d rather be at the lake, alone with Levi, sitting under the stars, holding his hand, and having that talk they really did need to have.
Did he ever think about their night together? Did he care? Because when he looked at her, she’d swear he did. But was that only her foolish heart seeing what she wanted to see?
Because she definitely wanted to see stars in Levi’s eyes. She wanted him to look at her and see everything he’d ever wanted.
Was he instead looking at her and wondering if his baby grew inside her? Not that she knew the answer.
She hadn’t bought a pregnancy test. Not yet. Mostly because if she was pregnant, she hadn’t wanted that knowledge influencing how she reacted to him tonight.
Not that she’d expected him to show up in a limousine, wearing a tux, delivering a single red rose.
Red for love?