He stares at me. I see the tick in his jaw. “Anything else?”
I shake my head, and I turn to head to the bedroom. I know that if I tell him the truth that he will be mad, and I don’t want to fight with him tonight.
I take a quick shower and change into my Penguins sweats and Crosby t-shirt. Levi is now on the couch watching ESPN. I curl up into his chest, but he doesn’t put his arms around me at first.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” I look up at him. He is staring at the TV, but after a moment, he looks down at me.
“Nothing, Smarty.” He finally puts his arms around me.
I lay there, listening to his heart beating, and fall asleep.
Chapter Twenty
Levi
McCarthy and I worked out over at RU’s gym again two days ago, and one of my teammates stopped to talk to me after McCarthy headed home. We were discussing a
particular exercise and when I was about to leave, he asked if I “was serious with that redhead from JWU? McCarthy’s sister?” When I said yeah, he told me that he was pretty sure she was at a restaurant on the outskirts of town with another guy, holding his hand.
He obviously mistaken Presley for someone else because she said she was with Marley when I asked. Plus, who would she eat dinner with that she would hold his hand and who would she be out with that she wouldn’t tell me about it when I asked? I hate when I think of Zack. But it couldn’t have been Presley for the simple fact that when I asked, she didn’t say anything about Zack. It’s been two days, and I’m done thinking about it.
~
March
The weeks leading up to our weekend away fly by with schoolwork, classes, and working out. Pops, Smarty, and I are just getting in my SUV for the drive. Presley tried her hardest to sit in the back and let Pops sit up front, but he wouldn’t have it.
“Are you sure you don’t want to sit up here?” she asks one last time.
“Nope. I prefer not to have the better view of how my son drives.”
“Hey,” I insert. “I’m a good driver.” I look in my rearview mirror to see my father shrug as if he doesn’t believe me. “If I’m not, it’s your fault. You taught me.”
“My point exactly.” He laughs. “Your mother hated my driving. Always told me I had road rage. Never knew what she was talking about.” He chuckles.
“I wouldn’t think you would be an aggressive driver,” Presley tells him. “You’re too sweet.”
Pops and I both laugh. “Let’s get this show on the road,” I say as we start our journey. The radio plays softly for about thirty minutes before my father clears his throat and leans forward.
“Are we there yet? I’m bored.” Pops chuckles because he obviously thinks he’s hilarious.
Presley laughs and I say, “Don’t encourage him, Smarty.”
She rolls her eyes and Pops starts telling her stories from my childhood. After about the third one, he catches my attention with his story.
“Levi was terrified of car washes. The first time we took him through one, he peed his pants! He didn’t like it one bit.”
“Pops, that is not true.”
Presley is cracking up in the passenger seat. “It’s okay, Levi. Everyone’s scared of something, right?”
My dad starts laughing, and I can’t believe she thinks he’s telling the truth. “Pops, tell her you’re lying. That never happened and I’ve never been scared of car washes. Smarty,” I glance at her, “You can’t possibly believe that.”
“Why would your sweet father lie, Levi? Is that why you’re a neat freak? You keep your car really clean yourself so you won’t have to go through the car wash? Are you still scared?” Presley clutches her stomach as she laughs.
“You two are ridiculous,” I say with a shake of my head. “No more stories, Pops.”
“Fine. I won’t tell Presley any more about your childhood.” Thanks to my rearview, I can see him smirk and wink at Presley.