Her eyes met mine, steady and clear. “I can’t stay at CCDJ, not for much longer anyway. It’s killing me, slowly every single day, so I’m dabbling with the idea of doing something similar for myself.”
My heart sank at her words even though I was proud of her for leaving something that wasn’t working for her. “You’re going to another paper? In another town?” Whatever was happening between us had only just gotten started, and I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
“No, I can’t. Stevie’s whole life is here, and I don’t want to uproot her.” She nibbled her bottom lip, a surefire sign of anxiety. And guilt. “Maybe I’m also scared to leave, I don’t know Levi, all I know for sure is that I can’t spend many more days working for Daddy. You heard how many times he called me girl or little girl yesterday?”
I nodded. “It was hard not to hear that.” It was also demeaning as hell, and meant to put her in her place. “I support your decision Lacey. If that’s what you think is right for you, I support you.”
She smiled and her whole demeanor softened at my words. “Yeah?”
I nodded. “Hell yeah. You have to do what’s right for you, and unlike me, you’re finding a way to do it without leaving your kid behind.”
“You’re too hard on yourself, Levi. It was a bad choice, but you made it and got an enviable career out of it. You can’t go back and change it, but what you’re doing is just as good.”
“Right,” I snorted.
“It’s true. Without your help Michelle might have to drop out when she’s so close to the finish line.”
“She told me that you turned her into a local celebrity and encouraged the whole town to help however they could.”
Lacey laughed and shook her head. “She was up to her eyeballs in casseroles. But Michelle is your daughter, which means she’s stubborn and felt as if she was taking advantage of people after a while.”
“Me? Stubborn? How dare you!”
She laughed as I meant her to and slid halfway across the sofa until our bodies touched from shoulder to knee. “Yeah, you. What you’re doing now is giving her a chance at a life without unnecessary struggle. Now that you’re here she can be the best doctor she can be.”
I wrapped an arm around her, smiling to myself when Lacey leaned her head on my shoulder, her sweet floral scent worked its way into my memory. I thought she might cry, but Lacey was a tough woman, and not just because she’d grown up with three rowdy brothers. “You have to do what’s right for you Lacey, not GG or anyone else, but you and Stevie.”
“You don’t think I’m a disloyal daughter?”
I laughed. “Hell no. I’ve bounced around to so many publications because I don’t believe in being loyal to people who don’t return the favor. If GG wanted you to stick around, his behavior would reflect that, but it seems to me he’s more interested in having you just execute his orders.”
“Yeah,” she sighed. “That’s how I feel too.”
“It’s a shitty way to feel, worse when your own family is the reason.”
“Ain’t that the truth?” She sighed again and looked up at me. “I feel bad about leaving because I’ve always been the good daughter, the one that did her duty, but where has it gotten me?”
“You got what you needed from the experience, enough to know it’s not how you want to spend the rest of your career.”
Lacey looked up at me with an expression full of awe and affection, and surprisingly, I didn’t mind. “You have a unique way of looking at things, Levi.”
“Not so unique,” I assured her. “I look at you and I see a strong and capable, beautiful woman who can do just about anything she sets her mind to.”
“Thank you, Levi.”
“My pleasure,” I sighed and pressed a kiss to her forehead, because I was honored to be the one she came to when she needed someone, hell I was flattered that I was that person for anyone.
“Want to make out?”
I pulled her closer until our lips were separated by less than a breath. “I thought you’d never ask.”
She giggled and pressed her lips to mine and wrapped her arms around me tightly, kissing me as if this was more than a secret affair, more than scratching an itch.
And once again, I didn’t mind.
Not even a little bit.
Chapter 15
Lacey
“Hey Mom?” Every mother in the world knew that tone. It was the sound of a child preparing to ask a favor. A big favor.
“Yes, Stephanie?” And every mother on the planet used their child’s name, their full name, using the same tone.
“Don’t full name me, Mom. Please.” For good measure, Stevie rolled her eyes. “I just want to ask if I can spend the night at Sarah’s on Friday night. Her mom already said it was all right because we have to leave so early to make it to the competition on time.” Stevie paused for a moment, expecting me to give her all the reasons why she couldn’t have a sleepover with one of her closest friends. “Staying over on Friday night is better for everyone, including you Mom.” The smirk she sent my way was identical to her father’s and for the first time, that didn’t bother me.