“It’s not a date,” Benny grunts, rolling his eyes before grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator. “If the man said it’s not a date, then it’s not a date. Quit getting her hopes up.”
“He’s right, Mia. It’s not a date,” I agree.
Benny walks past me and stops long enough to kiss my forehead. “His loss,” he whispers, walking into the living room.
“Please tell me you’re trying to snag him.” My words are directed at Mia, but my eyes are following the larger-than-life man walking through my house.
“No,” she shakes her head, waving me off. “We’re just friends. He made it perfectly clear that I’m not his type, and well, I’m not one to beg so . . .” She trails off and I know Mia well enough to know that it’s more than likely bothering the hell out of her. She doesn’t get shot down . . . ever.
“Wh—”
“So,” she cuts me off, discontinuing any further discussion about Benny. “My dad wants me to come home.” I shouldn’t be surprised; I knew this was coming. I knew she couldn’t stay here with me forever, although a small part of me had been hoping she would.
“Daddy can’t run the place without you?”
“Riiiiight,” she drags out with a dramatic roll of her eyes. “That place probably runs better when I’m not there. Hell, I’m not even sure what it is that I actually do other than fetch his coffee.”
“Stop it.” I push away from the table and she follows suit. “You run his life. He would fall apart if you weren’t there.”
“One of these days, Lane,” she sighs, following me down the hall toward the bedroom. “One of these days I’ll get to do what I want to do.”
“Do what you want to do now. Don’t wait, Mia. Who cares what your dad says? Do what makes you happy.”
She plops down on my bed and throws an arm over her forehead. “You’re right,” she relents. “I know you’re right, but it’s just scary. Daddy said he’d cut me off and then I’ll have nothing.”
“No, then you’ll have your freedom. Remember that fancy little teaching degree you worked really hard on?” She nods. “You can put it to use. Pay your own way through life.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
Grabbing onto her arm, I pull her up and into my arms, hugging her tight. “It is easy,” I whisper. “You just have to want it badly enough.”
“As hot as this is,” Benny says as he saunters into the bedroom, “and it is hot—please feel free to rub all over each other any time—Laney has to get going or she’s going to be late.”
Mia and I bust up laughing. Then she pulls away, runs a hand over my hair, grips my chin and turns my face toward her, inspecting my makeup. Smacking my butt, she says, “You look perfect! Let’s get you to your man.”
I glance at my watch. “Shoot.” I have ten minutes and I hate being late. “Benny’s right, I have to go.” Scurrying down the hall, I slide to a stop in the living room and slip on my Tom’s. I grab my purse and then a minute later, I’m out of the house.
The drive to Flame is short and the parking lot is already filling up for the dinner rush. I pull around back, throw Ivy into park and take one last look at my makeup before making my way into the restaurant. Riley waves at me from behind the bar and I scan the room for Levi. “Hey, Riley. Have you seen Levi?” Just then, my phone vibrates. I pull it out of my pocket to find a text from Tatum.
Tatum: Levi says to meet him over here at Blue.
Me: K. Headed over now.
“I’m guessing by the smile on your face that you just found him.”
“Actually, it was Tatum, but he’s over at Blue. Have a good night.”
“You too,” she hollers after me.
I turn my back on her and weave my way through the restaurant and over to Blue. It’s too early for the bar to be packed—the drinking crowd hasn’t really shown up yet—but there are a few patrons scattered around, eating appetizers. My eyes immediately land on Levi. He’s sitting at the bar, back to me, talking animatedly with Tatum. Wearing a black Henley, the arms bunched up around his elbows, faded jeans and Chuck T’s, he looks absolutely amazing. My heart stutters at the thought of getting to spend the evening with him. In fact, this will be the first time we’ve been truly alone since I moved home.
Tatum must say something funny because Levi tosses his head back. His deep, throaty laugh floats through the room, eliciting a shiver through my entire body. That sound. I’ve missed that sound. An excited flutter tickles my belly and my breathing slows as a memory takes over.
“Let’s spoon.” Snuggling up to Levi, I tuck my head into his neck and wait for him to wrap his arm around me. I love that he has his own apartment. I don’t stay over too often, because I hate leaving Luke at home alone with Dad, but every once in a while I let myself indulge. Levi’s eyes are trained on the TV and I nudge him in the side. “Spoon. Now.”
“How about we knife,” he says without looking at me. What?
“Knife?” I clarify, pushing up onto my elbow so I’m looking down at him.