I chuckle. He knows he ran well. He just wants me to boost his ego. “I’m not inflating that head of yours, Levi James.”
He slowly takes his helmet off and gives it to Dale, along with his gloves. He then turns back to me and puts his hands on my hips. “Really now, Ms. Roberts? I think I can change that.” Faster than I thought possible, I’m in the hair and going over his shoulder. I yell at him and everyone else, all while laughing so hard I can’t breathe.
“Say I ran good, Kathleen.” Pop. He slaps my butt.
“No,” I laugh out.
“Say it or I’m going to hold you like this all night.”
“You can’t.” Can he? God, I hope not. I’ll pass out.
“Wanna bet, love?” I don’t answer him. This is the first time he’s called me anything other than Kathleen. I’m speechless. I’ve watched him for two weeks. He doesn’t call people a term of endearment unless they mean a lot to them.
He slowly puts me down. I slide down his body and feel the leather on my exposed places. I look into his eyes and see that cocky little look when he’s being playful with me. I know he feels something for me; he just isn’t ready to tell me yet. And that is ok.
“You’re right. I can’t. There are plenty other things I want to do to you.” With that, he takes my mouth and I moan as he takes the kiss deeper.
“Gross, you two. Take it somewhere else,” Ron says from behind Levi. We smile as we pull apart. I know there is a lot more where that came from, and he will give it to me later.
~
Levi has done really well here at the TT. He raced in three separate races and placed in all three. We are all glad that he never got a DNF (did not finish). He didn’t wreck either. During the second race, there was a racer that hit the wall. His bike exploded, and he died from complications from his injuries. It put a damper on everything for a little bit, but the racers, the fans, and the community all gathered together and rallied everyone back up. It was an amazing experience. The racers family were even telling everyone to cheer and celebrate; not to mourn the man that died doing what he loved the most. Their faith is what inspired me the most.
Today is the last day we are here. Levi isn’t racing, and we are all watching the sidecar races. I don’t know if I could sit in that little car, go that fast, and trust the person that is driving. I couldn’t do it. I would be terrified. But these guys… they live for it. They have a bond that only other people like them can understand. It’s been awesome to watch.
“I am so ready to see Bone,” Kelly says. It has amazed me how the others could be away from their kids for so long. Micah’s parents watched the twins, and Chance’s parents kept Bone. No one but the crew can keep them all together. Bone and Axel together is like a tornado that doesn’t die down. Nova tries to mother them and that makes them even more hyper. I get exhausted just watching them. Levi doesn’t get that way though. He can keep all three of them just by himself. They love him. It’s so cute. He’s going to be a good daddy.
I stop myself right there and smile. Levi is going to be a good dad one day, and I’m praying that I’m the one that will give him that.
“I’m ready to see the twins,” Micah says. “We needed this vacation, but now I’m over it. I’m ready to get back to our lives.” I can understand where they are coming from. I long to have what they have.
I never thought I would have what I seem to be getting now. It’s surreal.
2 years later
Kathleen
“Are you ready for this?” My dad is standing beside me with tears in his eyes and a smile on his face. I know this day is hard on him. He misses my mom as much as I do. She should be here. I cried when they fixed my hair. I got scolded for crying when they fixed my makeup. I broke down when I put my dress on.
All these things… she should be helping me with.
It’s my wedding day. Every little girl’s fantasy day, and every mother’s dream day for her daughter.
I just have half of that.
“I’m ready, Daddy.” And I am. This is the best day of my life. At the end of the day, I will be Mrs. Levi James. While it may be a dream come true now, it wasn’t always my dream. I never even thought I would marry. My father was trying to hook me up with men that he found appropriate. All I wanted to do was go to law school. I went on meaningless dates to please him and had given up on love all together.
The last date I went on, I was almost kidnapped by a man that was taking me to a handler in the human trafficking world. Levi was my hero. That day, he saved me. Since then, we have been saving each other.
As I stand here behind the door that leads to my future husband. I reflect on all that I have been blessed with.
I now have more friends. Charise is still in my life, and she is a much better friend now than she ever was before. She’s actually standing in the front of the church as my Maid of Honor. We found a new connection along the way, and I know it will last forever.
I now have sisters and brothers. None of the crew would let me just call them friends. I don’t have any biological siblings, just like Levi, so having them as family is even better than what I expected.
The kids accept and love me. Watching Levi with them has me longing even more to make him a father. It’ll happen. One day. I’m sure of it.
“Here we go, darlin’,” dad says, as he grips the hand that I have resting in the crook of his left arm. I look at him as the doors open. I don’t take my eyes off his until the music fades from the wedding march to the hymn that was my mother’s absolute favorite.‘The Garden’plays over the speakers of the church as my dad escorts me down the aisle to my soul mate.
