“It’s such a unique pattern,” Jilly said even as Ollie asked, “Did Lainey make them?”
Levi nodded, meeting Jillian’s gaze. He might never stop looking at her. “She made them. And the pattern is actually Morse code. It says ‘I love you.’”
More tears filled Jillian’s gaze but he cleared his throat and continued. “I wanted you both to have something that reminded you that I do. No matter what.”
“It’s so cool. Thanks, Levi,” Ollie said, hugging him.
He leaned down, hugged her back. “Thankyou,Ollie. For making me step up and be brave.”
She patted his cheek. “Uncle Becks said being brave is hard but it’s usually worth it.”
His laughter merged with Jillian’s. “He’s right about that.”
Grayson came around the corner again and Levi moved closer to Jilly, putting his arm around her shoulder.
“All good here?” he asked, staring at his sister.
“Yeah. We’re good.” She leaned into Levi, her arm slipping around his waist.
“Look, Uncle Gray. It means ‘I love you,’” Ollie said, holding up her wrist.
Gray took her hand and looked at it. “That’s beautiful. Lots of people love you and your mom.” He looked at Jillian again, like he was reminding her.
“We’re very lucky,” she said.
“Speaking of which, I’m going to take Ollie home. We’ve got guests arriving at noon tomorrow. Staff shows up at ten. That should give you two enough time to reset room six before anyone is here.”
Before Ollie could ask a question, Gray picked her up, tickling her and making her laugh. “Let’s go, peanut. We’ll stop and get ice cream on the way home.”
“Yay! Bye, Mom. Bye, Levi.” She waved over Grayson’s shoulder where he’d hoisted her.
“Bye, honey.”
Levi grinned as they walked away. “See you tomorrow, Ollie.”
When they were out of sight, Levi turned back to Jillian. “I had a lot of hope going into tonight. I honestly wasn’t sure if it would work out how I wanted, but on the chance that it did, I may have pulled some favors and had the best room in the lodge put aside for us for tonight. If you want.”
Lifting her gaze from her bracelet, which she’d slipped on immediately, she smiled. “I want. Very much. I hope Grayson gave you the friends-and-family rate.”
Curling her fingers into his shirt, she pulled him close, kissed him in a way that imprinted everything about her into his heart and soul. Grayson and Ollie were the last to leave, other than them, so he didn’t worry about privacy when he scooped her up into his arms. She laughed, arms going around his neck.
“What are you doing?” Her pitch went high like Ollie’s but her eyes danced with laughter.
“Carrying you romantically up to the room.”
She pressed her lips together on the ride to the front porch. He made it all the way into the lodge then stopped at the base of the stairs. He could sense her fighting back laughter.
“What’s wrong, Casanova? Too many stairs?”
He turned his head to look at her. “Think you’re funny? I thought teenaged Jilly would want this. I want to make all of her teenage fantasies and your adult ones come true.” He sighed deeply, mustering his strength. He really needed to get back into working out, or at least add more cardio to his routine. “I love you, sweetheart.”
Jillian kissed his cheek as he took the first step, then shifted in his hold.
He stopped. “What are you doing?” He set her down one stair up so she was a little taller than him.
“You’ve already made me happier than you could ever imagine,Levi. You see me, you love me. You love Ollie. You fought for me, you built me a pergola with twinkle lights. You make me laugh and you’re an amazing cook. I love you. So much. And I really want to enjoy room six. It has a soaker tub and a fireplace. I’d like you to not put your back out on the way up there. Youarea couple years older than me.” With that, she laughed, turned, and hurried up the stairs with him on her heels, chasing her, making her laugh harder.
They might not know the future, but he knew what was about to happen, and he knew he was the luckiest man on earth. Definitely, in all of Smile.
