“Good.” Without warning, he leaned over the bundles in both of their arms and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. She heard and felt his sharp inhale as his lips left her skin. Her heart bounded against her ribs like an overeager puppy who couldn’t control its feelings.Down, girl.
“I’ll see you.”Obviously.
“Yes you will. Have a good day, Jilly.”
She nodded, probably looked like a fool staring after him when he waved and turned back the way they’d come.
She released a pent-up sigh. Ten minutes back in Levi’s presence and she was living out fairy tales in her head, seeing things that weren’t there when she knew better. Even if he was attracted to her, he was close to her brothers. Guys had rules about these things. “No little sisters” was somewhere near the top, even if they’d all grown up.
Seeing things that weren’t there was sort of her specialty. She’d let herself believe Andrew loved her enough to last a lifetime,when in truth, they hadn’t even made it through the first year together without her wondering what she’d gotten herself into. She’d doubted his affection early on, but what scared her, and unfortunately stayed with her long after he left, was that she doubted herself. Her judgment and her ability to make someone stay. In turn, that made her question whether she ever wanted to take that risk again. Even with someone as special as Levi Bright.
Five
Levi’s gut rolled with the gentle sway of his parents’ houseboat and he realized, as he lay in bed staring at the off-white ceiling, thinking about Jillian’s smile and the way her eyes crinkled, it was like being a teenager again. Back then, he hadn’t known what to do with his feelings, but as an adult, he knew what hewantedto do about them. Seeing her the other day had brought an onslaught of emotions, but it wasn’t just nostalgia or sweet memories.
His skin felt like it vibrated in her presence. It made him want to get closer, hold her hand, see if her hair was as soft as it looked. He’d dated here and there over the last several years, but being the head chef at a high-end restaurant was a life-consuming job. He wanted more out of life, and even though he knew the past was part of his feelings, he wanted to know who she was now. What made her smile besides Ollie? What did she do when she wasn’t working one of her ten jobs? She’d looked so adorably flustered when he’d asked to make her dinner, he switched gears, saying he’d include the others. Seeing her with everyone was better than not seeing her at all.
Rolling off the twin bed, he shivered when he set his feet onthe chilly, bare-wood floor under him. As a kid, he’d thought the short bank of colorful homes on the water in Tourist Lane, on the northern tip of Smile, was the coolest thing ever. Now, he was more than a little inclined to find a place on solid ground.
Glancing out the window, despite the unsteadiness of his stomach, he couldn’t help but grin. A few guys were fishing off the end of the dock. A couple of boats were leaving, probably heading out to Mackinaw City for deliveries or pickups. A little girl and her mom walked out of the purple house at the end of the row, the girl’s pigtails bouncing with her jumping steps.
He might not like houseboats anymore—other than looking at them—but he loved being in this part of Smile. It was tucked away down a long, narrow bike and walking path. He’d felt like a tourist himself a few nights ago when he’d first shown up, coming down here with a memory as solid as a photograph about what it looked like. What had once been—the few houseboats and a couple of shops, along with several fishing boats—still existed. But there was so much more. Now, there were over twenty houseboats and a row of shops longer than the walk in. There were picnic tables set up in the green space, clusters of purposefully planted trees, and strategically paved walking paths.
Jonesing for his first cup of caffeine, he hurried into track shorts and a running T-shirt. The metal stairs from the loft his parents rarely used wound down to the first floor and made him a little dizzy. His mom and dad were sitting at the small table for two, chatting over coffee.
His mom rose immediately, pulling her oversized cardigan closed even as she opened her arms for a hug. “I can’t get used to you being here. It makes me so happy.”
He laughed, squeezing her tight. He pressed a kiss to her soft,dark hair that she refused to let go gray. “It’s okay to get used to it, though I think I’ll start looking for somewhere to live more permanently.”
She pulled back, her eyes, just like his, shining, and patted his chest. “There’s no rush.”
His dad shifted in his chair, covering a wince. His mom went back to the table, murmured something quietly to him before his dad shook his head. Levi clenched his jaw, knowing his dad was too stubborn to ask for help. He pulled the cookies he’d made out of the fridge, set about warming a few up as he ignored the tension for a few minutes.
“What are your more long-term plans, honey?”
Levi grabbed a plate, set one of the cookies down in front of his dad. “I’ve got some ideas, Mom. Morning, Dad. How you feeling?”
“I’m fine. No reason for everyone to be worrying so much. What’s that? I can’t eat cookies for breakfast. Is that what you learned at your fancy restaurants?”
“Steven,” his mom hissed.
Levi grabbed another cookie and set it down in front of his mom. “Actually, it’s one of the recipes I created. I made them last night. It’s a cross between oatmeal and a cookie. It’s made with whole grains, cane sugar, cranberries, and no dairy. I researched foods for recovery and came up with it. You were never a straight-up oatmeal guy.”
His dad stared at the cookie and took a bite, and his mom followed. Levi went back to the counter, certainly not expecting praise. Steven Bright believed working with your hands meant building something a person could live in; like a house. Not making cookies or fancy meals. Levi grabbed his coffee, added a generous pour of milk and a spoonful of sugar.
“Levi, this is delicious. Isn’t it, Steven?” There was a tirededge to his mom’s voice. Levi didn’t want to add discord between them. His mom struggled with Steven’s dismissal of his profession and the way they’d left things all those years ago when he’d gone off to culinary school against his dad’s request that he stay and be part of Bright Builds.
“Not bad.” Steven pressed the pad of his finger against the crumbs and licked them off.
Not bad.High praise.Levi held back his smile as he joined them at the table with his own cookie. “So, back to the question, my short-term plans are, I’d like to step in for you while you’re off work, so you can recover without worrying about jobs.”
With deliberate slowness, his dad turned his body toward Levi, his lips in a firm line. His dad’s dark hair, once so similar to Levi’s, was thinning on the top and liberally sprinkled with gray. His always-calloused hands were lined with age. But he was still strong and solid and a damn good man. If they could get past what his father saw as a betrayal on Levi’s part, maybe they could get back to the way things had been before he’d chased his own dream.
“You know I have a crew, right? You think I’m going to bench Eddie and let you just boss my guys around because you’re home on a fool’s errand?”
His mom groaned and moved away from the table, taking the empty plates.
Levi tamped down on his irritation, kept his voice calm. “It’s okay, Mom. I knew this was coming. I’m sorry I didn’t want to follow you into construction or become a partner in your company. I loved working with you growing up, but it wasn’t my dream. It still isn’t. But I want to help out if I can. However I can. I still know how to use a hammer. I’m not looking to step on toes, but I know you always pull your weight at every job, which means no matterwho is in charge you’ll be down a man, and I want to pitch in until you’re on your feet again.”
