"Yeah, I know that he didn't try to kill Braylynn, but it comes close. She was a fool for letting him go like that. Daddy ain't fool enough to push me around anymore. I'll throw the book at him. Nash still lets him have his way with him when he's ploughed but not me. Maybe now that daddy almost took out Nash's girl, he'll grow a pair."
Crystal places her hand on mine. "Levi, what's going on? This isn't like you. I've never heard you have an ill word towards anyone before."
I look at her. "Maybe that's because I never met anyone that mattered before."
I don't add the part where that person I'm talking about isn't Shelly.
Chapter 10
Lennie
My mouth twists up into a smile when I see him walk through the front door. I'm not looking at the desk, I'm moving photographs around, having just made a sale, so I see him come in. "Hey, Levi. What a pleasant surprise."
He grins. "Hey. Am I catching you at a bad time?"
"No. Not at all. You've brought me good luck, in fact."
"How's that?" He stands there, and then he sees me moving an easel, and he helps me push it safely to an open spot.
"Well, since you bought that picture, I've been on a selling streak. I just sold another picture."
"Yeah?" He's impressed. "Which one?" He asks, like he knows my inventory like the back of his hand. It's cute.
"The one with the expectant mother and the angel. It's going to be a baby shower gift."
His expression slips a notch.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings or remind you, you know, of what's to come." I stammer.
"No, no, it's okay." He chuckles, raising a hand. "That's a beautiful piece. I just, I was picturing it in my mind. You didn't upset me or anything. Jesus, is it that obvious?"
I smile. "No, I just figured it might be triggering. I have to be careful sometimes. I see a lot of people in a day. Every one of them with their own stories. Photographs can spark a memory or create emotion, and over the years, I've learned to be sensitive to that."
"Yes, you have."
We look at each other for a beat, until I break the silence. "So, to what do I owe this pleasure?" The moment I say that word, it takes me back to the night I dreamed about him, both consciously and unconsciously. My hands and imagination taking me on a ride that I'll never forget.
"I'm going boating with Buddy tonight, and I just thought that I'd stop by and say hello to you first."
God, I want to kiss him so bad. "Hello."
"Hi."
He's giving me bedroom eyes, but I don't think that he means to. It's sort of the way that he looks at me, I guess. "Did you find a place to hang your picture?"
"Yes, I did." He nods, following me to the back counter. "It's in my room at the ranch, along with my new drafting table."
"Oh, that's perfect! It'll give you some inspiration."
"It already has. I've been drafting up a house of sorts for myself. Possibly a real one, unless I find out that I made a critical mistake down the road while I'm getting my drafting degree."
"I'd love to see it some time." I say conversationally, as I put together another easel, readying it to display one of the photos that I took of the stream at night with Levi.
"I was going to ask. When will you have some time to do some more riding? Take some lessons. The last time I saw you that didn't really count."
His eyes are so mesmerizing. I've got such a crush on this man. I could look at him all day long and never get tired of it. To avert my thoughts, which are going south, I throw a wrench in the conversation, unwittingly. "Did you mention this to Shelly? Is she okay with it?"
He blinks. That hit a nerve. "Um, the last time I checked, I don't need to ask my girlfriend if it's okay to do my job."
