“You’re gonna learn Magnolia Grace, I don’t do anything I don’t want to do. I sure as fuck don’t offer it.”
Our eyes meet, and the warmth in his catches me off-guard. I’m not used to it. “Alright, just let me know if you need anything. How’s that?”
He grins, and god, even that is fucking hot. “Sounds good.”
We both get to work, and we’re quiet as we do. It’s almost too quiet. I’ve usually got music or a podcast playing if I’m not live. I’m not sure how much he can tell me about his work, but I am kind of curious. “How did your thing for work go?” I’m not sure what to call it. “If you can tell me.”
“Funny you should ask that. I do have a few things I can tell you.”
I watch as he has a seat at the table. “My order list is in front of you. It’s on the iPad. There are no shipping labels or anything since they do pick up. You’ll be able to tell who is who, because I have the colors out to the side, and the theme. Speaking of that, what do you want me to do about people picking up their orders? Sooner or later there’ll be talk about me being here...” I let the thought trail off, because I don’t know what to say, or how to actually verbalize it.
“Look, I’m not worried about what people say about me. I don’t care if anyone knows you’re here, including my family. Before I ever had a crush on you, Magnolia Grace, you were my friend. I’m helping a friend, and that’s all anyone has to know. I mean my dad responded to your house the other day,” he stops for a second sighing. “Plus, it’s no one’s goddamn business either.”
“You’re right.” I smile. “If they ask, I’ll let them know, but I don’t owe anyone an explanation.”
“You don’t, and neither do I.”
“I used to be the strongest person I know, hotshot. I’d tell anyone who questioned me to fuck off, but Cody changed that part of me. Made me scared to talk like that to others.” I stop for a second and center myself. “It’s going to take a little while for me to get comfortable doing that again.”
“Understandable. Take as long as you need, Magnolia Grace, but don’t ever make yourself smaller for someone. They don’t deserve you.”
I’m blinking back tears as I listen to what he says, and really let it sink in. “Thank you,” I say, although it’s hard to speak around the tightness in my throat. “So, you were going to tell me about your day...”
“Yeah,” he glances over to where I’m standing. “But only if you think you can handle it.”
The way he says the words is like he’s laying down a challenge. If there’s one thing I rise to. It’s a challenge. “Oh Levi, I can handle whatever you give me.”
Chapter 17
Levi
Those are the words I want to hear from her. They’re strong, flirty, and way more confident than anything else she’s said in the past hour. Whatever Cody did to her, it’s going to have long-lasting effects. The only thing I can try to do is drag her out of her comfort zone and show her she’s wanted. Even if it’s by me. I’ve got to trust what she can take, and since she told me that she can take this. I’m going by her word.
“Yeah, so I have a couple of things to tell you. I won’t be working on the force daily while Dakota and I are doing this. They’re possibly going to be watching us. A member of the unit will be coming to get my Fish and Wildlife SUV this afternoon, and driving it back to the station. I won’t be reporting for duty. I’ll be one thousand percent hanging around, waiting for them to text or call.”
“You’re gonna be here?” She grins, glancing around the room. “More often?”
“Looks like it.” I shrug, sighing. “I don’t think these guys are going to get into a big hurry to trust me and Dakota. It might be nice that we don’t have to be working all the time, especially during the holidays.” Which makes me wonder what she’s going to be doing for said holidays. “What are your plans?”
“My plans?” She’s rolling some pretzel sticks in colored chocolate.
“Yeah.” I put some gloves on, so that I’m not touching the food with my bare hands. Although I don’t anymore, I worked at The Café during high school, and I know how to properly handle everything. “Obviously you and Cody aren’t celebrating together. What are your plans?” I ask her again, as I push one of the pieces of cellophane under the heat sealer.
“I didn’t really have any. Was planning on lying to Molly when she asked, and was going to spend the day drinking and watching rom-com’s.”
While that sounds like something that Magnolia would love to do, I can’t imagine in the end she would feel good about it. “That’s easy, you’re coming with me to my family.”
Her eyes meet mine, and if I’m not mistaken there’s some moisture there. “I don’t want to disrupt your holiday. Especially with your family.”
“Magnolia, you’re our family. You’ve been a part of our family for years.” She opens her mouth to argue, but I cut her off. “What do you think my mom would say if she knew I let you spend Thanksgiving on your own? I’d never hear the end of it from her.”
“Levi, I just...” she takes a deep breath. “I don’t want people to look at me like I’m a charity case. I can’t.”
Doesn’t she know how I look at her? That I see her as one of the strongest people I’ve ever known? Getting up, I walk over to her, and stand in front of her. Normally I wouldn’t be this blunt, but she needs it. Reaching out, I grab her hand and bring it to the zipper on my jeans. Around her, I’m always slightly hard. “Does that feel like you’re a charity case? This is what you do to me.”
“No.” She shakes her head. “You just have to know I’m not used to this.”
“You should be,” I whisper. “That husband of yours knew what he had, and he let it go. That’s on him, not on you.” I lean in, rubbing my nose against her forehead, dropping my mouth to her ear. “Let me show you what it can really be like.”
