“It was all I could think about. You were all I could think about.”
Behind us, someone clears their throat. I turn to see the entire Harrison family packed into the doorway, and most of them are grinning.
“Well,” Molly says, her voice thick with emotion. “I guess the secret’s really out now. There’s no denying it.”
Levi smiles up at me, but talks to them. “I never wanted to deny it.”
And despite everything; the shooting, the fear, the hospital, the fact that my technically-still-husband just tried to kill the man I love, I laugh.
It feels good after the tension of the day.
And I know with this man there will be many more times to laugh, than there ever will be to be scared.
Chapter 31
Levi
I wake up the next morning feeling like I’ve been hit by a truck. My shoulder throbs despite the pain meds, and every time I try to move, I’m reminded of exactly why I’m in a hospital bed.
But Magnolia’s asleep in the chair next to me, her hand still holding mine, and that makes everything better.
The doctors say I can go home today as long as I have someone to stay with me for the first twenty-four hours. I’d been about to tell them Magnolia would be there when my hospital room door bursts open and Molly walks in.
“Alright, little brother,” she announces. “I’m here to take y’all home.”
Magnolia startles awake, looking around in confusion before her eyes land on me. She smiles, soft and sleepy, and squeezes my hand.
“Molly,” I say. “I’m good. Magnolia’s going to…”
“Oh, I know exactly what Magnolia’s going to do,” Molly interrupts, crossing her arms and giving me a look. “But right now, your big sister is exercising her right to fuss over you. So I’m taking both of you home, and that’s final.”
I look at Magnolia, who’s trying not to laugh. “She’s always been like this.”
“I know,” Magnolia says. “It’s one of the things I love about her.”
Molly’s expression softens. “I also want to talk to you. Both of you. So humor me, okay?”
The drive home is quiet. I’m having a hard time getting comfortable in the car, but I keep telling myself it’ll only be this bad for a few minutes.
When we get to the house, Molly helps me inside and gets me settled on the couch. Magnolia hovers nearby, and I can see she wants to be the one taking care of me, but she’s letting Molly have this moment.
Once I’m situated with pillows and a blanket that I absolutely don’t need, Molly sits down in the chair across from us. Magnolia perches on the arm of the couch next to me, her hand automatically finding mine. I try not to think about the time we had sex on this couch.
“So,” Molly says, and there’s a gleam in her eye that I know all too well. “You and my best friend. How long has this been going on?”
“Molly…” I start.
“No, no, let me guess.” She taps her chin dramatically. “Since that night at the Lean-To? The one where you picked her up and conveniently didn’t mention it to me?”
My cheeks heat. “Maybe.”
“I knew it!” She points at me triumphantly. “I knew something was going on. The way you two kept looking at each other at Thanksgiving, the fact that Magnolia was ‘staying at an AirBnB’ that looked suspiciously like your house in the background of her videos. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”
“I hoped you wouldn’t,” Magnolia says quietly. “I was hoping you wouldn’t say anything.”
Molly’s expression softens. “Mags, I’ve been your best friend since we were five years old. Did you really think I’d be mad about this?”
“I don’t know,” Magnolia admits. “It all happened so fast, and I’m still married, and…”
