“Did you make her cry?”Megan asked, her voice carrying a steely tone.
“No, she got me back at dodgeball.”Levi held out his arm.“I’ve got a bruise.”
“You will do nothing to pay her back,” Jacey said, sounding sterner this time.
Levi’s gaze darted to his plate, and Maia clapped her hand over her mouth to block her merriment.
Megan’s eyes narrowed.“What did you do?”
Maia made the mistake of glancing at Henry and saw he was having trouble not laughing.
Levi hung his head.“She sits in front of me in class.We were painting, and I dropped my pot of red paint.”
Megan groaned while Gerard and London were actively laughing, having given up the fight.
“Let me guess,” Jacey said.“It accidentally fell all over Olivia.”
“Yes,” Levi said.“It turned her white shirt red.”
“Emily is gonna hate me,” Megan muttered.
“She started it.I didn’t want her kiss,” Levi said.
“Fine,” Jacey said.“This is my advice.Avoid being alone with her to prevent any further kisses.”
“She kissed Tom last month,” Levi blurted.
“I see.London, I think we’ll have coffee tomorrow morning.Do you have time to come with me?”Megan asked.
“And skip parenting advice,” London quipped.“I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Ah, Megan,” Jacey said.
“No, Olivia can’t go around causing chaos,” Megan said.“Emily needs to know about her daughter’s actions.”
“Will she get in trouble?”Levi asked.
“About the same amount you’re in for tipping paint on her,” Megan said.“Now, eat your dinner.No!Don’t speak or you won’t go running with Maia.”
“Hey,” Maia said.“Innocent party here.I didn’t kiss anyone or toss red paint.”
“You can kiss me,” Henry said.“I won’t take revenge.”
“Eww!” Levi said, wrinkling his nose.
Maia chuckled along with the other adults.She’d never experienced this slice of family life and loved every moment.The arguments.The discussions and teasing.The shared laughter.She hadn’t meant to, but she was falling hard for Henry and his family.
Henry walked her into the airport terminal the following morning, and once she’d sighted her team, he kissed her.It was an affectionate kiss, but she clung briefly before stepping back.
“Is it weird I’ll miss you, even though I’ll only be gone for the day?”
“No,” he said gruffly, giving her another hug.“Stay safe.”
Her brows lifted.“Aren’t you going to tell me to play well?”
“You’ll give it your everything.That’s a given.”He stroked her cheek.“I’ll pick you up tonight.”
“Thanks.”His utter confidence in her had her throat tightening with emotion.His entire family believed in her.She stepped away and forced a smile because her emotional maelstrom threatened to spill over.“See you tonight.”
