Levi brushed it away. “I will, Dad. I promise.”
“Hey, you all right, man?”
Levi blinked. He was still dribbling the ball. He had yet to make his way back toward Erik and the basket.
He gave his head a hard shake, dislodging the memory from his mind, but a headache beat in its place.
“I’m fine. Just fine. Let’s play ball.”
ten
Mia had slept horribly. She’d started on her grandmother’s journal before bed, but had quickly given up. She wanted to give it her full attention.
And try as she might to fall asleep, her phone call with Jax had her keyed up. She tossed and turned all night, his words ringing in her ears. Finally she drifted off in the early morning hours and awakened to a bird tweeting outside her window. The clock read 10:17. She was still on Pacific time.
A shower rejuvenated her. But she was starting to feel cooped up, and she wanted to get her mind off her problems. A hike might be just the ticket today. She dressed in workout gear—yoga shorts, a long T-shirt. She pulled her ponytail through a ball cap, and after she’d tied her tennis shoes, she was drawn downstairs by the fragrant aroma of something sweet and yummy.
The lobby was deserted, so she went through the French doors to the empty dining room and seated herself at a table for two by the window. There was a clanging noise in the kitchen, and a few minutes later a middle-aged woman with dark skin and kind eyes peeked out. She had very short salt-and-pepper hair that made Mia think she must be a confident woman.
“Oh hi, honey. Didn’t hear you come in. You must be ready for some breakfast.”
“Yes, please.”
A moment later she reappeared, carrying a tray. “I just assumed you wanted the full menu—orange spice muffins and yogurt with fresh fruit and homemade granola. I’m Della, by the way.”
“Mia. Nice to meet you. The full menu sounds good, and it smells divine.”
“Well, I guess I know my way around a kitchen. Been cooking since I was barely able to reach the kitchen counter.”
“If you made yesterday’s breakfast, I believe it.”
“I make all the breakfasts around here.” Her smile widened. “If I can get you anything else you just let me know. I’ll be in the kitchen cleaning up.”
“Do you know if Levi’s around?” Mia blurted. She’d need that hike to burn off all these calories.
“He had to slip out for a little bit, but he’ll be back soon. I can give you his—”
A clamor came from the lobby—the sound of the door opening and closing, footsteps on the floor.
“I’ll bet that’s him now,” Della said as she disappeared into the kitchen.
Sure enough, a moment later Levi entered the dining room in a pair of basketball shorts and a white T-shirt that clung to his muscular shoulders. His hair was damp, his cheeks flushed.
“Good morning,” he said when he spotted her. “I see you found breakfast.”
“I did.”
“What are your plans for today? Would you like to go anywhere?”
“Actually, I was thinking a hike might be nice. Something fairly rigorous, maybe a few miles long?”
“I know just the trail. And the view from the top is amazing. Let me just grab a shower and I’ll be right out.”
“Take your time. I’m going to enjoy my breakfast.”
Levi disappeared through the kitchen doors, leaving her to her breakfast and thoughts. Last night’s conversation with Jax still plagued her. She felt betrayed and hurt by his response. She tried to look at it from his side—with the pregnant wife and the marriage to safeguard. But nothing could excuse his deceitful behavior. He’d blamed her for something he’d done.
She’d called Nolan soon after waking, though it was still pretty early in California, and he promised to come up with a plan to handle this situation. She had a feeling his plan would involve a press release that would publicly pit her against Jax, and she hated that. She’d considered them friends. But maybe she had no real choice in the matter. She had to repair her reputation if she hoped to make it in this business—and keep her role inLesser Days.
