“I don’t mind. It’s kind of nice.” Somehow it was easier conversing with him under the cover of darkness. Also, it made her aware of how deep and lovely his voice was.
“It must be a pain to be recognized wherever you go. Molly’s boyfriend is a famous writer, so he deals with that too.”
“What’s his name?”
“His pseudonym is Nathanial Quinn, but his real name is Adam Bradford.”
“That sounds familiar. But yeah, being recognized can get a little intrusive. Most people are pretty cool about it, though, and I do enjoy meeting fans—usually,” she added, thinking of the last few days. She pulled the robe tightly around her chest.
***
When Levi had seen the shadow moving across the yard, he immediately thought of all the people looking for their guest. He half expected a flash to go off when he opened the back door. Once he saw it was only Mia he hadn’t intended to stick around. He’d had a little talk with himself after their chat in the kitchen. But when she asked him to stay he detected a hint of desperation in her tone. Maybe she was lonely. All her friends were on the other side of the country, and she was alone on what was supposed to have been her honeymoon.
“Have you always lived in Bluebell?” she asked, breaking the silence. She really did have a distinctive voice. A little throaty. Very sexy.
“I went away to Colorado State, and after I graduated I got a job in Denver. I lived out there for several years—until I came back here to run the inn.”
“That surprises me.”
“Had me pegged for a country boy, did you?”
“Caught me.” He heard the grin in her voice.
“I like Denver, traffic notwithstanding. I had a great job there with growth potential, an apartment I loved, and a...”
He didn’t finish the thought, hadn’t meant to go there. It might be late—and dark—but Mia was still his guest.
“And a girlfriend?” she asked when he left the sentence hanging. “Did you leave behind a special woman, Levi?”
Her tone was teasing, almost flirtatious, and it made his pulse kick up. It was easy to see why she had so many male admirers. “Sure did.”
“Was it serious?”
“Not especially. We’d only been going out several months.”
“But it had potential.” She was looking toward him now, her head resting against the chair back. He could feel her perusal.
“Who knows? I thought it might. But then I was needed here. I believe things happen for a reason.”
“Do you believe in God, Levi?”
The personal question surprised him. He turned toward her, even though her features were murky in the shadows. “Faith is a big part of my life, and part of the reason I was able to accept moving back home and ending that relationship. God has a plan, and He was directing my steps. How about you?”
She was quiet a moment. The leaves rustled overhead and water rippled against the shoreline.
“Lettie took me to church as a child. It seemed—out of step with the rest of my life. It wasn’t until I was older that I saw it was the only part of my life that was real and normal. So yes, I believe in God. He’s been a constant. If I didn’t have Him in my life, I don’t know how I would’ve held on to any sense of normalcy.”
“He’s blessed you with a lot of success.”
“And I’m grateful. It’s a competitive world, acting. People scrambling for parts, jealousy, backstabbing. It’s vicious sometimes. You think someone’s your friend, but they’re just using you. Everyone I knew was praying for their big break, and I was always praying that God wouldn’t give me more than I could handle.”
Interesting. He tilted his head. “Why do you think that is?”
“It’s not that I’m not driven or competitive. I just saw how it—fame—affected people in my life. I didn’t want that happening to me.”
“Your mom?”
“My mom most of all. But I do love acting—the actual work of it. I love exploring different characters and trying to become them for a little while, trying to portray them accurately. I’ve always felt called to acting, but I was happy just making a living at it. I didn’t need to be a Hollywood sensation.”
