The reporters had probably tried to get his identity, but she didn’t imagine the folks around here had been very helpful.
The phone buzzed an incoming text, then another. She checked the screen. Nolan’s photos had come through. The first picture was an image of Levi pushing back the photographer who’d gotten too close. She enlarged it with her thumb and forefinger, trying to see it objectively.
She was turned away from the camera, but still recognizable. Levi’s brows were low and tight over his eyes, his jaw knotted. She wouldn’t want to mess with that guy.
The second photo had been snapped after he’d put his arm around her. She was tucked into his side, her face turned into his shoulder. He was shielding her from everyone, his face intense and protective.
It was obvious he was no bodyguard. They didn’t wear their emotions on their sleeves.
Mia shut off her phone and settled back in her bed, still seeing the image of Levi’s fierce expression. She had a feeling sleep would be a long time coming.
twenty-four
After a poor night’s sleep Levi awakened bleary-eyed to his seven o’clock alarm. He got showered and ready, the scent of apples and cinnamon drawing him to the kitchen. He found Miss Della washing up in the kitchen, her hands dark amidst the soapy bubbles in the sink.
He drew in a breath of scrumptiousness. “I could eat a dozen of your muffins this morning.”
“Well, you’ll have to wait till they’re out of the oven at least.” Her eyes narrowed on him. “You look tired. Headache again?”
“Just didn’t sleep well.” Although, now that she mentioned it, he did already have a headache blooming at the back of his skull. He helped himself to coffee.
“Our girl’s leaving today?”
He liked how Miss Della had taken to Mia. But Mia was easy to take to. “Skeeter’s picking her up at ten and flying her to Charlotte.”
“You must be awful sorry to see her go.”
“Why would you say that?”
Della pursed her lips. “That innocent look don’t fool me. Buzzer’s about to go off. You mind pulling the pan from the oven?”
“Sure.” Levi grabbed a potholder and did as she asked. “Are those vultures still out front?”
“More than before, even.”
His spirits sank. “I hope they didn’t bother you on your way in.”
“No, sirree. Came in the back way. Maybe it’s best things get back to normal. A body can’t even come and go around here.”
“Mia and I stepped out for a while last night. I was hoping they’d get their fill and leave.”
“Just gave ’em a little tease, and now they want more.” She shook her head. “Mmm, mmm, mmm. Don’t know how they live with themselves, disrupting folks’ lives like they do.”
The ceiling creaked overhead, a sign Mia was up and about. She usually slept later, but maybe she’d finally adjusted to Eastern time—just in time to go home.
He grabbed four muffins and set them on a plate. “Thanks for breakfast. I’m going to go listen to our voicemails.”
There were seventy-two messages. Levi went through each one, painstakingly deleting the press calls and saving the others. There was definitely an uptick in the number of inquiries, and a quick check showed a substantial increase in online reservations.
This was great. Awesome. Probably not the results of his marketing plan, but hey, he’d take it.
He heard noise on the staircase and recognized Mia’s careful stair-by-stair descent. His heart quickened. This might be the last time he heard her come down those stairs. From now on he’d only see her on TV or at the movies—and online because, let’s face it, he was going to look her up.
A moment later she rounded the corner, and her eyes brightened as they settled on him. “Good morning.”
That smile hit him like a blow to the chest. “Morning, Mia. You’re up early.”
She wore a casual red shirt that looked amazing on her and a pair of white shorts he hadn’t seen before. If she hoped to get through the airport unnoticed in that, she was going to be disappointed.
