Levi’s gaze flicks up.
He sees Ellie in my flannel.
He sees my hand on her back.
His face lights up with the joy of a man who lives for chaos.
“Well, holy hell,” he says, loud enough that every head in the bay turns. “Cooper’s finally got himself a bride.”
Ellie’s shoulders go rigid. She mutters, “Oh my God.”
I stop and stare at Levi until the room chills a few degrees.
Levi grins wider. “Don’t look at me like that. You brought her here. You wanted attention.”
“I wanted supplies,” I say flatly.
Levi’s eyes flick over Ellie, then back to me. “Supplies. Sure. And the ring is… where? Or are you doing the old-school ‘move her in first’ thing?”
Ellie whips her head toward me like she can’t believe this is happening.
I keep my voice calm. “Levi.”
He holds his hands up. “I’m just saying, if we’re doing a wedding, I’m in charge of the bachelor party.”
Sadie makes a soft sound, half laugh, half warning. “Levi.”
He ignores her, eyes bright. “I got twenty bucks that she stabs him before he makes it to the altar.”
Ellie blinks. “Excuse me?”
Levi points at her like she’s his new favorite person. “I like her. She’s got that look.”
“What look?” Ellie asks, offended.
“The one that says you’re two seconds away from committing a felony,” he says, delighted.
Ellie’s mouth opens. She glances at me, then back at Levi. “I am not.”
Levi nods solemnly. “That’s what they all say right before they do.”
Sadie sets her coffee down with a controlled thunk and turns her gaze on Ellie. Her expression softens in a way Levi’s never managed to earn. Sadie doesn’t do shallow. Sadie sees straight through people like she has X-ray vision and a petty streak.
“Hi,” she says, calm. “You okay?”
Ellie’s smile snaps into place—bright, polite, practiced. “I’m fine.”
Sadie’s eyes narrow slightly. “No, you’re not.”
Ellie’s smile wavers.
Sadie tilts her head, voice lowering like she’s speaking only to Ellie now even though we’re all standing here. “Tell me who he is.”
Ellie’s hand tightens around her phone. Her gaze darts to me like she doesn’t want to answer in front of anyone. Like she’s afraid if she says the name out loud, it becomes real.
I step closer, shoulder angling subtly between her and the room. A shield. A message.
Levi watches, grin fading just a fraction. Because he knows what it looks like when I get serious.
