“Okay, one, you did not wreck the date,” he said. “And two, yes, even if you wrecked the date—which you didn’t—I would still like you. In fact, I would still be taking this opportunity to ask you if you would be willing to go out with me again.”
Her other eye popped open.
“You’re a glutton for punishment, huh?” she asked.
“Oh, hush,” he chided. “You know that’s not it.” He grew more serious. “Listen, June, I know you have a lot going on. So believe me when I say that I am not trying to pressure you in the least. But…”
He drew in a breath and gathered his courage. Despite June’s clear self-doubt, Levi didn’t think she was anything but wonderful. And he felt strongly enough about her that he felt all the nerves that came with having a big, whopping crush.
And boy oh boy did he have all the fluttery feelings for June.
“But I feel strongly toward you,” he confessed. “I felt it as soon as I met you. Actually, that’s not quite right,” he amended, trying to hide some of his vulnerability with humor. “I liked you even when I saw you at the diner, before we even met. Granted, the first time it was just because I thought you were pretty.”
She blushed. Prettily.
“But then I met you for real, not to mention heard you sing, and all those first impressions were reinforced. So.” He wishedhe could see something in her expression, some hint of what kind of answer she planned to give him. “So, would you be willing to go out with me again?”
“My life is messy and complicated,” she reminded him.
“I know that,” he said levelly.
“My son is always going to come first.”
He scoffed. “Yeah, of course, June. That’s part of what I like about you.”
Finally, she cracked a smile.
“Okay,” she said, and relief rushed through Levi. “If you’re sure, then… yes. Yes, I’d like to go out with you again.”
He reached out to brush a finger over her cheek, following the arc of her blush.
“I’m sure,” he said. The words were simple, but the way he felt about them was far from plain. He wasn’t certain that he’d ever felt so sure about anything in his life. “Now, drink your tea before it gets cold.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
June hung up the phone with a wince and turned to face her son.
“Okay, change of plans, buddy,” she said. “Miriam has a cold, so you and I are hosting our guest together.”
“Cool,” Benjamin said, not even bothering to look up from his Rubix cube. June had been astonished when her son had come home from school claiming that the “spinny pattern boxes” were all the rage among his classmates, and could he please, please, please have one? It had turned out that June had found one kicking around in Keith’s old things, and Benjamin was enamored with the item, not just because of its popularity, but because it provided a connection to his father.
Benjamin hadn’t solved the thing yet, but that hadn’t stopped him from spendinghourswith the toy. Apparently classics really did endure.
Normally June, like any parent, was thrilled to have her son so engaged in something that didn’t involve screens, but right now she needed his attention.
“Benjamin,” she said, pausing until he tore his eyes from the brightly colored cube. “The person who is coming over is named Levi Hawkins.”
“Oh yeah,” he said, his attention already returning to the cube. “The guy from the video.”
“Yes, exactly,” June said, then hesitated. She wasn’t entirely certain how she should address the idea that she was dating with her son. Should she bring it up at all? Was it crazy of her not to cancel with Levi when her babysitter fell through?
She was mostly relieved that Benjamin would be staying home with her tonight, although of course she felt bad that Miriam had a case of the sniffles. She just didn’t feel good about leaving him after the incident the other day, even though she knew, of course, that it wasn’t something Miriam could control—or even something that June herself would be able to prevent, if she had been there.
Maternal instinct demanded that she clutch Benjamin close, at least for a little while. And maybe that meant she should have put off dinner.
But she didn’t want to. And Benjamin didn’t seem traumatized by Levi coming over, at least if the way he stuck out his tongue in concentration while he played his game was any indication. He didn’t even seem to realize that there was anything romantic about their association.
Or, at least that was what June told herself until, not even looking at her, Benjamin said, “Is Levi your boyfriend?”
