Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77959 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77959 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Nah, just coming to check on my girl. You’ve been out of my sight too long,” he says quietly, and my stomach fills with butterflies. He really is always making me dizzy, and I don’t know what to do with that or him, which makes me start to panic a little.
“What time is Wesley getting here?” Lisa asks, and Levi thankfully pulls his eyes from me to look at his mom.
“Any time now.”
“Good. We’re going to need you guys to start getting everything set up. I know you have those foldout tables in your storage, so go on over and tell your dad and brothers to help you get them,” she says as she pulls him away from me and starts to shove him out of the kitchen.
“Trying to get rid of me?” he jokes. His eyes lock on mine and narrow slightly, like he sees something he doesn’t like. Pulling my gaze from his, I pretend to look through the drawers for something.
“Yes,” Lisa huffs right before I hear the door close.
“You okay, honey?” Mom asks, and I close the drawer and smile at her.
“Yep, totally okay, just gonna scoop out the turkey and hope I can salvage it,” I say, then go about doing just that while secretly wondering why the hell a guy like Levi is with a girl like me. I don’t have long to think about it. Levi returns and introduces me to Wesley, then they start to set up the tables, and before I know, it we’re sitting down to eat.
“This turkey is delicious,” Wesley says, and I take my eyes off my plate, where I have been pushing around my food for the last twenty minutes, to look at him. He really is a nice guy—and he’s hot. Superhot. Not as good-looking as Levi, but he’s definitely not hard on the eyes, with sun-kissed golden skin, dark hair, blue eyes, and full lips that would look feminine if it wasn’t for his sharp jaw.
“Thanks,” I say, giving him a smile that he returns. Dinner is awkward, but not for my family or anyone else, really. No, it’s just awkward for me, because almost since the moment everyone came back from watching the parade, Lucas’s wife, Eva, has been talking about Levi’s ex-fiancée, Heather, who is apparently amazing—and moving into the city in a few weeks to work for some magazine. I thought when I met Eva this morning that she was nice, but it turns out I was wrong—very wrong. She’s catty and a total bitch, and I seriously don’t get why Lucas is with her when he seems so down-to-earth and sweet. Plus, the way he is with his daughter is adorable.
“Should I give Heather your new number?” Eva asks, and I feel Levi tense next to me as my own body goes rigid.
“Why on earth would Levi want to talk to her?” Cole asks. Ruby puts her hand on top of his on the table.
“Just drop it,” Lucas says quietly, and Eva looks at him.
“What? I was just wondering. She’s going to be new to the city, just like he was, and it would be nice if she had someone to show her around,” she says, and Levi’s hand that has been on my thigh since the moment we sat down tightens, like he’s afraid I’m going to get up and take off. Which I might.
“I don’t want to speak to her. I don’t want anything to do with her,” Levi states in a low, deep rumble, and I can tell he’s trying to keep control over his tone.
“I just . . . You two were good friends before you got together,” Eva says, looking at him. I bite my lip because his hold on me has tightened almost painfully.
“Eva, now is not the time for this discussion,” Lisa, who is glaring at Eva, states. Pulling my eyes from them, I look around at my family, who are spaced throughout the tables, and feel my face heat when I realize they all have their eyes on me with varying looks of anger and pity. I don’t know what to do in this situation, but I do know that if I open my mouth and say what I want to say to Eva, Levi and his family will probably never speak to me again.
“Fine.” She lets out a little huff before picking at the minuscule amount of food she put on her plate. Dropping my eyes to my own plate, I try to eat, but every bite tastes like cardboard and I have to force it down.
“So, Fawn, Levi said you’re a teacher. What grade do you teach?” Ruby asks, and I reluctantly look at her.
“Fifth grade. Most of my students are ten and eleven,” I say, attempting to smile.
“I wanted to be a teacher, but then Allison and I got into baking, one thing led to another, and our baked goods took off, so I dropped out of college to open a bakery with my sister.”