Running into Love
Page 23
“Are you sure?” I ask as we stop outside my apartment.
“Are you gonna be there with me?” he asks, and I frown.
“Do you mean will I be at my house while you’re there?”
“Yeah, babe, that’s what I mean.” His lips twitch.
“I’ll be there,” I confirm like a dork.
“Then, yeah, I’m sure I want to be there with you.” He leans in, kissing my forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay.” I nod, then look across the hall to his door, worrying my bottom lip.
“What’s wrong?”
“Can you call and let me know when you get home?” I ask, then immediately drop my eyes from his, because that probably sounded clingy and girlfriendish. “I mean, just so I know you’re home safe.”
“It might be late when I get back,” he says, putting his fingers on my chin, pulling up until my eyes meet his once more.
“You don—”
“You gonna be worried about me?” he questions, searching my face.
“No . . .” His eyes narrow, and I blow out a breath. “Yes,” I grumble, and he smiles softly, rubbing my chin with his thumb.
“I’ll call.”
“Okay.” I pull in a breath through my nose, then lean up on my tiptoes, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Be safe, Levi.”
“Always, gorgeous. I’ll talk to you later.”
“’Kay,” I whisper against his mouth when it touches mine. “’Bye.” I drop to my flat feet, then turn and open the door, stepping inside. I give him a wave as he steps back.
“Later, baby.”
“Later,” I agree, watching him head across the hall to his place. He stops to look at me once more before he goes inside.
“Kiddo, breakfast is ready,” Dad says behind me, and I shut the door and turn to find all eyes on me.
“What?”
“Oh, you’ve got it bad.” Libby grins.
“Whatever,” I mutter, moving toward the kitchen.
“I don’t know, I’d say Levi is the one who’s got it bad,” Mom says, studying me thoughtfully. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man more in want than he is.”
“I don’t like it,” Dad says, and I pull my eyes from my mom to look at him and see that same look in his eyes that I saw right before I left a few minutes ago.
“I thought you liked Levi.”
“I like him just fine, but—”
“But what?” I cut him off, feeling my face fall.
“I want a different life for my girls than the one I subjected your mom to. Can’t you find a nice teacher or a doctor to date?” So that’s his sudden problem with Levi.
“Darling,” Mom whispers, and he shakes his head at her.
“No, I know how hard my career has been on my family.”
“Your career has given us a beautiful life.”
“All the holidays I missed, birthdays, anniversaries?” He shakes his head, rubbing his hands down his beard. “I know that was hard on you and the girls.”
“Dad, none of us suffered,” Mac says softly, and his eyes go to her. “We knew your job was important, and we also knew that you and Mom would find ways to make up for the times we missed out on with you. I don’t know about Libby or Fawn, but I never felt like I missed out on anything.”
“I never felt like I missed out on anything, Dad. You were always there when it was important,” Libby says, and his eyes go to her and soften.
“Dad,” I call, and he pulls his eyes from Libby to look at me. “You were out making the world a safer place for Mom, Libby, Mac, and me. There was never a time I resented you for that. Never,” I say, meaning that from the bottom of my soul, and he closes his eyes briefly.
“I just . . . I know the life of a detective is a demanding one, and I know that your mom has had to give up a lot for me.”
“I didn’t give up anything for you,” Mom snaps, glaring at him. “I love my life, I love my girls, and I love you, you big lug, and I wouldn’t change any part of it even if I could.”
“The worry?”
“I’d worry about you if you were a banker, I’d worry about you if you were a fisherman. There isn’t a line of work you could do that would erase that worry. I love you; every time you leave the house I worry if you’ll come back, but I worry even when you leave to go to the grocery store.”
“I just want Fawn to understand what she’s getting into with a man like Levi.”
“I know, Dad, and I love you for worrying, but let’s say I didn’t explore things with him. Let’s say I let my fear of what could happen win and I missed out on one of the best things in my life because I was scared. Would you be okay with that?”
“You’d be disappointed in her if she did that, Dad,” Mac says, and he pulls in a breath, then lets it out slowly.
“You’re right, I would be disappointed in Fawn if she let fear rule her life,” he says, then looks at me. “Do you really like this guy?”
“I do. I don’t know what will happen between us or where our relationship will go, but right now, I like spending time with him. The rest will have to wait—we’re just getting to know each other.”
“I say he’s a keeper. I mean, he did stick around after Mom suggested you get knocked up. I think that says a lot about him,” Libby says, and I smile as Mom lets out a huff.
“Just please be careful,” Dad says quietly, and I nod, then walk to him when he opens his arms to me.
Giving him a hug, I close my eyes. “I love you. Dad, you are still the best dad in the whole world.”
“I love you, too, kiddo, to the moon and back.” Giving him one more squeeze, I step back, then smile as my mom engulfs me in a tight embrace.
“I love you, honey, and I have to say I really, really like Levi.”
“Mom.” I roll my eyes as she lets me go.
“I know, I know, you are just starting to get to know each other, but a mom can pray, can’t she?” she asks, patting my cheek.
“Just don’t get your hopes up too high.”
“If you say so,” she mutters, then lets me go with a whimsical smile on her face that says she’s already planning a wedding and knitting baby booties. Lord, save me.
Chapter 8
THE GOOD PART
LEVI
Hitting “Call” on Fawn’s number, I step out of my apartment, pulling the door closed behind me while listening to the phone ring as I head across the hall.
“Levi,” her sweet, soft voice answers, causing something in my chest to shift at the sound of my name leaving her mouth.
“Come to the door.” I need to see her; I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her since I got called out this morning.
“Pardon?” she asks, and through the phone I hear her moving, then realize that her parents might still be staying with her, which would fuck up my plans for the evening unless I can convince her to come sleep at my place.
“Are your parents gone?”
“Yeah, they left this evening around six,” she says after a long pause.
Thank fuck.
“I’m at the door.”
“My door?” she asks, sounding adorably confused, and I smile.
“Yeah, baby, at your door.”
“Oh.” I hear more movement over the phone, and then I hear the sound of her feet on the wood floors getting closer. The sound of the locks clicking sounds right before she swings the door open. “Hey.” She smiles her beautiful smile up at me, and that shit in my chest shifts once more. “You showered,” she accuses, looking me over as her smile slides into a frown, making me grin. I know I shouldn’t get off on her attitude, but she is seriously cute when she’s pissed or flustered or aggravated with me.
“I did,” I agree, leaving out the fact that I had to shower to wash away the stench of death that had seeped through my clothes and into my pores. Placing my hand against her soft stomach, I nudge her back into the apartment, then turn to close and lock the door.
“Are you gonna be there with me?” he asks, and I frown.
“Do you mean will I be at my house while you’re there?”
“Yeah, babe, that’s what I mean.” His lips twitch.
“I’ll be there,” I confirm like a dork.
“Then, yeah, I’m sure I want to be there with you.” He leans in, kissing my forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay.” I nod, then look across the hall to his door, worrying my bottom lip.
“What’s wrong?”
“Can you call and let me know when you get home?” I ask, then immediately drop my eyes from his, because that probably sounded clingy and girlfriendish. “I mean, just so I know you’re home safe.”
“It might be late when I get back,” he says, putting his fingers on my chin, pulling up until my eyes meet his once more.
“You don—”
“You gonna be worried about me?” he questions, searching my face.
“No . . .” His eyes narrow, and I blow out a breath. “Yes,” I grumble, and he smiles softly, rubbing my chin with his thumb.
“I’ll call.”
“Okay.” I pull in a breath through my nose, then lean up on my tiptoes, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Be safe, Levi.”
“Always, gorgeous. I’ll talk to you later.”
“’Kay,” I whisper against his mouth when it touches mine. “’Bye.” I drop to my flat feet, then turn and open the door, stepping inside. I give him a wave as he steps back.
“Later, baby.”
“Later,” I agree, watching him head across the hall to his place. He stops to look at me once more before he goes inside.
“Kiddo, breakfast is ready,” Dad says behind me, and I shut the door and turn to find all eyes on me.
“What?”
“Oh, you’ve got it bad.” Libby grins.
“Whatever,” I mutter, moving toward the kitchen.
“I don’t know, I’d say Levi is the one who’s got it bad,” Mom says, studying me thoughtfully. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man more in want than he is.”
“I don’t like it,” Dad says, and I pull my eyes from my mom to look at him and see that same look in his eyes that I saw right before I left a few minutes ago.
“I thought you liked Levi.”
“I like him just fine, but—”
“But what?” I cut him off, feeling my face fall.
“I want a different life for my girls than the one I subjected your mom to. Can’t you find a nice teacher or a doctor to date?” So that’s his sudden problem with Levi.
“Darling,” Mom whispers, and he shakes his head at her.
“No, I know how hard my career has been on my family.”
“Your career has given us a beautiful life.”
“All the holidays I missed, birthdays, anniversaries?” He shakes his head, rubbing his hands down his beard. “I know that was hard on you and the girls.”
“Dad, none of us suffered,” Mac says softly, and his eyes go to her. “We knew your job was important, and we also knew that you and Mom would find ways to make up for the times we missed out on with you. I don’t know about Libby or Fawn, but I never felt like I missed out on anything.”
“I never felt like I missed out on anything, Dad. You were always there when it was important,” Libby says, and his eyes go to her and soften.
“Dad,” I call, and he pulls his eyes from Libby to look at me. “You were out making the world a safer place for Mom, Libby, Mac, and me. There was never a time I resented you for that. Never,” I say, meaning that from the bottom of my soul, and he closes his eyes briefly.
“I just . . . I know the life of a detective is a demanding one, and I know that your mom has had to give up a lot for me.”
“I didn’t give up anything for you,” Mom snaps, glaring at him. “I love my life, I love my girls, and I love you, you big lug, and I wouldn’t change any part of it even if I could.”
“The worry?”
“I’d worry about you if you were a banker, I’d worry about you if you were a fisherman. There isn’t a line of work you could do that would erase that worry. I love you; every time you leave the house I worry if you’ll come back, but I worry even when you leave to go to the grocery store.”
“I just want Fawn to understand what she’s getting into with a man like Levi.”
“I know, Dad, and I love you for worrying, but let’s say I didn’t explore things with him. Let’s say I let my fear of what could happen win and I missed out on one of the best things in my life because I was scared. Would you be okay with that?”
“You’d be disappointed in her if she did that, Dad,” Mac says, and he pulls in a breath, then lets it out slowly.
“You’re right, I would be disappointed in Fawn if she let fear rule her life,” he says, then looks at me. “Do you really like this guy?”
“I do. I don’t know what will happen between us or where our relationship will go, but right now, I like spending time with him. The rest will have to wait—we’re just getting to know each other.”
“I say he’s a keeper. I mean, he did stick around after Mom suggested you get knocked up. I think that says a lot about him,” Libby says, and I smile as Mom lets out a huff.
“Just please be careful,” Dad says quietly, and I nod, then walk to him when he opens his arms to me.
Giving him a hug, I close my eyes. “I love you. Dad, you are still the best dad in the whole world.”
“I love you, too, kiddo, to the moon and back.” Giving him one more squeeze, I step back, then smile as my mom engulfs me in a tight embrace.
“I love you, honey, and I have to say I really, really like Levi.”
“Mom.” I roll my eyes as she lets me go.
“I know, I know, you are just starting to get to know each other, but a mom can pray, can’t she?” she asks, patting my cheek.
“Just don’t get your hopes up too high.”
“If you say so,” she mutters, then lets me go with a whimsical smile on her face that says she’s already planning a wedding and knitting baby booties. Lord, save me.
Chapter 8
THE GOOD PART
LEVI
Hitting “Call” on Fawn’s number, I step out of my apartment, pulling the door closed behind me while listening to the phone ring as I head across the hall.
“Levi,” her sweet, soft voice answers, causing something in my chest to shift at the sound of my name leaving her mouth.
“Come to the door.” I need to see her; I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her since I got called out this morning.
“Pardon?” she asks, and through the phone I hear her moving, then realize that her parents might still be staying with her, which would fuck up my plans for the evening unless I can convince her to come sleep at my place.
“Are your parents gone?”
“Yeah, they left this evening around six,” she says after a long pause.
Thank fuck.
“I’m at the door.”
“My door?” she asks, sounding adorably confused, and I smile.
“Yeah, baby, at your door.”
“Oh.” I hear more movement over the phone, and then I hear the sound of her feet on the wood floors getting closer. The sound of the locks clicking sounds right before she swings the door open. “Hey.” She smiles her beautiful smile up at me, and that shit in my chest shifts once more. “You showered,” she accuses, looking me over as her smile slides into a frown, making me grin. I know I shouldn’t get off on her attitude, but she is seriously cute when she’s pissed or flustered or aggravated with me.
“I did,” I agree, leaving out the fact that I had to shower to wash away the stench of death that had seeped through my clothes and into my pores. Placing my hand against her soft stomach, I nudge her back into the apartment, then turn to close and lock the door.
