Arm on the center console, Levi twists back toward me.
I don’t think it’s the Brian Regan quote that’s amusing him. The lights are on in the car, and all I see is dancing hazel. I can’t pretend not to notice, but I close my mouth and shrug, like his devastating handsomeness ain’t no thang. On the bright side, he doesn’t seem to think I was weird beyond excuse last night. Wait, but that’s not good.
He points his head at the wide-open door beside me, but Haymitch is already unbuckled and closing it.
“Oh, you don’t want your door ripped off? Whatever suits ya,” I imitate.
Levi presses his lips together to hold back the laugh visible in his eyes. He switches the Jon Foreman to NEEDTOBREATHE. Good vibe change, good taste. Add them to the growing list of reasons this guy is obnoxiously likable. Too bad I’ll be enforcing a cavern of distance between us. No bridges allowed, no rappelling, no hot air balloons. No transit of any kind across said cavern.
This SUV is indeed a rolling mansion. I turn in my soft and springy leather seat and come up with things to talk about with the guy sitting next to me. Flooder 2. Ethan? I was a coward to choose small talk over that front seat. I don’t hear much of their conversation, but Levi and Haymitch seem like they’ve been friends a long time.
At the restaurant, Austin asks for the best-lit spot the hostess can manage—odd—and she guides us to a long table. Like the perpetual fourth grader I am, I veer to stay on the other side of the group from Levi. I don’t appreciate the internal tug-of-war his presence incites. And now I’m thinking about that night again. Squash it down.
Holding Levi’s shoulder as he navigates across the room, Haymitch’s eyes are glazed and unfocused. He can’t see? Trailing behind Mia and Sophie, I’m relieved I can sit at the end of the table butting up to the wall. Fewer people to talk to at once. I’vealways been a small group kind of person. Shoot, I should have waited. Levi maneuvers to sit across from me. Haymitch reaches to find the chair in front of him. He blinks and pans around as if his vision will return to him any moment. Levi levels his gaze at me and cracks a charming smile. He’s doing a terrible job keeping up with his bachelor-for-life reputation, and I fight the instinct to feel honored. Concern and caution are more warranted, so I aim for those instead.
Austin whispers in Ethan’s ear and trades with him to sit across from Sophie and next to Haymitch.
Sophie sings along to every word as “What My World Spins Around” plays in the background.
“You know my music, City Girl?” Austin asks her, pulling in his chair.
Sophie rears back in faux offense. Her happy eyes give her away.
“I would’ve pegged you for a Swiftie,” he says.
“What do you meanyourmusic?” she asks.
“Country music is small town music. Didn’t you say you’re from LA?”
“Uh-oh,” I murmur to Mia. This will be entertaining.
“Right?” Mia agrees.
“I’m from Pasadena. It’s LA county, not Los Angeles. And Jordan Davis just went on an international tour.” She raises her brows at him. “He played in Stockholm and Copenhagen, but his music is only for small towns?”
Austin pushes his rolled sleeves to his elbows and bends over in mischief, resting his wide, hairy forearms on the table. “Good for him. It’s still small-town music. You even know what the first line of this song means?”
Haymitch elbows Levi like this isn’t Austin’s usual.
“Let’s see,” Sophie says. “Cast, water, line, so … fishing?”
“Ding ding.” Haymitch lounges in his seat and adjusts his backward baseball cap.
Sophie tips her shoulder, proud. “Pretty good for a ‘city girl,’ huh? Besides, you don’t have to live in a small town to go fishing.”
“Okay, little lady,” Austin says. “What’s a back-forty view?”
She looks to Mia and me. “Can I phone a friend?”
“No idea,” I say. “Sorry, Sophs.”
Levi meets my eyes, but I glance away.
“Girl, I don’t have one clue,” Mia says. “Miami is south, not The South.”
“Don’t say it, Haymitch.” Austin half smiles.
“What?” Mia asks.
