The plastic containers made a loudsplatnoise on the linoleum—cupcakes down—but all he could see was Jillian Keller. An unexpected fluttery feeling slapped his rib cage and wiggled its way up to his heart as he stared at her, waited for her gaze to move from the mess on the floor to his face.
When it did, the sparks on his skin paled in comparison to the bolt of lightning that hit his gut.Goddamnshe’d grown up to be stunning. That wasn’t a surprise, but the way looking at her stole his breath absolutely was.
Because she had very little, if any, makeup on, it was easy totake in her natural beauty: the soft pink of her round cheeks, the shape of her eyes and their striking color, the slope of her cute nose. A gentle blush settled over her face. They’d grown up together, they were friends in the “little-sister-of-my-friends” sort of way. Until she’d turned thirteen to his fifteen. Some sort of switch had flipped that summer, and when he saw her, his palms got sweaty, his words got tangled in his mouth, and his heart acted like it was on speed if she got too close.
Levi had fought the crush hard because of his friendship with Beckett and Gray. But by the time he’d left Smile at seventeen, he’d known if he spent another summer around her, he’d kiss her for sure. Or she would have kissed him. The one time she’d gathered the nerve to try hadn’t ended so well, but the memory still made him smile.
Without thinking about it, one of his hands moved to his chin, where his fingers rubbed over the small scar from that night. They were older and wiser now but she was still off-limits. There were strict “guy rules” about these things: female relatives of buddies were off-limits. Even if, after fifteen years apart, his tongue felt thick, his mouth frozen, just from looking at her. From the way his blood hummed beneath his skin, he didn’t think it was going to be any easier to remember the rules at thirty-one.
Last night, when he thought he saw her, he’d searched a little longer than he should have, but he told himself it was just to catch up and say hi.
His heart thumped in his chest like it was chanting,li-ar, li-arwith its beats.
“Levi,” she said, her voice a husky whisper.
“Hi, Jilly.” He smiled at her, wishing he could hug her, but with the cupcakes in her arms and the mini time lapse as they stared at each other, it would be awkward. Hell,hewas awkward,gawking at her like he’d never been around a gorgeous woman before.
“You’re really home,” she said, almost more to herself than him.
He laughed, ran a hand through his hair. “I am. Were there rumors I wouldn’t be?”
Her eyes widened a bit, like she realized she’d said it aloud. “No. No. I just thought I saw you but didn’t think it could be you.” She glanced down at the mess, pulling his gaze to the same spot.
He crouched down to grab them. “Shit. I’m so sorry.”
The packages crinkled as he turned them right side up. He winced as he stood straight, looking at the mushed pink icing smearing the inside of the lid.
“They aren’t so pretty now,” he said, giving her a sheepish smile. “I’ll go see if there’s a couple more packs?” He looked around, realizing the baked goods aisle was exactly where it’d been when he moved away.
“It’s okay. Really. Eight packs should be enough. Those two were just extra. I grabbed all there was. I should take them up front, though, if you don’t mind putting them back on my pile?”
Levi grinned. “It’s bad enough I almost took you out with miniature cupcakes. The least I can do is walk you to the front.”
“Good thing they weren’t full size,” she said as he scooped up his basket with his free hand.
Her lips twitched and he had the urge to make her laugh. She had a deep, full laugh that he could almost hear when he thought of it. “It could have been catastrophic.”
A small, barely there giggle left her lips. “It wasn’t entirely your fault. I was hurrying and couldn’t see. My daughter, Ollie, forgot to tell me she signed me up to bring treats for the activity day at school this afternoon.”
Right. She’d been married and had a kid. He couldn’t remember all the details, but he knew she’d moved back a while ago with only the kid. “Ahh. Not just a cupcake emergency but a last-minute one.”
Jillian laughed, and the sound delighted him. Just like he remembered: rich and carefree and so absolutely sweet. “Adulting with a kid is never dull. But never mind that; are you visiting your parents?”
As they walked side by side to the front of the store, he leaned a bit closer. He hadn’t forgotten that Smile’s official pastime was gossiping. “I’m home for good. I was already packed and headed this way when my dad had to have emergency gallbladder surgery.”
Jillian stopped, turned toward him, her compassion radiating in waves that pulled him closer. “What? Is he okay? How did I not know this?”
He laughed, resisting the urge to smooth her brow with his fingertips. “Despite a lot of evidence, you actually can keep a secret in this town. Not well, but he told his crew not to say anything. You know him—stubborn as a mule and can’t stand being helped.”
“Aw. I’m glad he’s okay. I should cook something and bring it over.”
He wasn’t going to say no to seeing her again, but before he could say anything, her face scrunched adorably.
“Right. As if he needs my lazy lasagna when he’s got a chef on hand.”
Levi cringed. “Lazy lasagna? Jilly.” He shook his head in mock disappointment. “Good thing I’m home. That sounds like a crime.”
She rolled her eyes, amusement shining, and started walking toward the front of the store. He’d forgotten how easy she was totalk to. His work kept him so busy and so focused, he’d forgotten a lot of things. But they were coming back to him.
