I grin. We certainly have come a long way in a short amount of time.
I slide my hand into his even though I don’t need help getting out of the car. I appreciate his gentlemanly display of manners and cherish the small, considerate act. I smile at him. “If I’d known you were coming, I would’ve made myself more presentable,” I joke as I lean forward to give him a hug.
Except he takes a step back and holds out a hand between us. “Hold on.”
He turns and strides back to his truck. My smile falls. He comes back a few seconds later with a towel that he wraps around my shoulders and tucks in so that I’m a human burrito, my arms pinned to my sides. “There.” He tugs me to his chest and squeezes me tight. “You smell like wet dog.”
I bark out a laugh. “I’m aware.” I pull back so I can look up at him. “What I didn’t know was that you were waiting for me.”
I want to hug this man back but my arms are caged in the towel, which I’m not sure is more for my benefit since I’m still damp or his since his senses are probably being attacked by the state I’m in. I wiggle a little until I find the gap in the fabric, then bring my hands free and rest them at his sides. “Have you been here long?”
He shrugs, which isn’t really an answer but probably all I’m going to get.
“Do you mind waiting just a little bit longer? I really need a quick shower to wash off all this dog hair.”
He lets his arms fall away from me as he motions toward the house. I lead the way, and he follows.
“What are you doing here anyway? I thought our date was later this week,” I say over my shoulder.
“It is.”
I glance back at him. “So... ?”
“Shower first.” He points to my front door, then brings his hand back to scratch at his wrist. “You’ve got to be itchy and uncomfortable.”
I grin mischievously at him. “C’mon, big guy. You drove all the way here and have been waiting who knows how long. Don’t you want to cuddle up on my couch and talk about whatever it is that brought you here?”
“I do. After you shower.”
I laugh, the exhaustion I’d been feeling falling away. I’m energized simply by being in his presence. “Help yourself to a drink or whatever you want in the fridge. I’ll be out shortly.” I hustle to my room and grab fresh, dog-hair-free clothing. I let the warm water of the shower wash away the transfer of dirt and grime from my skin as I scrub quickly. I try not to let my mind wander to the reason Levi is here. He’ll tell me in his own time.
Finally feeling clean, I turn off the shower, towel-dry, and put on clean clothes. I run a comb through my wet hair but decide to let it air dry. Remembering Levi’s comment about how I should never wear makeup, I forgo any cosmetics and step out of the bathroom, bare-faced yet secure in my appearance.
Levi’s sitting on my couch reading a book when I walk into the living room.
“What do you have there?” I ask as I take a seat beside him and tuck my legs underneath me. He holds the book up so I can read the title. “Successful Small Businesses in Rural America.”My nose scrunches. “Is your service station having financial problems?”
He sets the hardback down beside him. “No. Jack asked me to come to a meeting of the business owners in town.”
I blink at him, remembering Jack’s request that I talk Levi into attending. “And you’re going to go?”
He shrugs.
“That’s great, Levi.”
He shrugs again.
“Is that what you drove out here to tell me?”
“No.”
I wait a second, but he doesn’t expound. “Are you going to make me guess?”
“No.”
“Is it something to do with our triplets?”
“I said I wasn’t going to make you guess.”
