“In my totally unbiased way,” June interjected with a watery little laugh, needing a little levity after all the weighty, emotional talk.
“Exactly,” Levi said. “Your Benjamin is the best kid ever, and having that memory of your husband must be so special. But some blessings come with unexpected challenges and heartache.”
June gave him an assessing look. “You’re wise, do you know that?”
He looked slightly bashful. “Nah,” he demurred. “I just listen to a lot of sad songs.”
“No, I don’t think so,” she said. “I think you’ve maybe faced some challenges and heartache of your own. With your career, maybe?”
He paused, and this time it was June’s turn to worry that she’d gone too far. But after another slow, contemplative bite of his food, he nodded.
“Yeah, maybe,” he said. “I would feel like a jerk even comparing it to what you’ve been through, but I think that maybe every good thing has a little bit of a counterpoint to it. My career has been great. I love music. And I love that I get to play music and make a living, a good living, doing so. But the other stuff, the part where I’m off the stage but still feel like I have to always be performing?” He rubbed the back of his neck. “It isn’t easy.”
On impulse, June reached out to touch the back of his hand where it was resting on the table. He flipped his grip just long enough to squeeze her hand in appreciation, then they both went back to their meals, as if detecting that they both needed a brief break from the intensity of their conversation.
When they started speaking again, it was to discuss easier topics. They talked about the ambiance of the restaurant, of the supposed ‘warm snap’ that was supposed to hit them the next week.
“It’s going to be in the high forties, or at least that’s what the weather report says. I don’t buy it though,” June insisted.
“Stop saying ‘forties’ like that’s warm!” Levi insisted laughingly. “That’s cold! It’s still really, really cold!”
“Welcome to New England, Levi,” she said, raising her glass of red wine, which paired perfectly with her dinner, in a toast.
He clinked his glass, which contained an old fashioned, against hers.
“Sometimes, I like to torture myself a bit by looking at the weather report in Nashville,” he admitted. “But then, before I start to think about booking a flight back to Tennessee… or Florida… or Central America, I look at the social media of some of my friends in the music scene, and then I remember thatIspent the last night snug in my own house, and the jealousy fades.”
June grinned. “You know, I think most people see that kind of stuff and theystartto feel jealous,” she pointed out.
Levi shrugged. “We were talking about things that I sacrificed for my music career. And I think the number one thing that I lost wassilence. Peace. Quiet. So, I’m soaking in every minute.”
“As the mom of a small kid, I can relate to that,” June said, and they clinked glasses again.
The conversation flowed so easily between them that June was surprised when she noticed that her plate had been cleared of every bite almost without her noticing, and that Levi’s meal was entirely gone too.
“We could order dessert?” Levi suggested.
June pressed a hand to her stomach. “I want to say yes, because I’m having a really nice time, but…”
“I’m pretty full too,” he said. “For what it’s worth though, I’m also having a really nice time.”
When they grinned at one another, June suspected that they both looked a little dopey. But she didn’t mind. That was nice too.
Levi flagged down the waiter for the bill. June mentally tried to do math as she dug through her small purse for her credit card, but Levi waved her off.
“June, no,” he said, holding the bill close to his chest as though he worried that she might try to steal it out of his hands. “Please. It’s my treat.”
“I can pay my half,” she insisted, even though she knew that the dinner would put a dent in her budget for the week.
“Nah, no chance,” he said, slipping his own card into the leather folder and handing it back to the waiter before June could protest further. “I invited you on a date. The inviter pays. Those are the rules.”
She scrunched her nose at him. Her pride nagged at her to insist, but she had to admit that his logic seemed sound.
“Don’t argue,” he said, waving his hand in front of her like he was trying to hypnotize her. “Just let me do this.”
She laughed.
“Okay, okay, you win,” she said. “I guess it’s just been a while since I let a man in my life do something nice to take care of me. I’m not used to it any longer.”
