“I really appreciate it,” he said honestly. “But I’m afraid that I have somewhere to be at the moment.”
Mrs. Ferrars narrowed her eyes. “They’re fresh from Honey Bee Bakery,” she added with the air of someone dangling a carrot in front of a horse.
Levi’s grin was genuine. He liked the firecracker older woman. This town sure was full of character.
“I really can’t,” he said. “But thank you.”
Mrs. Ferrars looked put out, but she nodded. “Very well,” she said. “Go about your business. But don’t bother poor June for too long; she’ll freeze.”
Levi, alarmed, glanced over at June, who was only wearing a sweatshirt. He hadn’t even thought of that! His distress must have shown on his face because she waved him off as Mrs. Ferrars went back inside.
“I’m not freezing,” she reassured him. “I told you, this is a warm snap to those of us who aren’t used to the balmy Southern climes.”
Levi shuddered. “I remain appalled by any metric that considers thiswarm,” he said with feeling. “So, I will let you get back inside, I promise. There’s just one more thing…”
The idea had occurred to him somewhere between June explaining the vast difference she saw between their lives, his reminder of their shared love of music, and the pink sparkly hat.
“Oh, spit it out,” she said, her expression nervous but her tone lighthearted. “I can handle it.”
“Oh, I know you can,” he said. “Heck, I’m pretty sure you can handle anything, June Caldwell. You have no idea how impressed I am by you. You lost your spouse, hold down two jobs, and you’re crushing it as a single parent, even with your son’s new diagnosis.”
June’s cheeks went pink, and Levi didn’t think this was because of the chill, no matter what she said about “warm snaps.”
“And, on top of all that, you still find time to pursue your passion. You are brave enough to get up and sing… and when you do, you excel at that too. I know you blew my mind, at least. Which is why I think… you and I should record a single together.”
She dropped the rug.
“I—what?”she said, as though she couldn’t believe she’d heard him correctly.
“I would like you to consider recording a single with me,” he said calmly, feeling even more confident in the idea now that he’d said it out loud. “I would really like it, but I’m not going to pressure you. I’m not even going to ask you to give me an answer right now. But,” he added, holding her gaze with his, “I think it could be amazing. Not only would we make some darn good music together, but this would let you see what the professional side of the music industry is like. That way, you’ll be armed with that knowledge, no matter how much or to what extent you decide to pursue singing.”
June crouched down to grab the rug, which she now had to shake again.
“I… don’t know,” she hedged.
Levi figured that this was better than an outright refusal. Besides, he was beginning to learn that June was cautious, probably something she’d gained through her years having to be a savvy and responsible single parent. He would give her space to consider.
Also, he could see that Mrs. Ferrars was back at the upstairs window, peeking out at them avidly, although she hadn’t yet opened it again. Levi assumed he didn’t have much time left before he was being exhorted to accept coffee and pastries again.
“Just think about it,” he encouraged. “And if you decide to do it, you can come to my house tomorrow, if that works with your schedule. We can talk more details then. But June…?”
He waited until she was looking at him instead of at the rug in her hands before finishing.
“I really want to hear what it sounds like when you and I create something together,” he said.
From the flush that crossed her cheeks, he could tell that she understood that he didn’t just mean the song he wanted them to write, although that was no consolation prize. He was an artist, but he was a businessman too. He really thought that singing with June would offer them something that the country music world wanted to hear.
But as he bid her farewell and let her get back to work, he couldn’t help but hope that she would agree not only to the song, but to something more between the two of them personally as well.
The next day would tell him more. So the only thing he had to do between now and then was wait and hope that she would find the courage and confidence to make an appearance.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“June, June!”
The moment June walked through the doors to the bookshop for that week’s book club, Eleanor called her name and approached, dragging a sheepish-looking young man behind her.
“June, hello. This is my son, Jeremy. Jeremy, this is my friend, June. I’ve beensoexcited for you all to meet!”
