“Need coffee,” he muttered, already reaching for the door.
“Hey, grab me a—” Levi started, but Gino was already out, the door slamming shut behind him.
Levi sighed under his breath. “Grumpy old wolf.”
I huffed a quiet laugh before I could stop myself.
“You alright back there?” Levi asked.
I hesitated. “Yeah. Just nervous, I guess.”
His expression softened immediately.
“Yeah, that makes sense,” he said, like he understood exactly what I meant.
Levi twisted in his seat to look back at me properly. “It can be a lot,” he continued. “Being thrown into a pack situation all at once. Especially if you’re not used to it.”
“It takes time to find your footing,” Levi went on. “You don’t have to meet everyone right away. Tony and Nico are good guys. Easygoing. They’ll give you space if you need it.”
I nodded, watching the diner door as Gino disappeared inside.
“And if you don’t feel up to it,” Levi added more quietly, “you can always come find me.”
The words settled somewhere deep in my chest.
“I mean,” he added quickly, like he didn’t want it to sound like a big deal, “I get it. Being on the outside. Trying to figure out where you fit.”
There was a brief pause after that, like he’d almost wanted to say more, then thought better of it.
For some reason, I believed him more than I expected to.
“Thanks,” I said quietly, even though part of me was already reminding myself it was only for a few days. That was all this was.
The driver’s door opened again, and Gino climbed back in with a grunt, balancing a cardboard drink carrier and three brown paper bags. He set them on the dashboard, then slid the coffee tray into the centre console between the seats.
The smell of grease, toasted bread, and sharp coffee filled the cab.
Levi nodded at the bags. “What’s all this?”
Gino ignored him. He pulled one bag closer, checked inside, then swapped it for another. Only when he was satisfied did he hold one out toward me.
“Figured the kid must be hungry.”
For a second, I just stared at it before taking it, slower than I meant to. “I… thank you.”
Gino waved it off, already reaching for his coffee. “Coffee’s there if you want it.”
Levi turned in his seat. “Did you get me anything?”
Without looking up, Gino shoved the first bag into his chest.
Levi grinned. “Ha. I knew it.” He immediately started unwrapping a breakfast sandwich.
Gino started the engine. “Six bucks for the sandwich, three for the coffee,” he said flatly.
Levi paused mid-bite. “What? You’re making me pay?”
Gino shot him a look. “You think I’m running a charity?”
