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“It’s not that, Levi.”
“What is it then?”
Barbara walks over to me and brushes imaginary lint off my shoulders. “You come from different worlds and are a very unlikely pair.”
“We’re just friends, Barb.”
She shakes her head but smiles softly. “When people find out, it won’t matter what you say. They will spin this every which way possible. You need to tell Stormy and Willow what you’re doing so they don’t see you in the papers.”
As much as I don’t want to admit it, she’s right. It should be easy for me to tell Stormy that I’m helping out a friend, but I’m worried her reaction will be similar to Barbara’s. It seems like I’m in a no-win situation with these women of mine.
I kiss Barbara on her forehead and retire to my bedroom so I can pack. Since I’ve been here, Barb had most of my clothes shipped over because she couldn’t find a store that carried what I liked, at least not in some decent quantity.
The sound of the girls laughing has me walking right to my bedroom window. To watch them splash each other and be happy after losing their mother warms me. My phone vibrates and I pull it out of my pocket.
Badass Barb Plane at 7. I’m going back with you.
Barb heading back with me isn’t a shock, even though I prefer she stays here. She does have other clients to tend to. I feel like I’m doing the right thing. I guess only time will tell. It would be easier to text Zara, but I said I’d call, and I’m trying to keep my word, especially when it comes to her.
“Hello,” she says on the second ring, not that I was counting.
“Hey Zara, it’s Levi.”
“Hi, Levi,” she says my name softly, and I find myself grinning from it. I shake my head, clearing away the ridiculous thoughts.
“The plane will leave at seven. I’ll pick you up if that’s all right?”
“Yeah, that would be fine. I’ll be ready.”
I feel like I should say more like maybe tell her what to pack or tell her that she doesn’t have to worry, but my tongue feels rather thick. Besides, it’s not like she can’t buy things when we get there, like boots. She’ll need those.
“Okay. Can you text me your address?”
“Already did.”
“Okay. Bye.” I hang up and immediately curse myself for being so stupid on the phone. It isn’t like I’ve never spoken to a woman before, but there’s something about her that makes me feel eighteen again.
Instead of dwelling on the fact that I’m an idiot, I change quickly so I can join the girls in the pool. With my shorts on, I run through the house yelling, getting a dirty look from Barbara as I breeze by her.
The girls are frozen when I step out onto the patio. Their eyes wide as I run toward them. “Cannonball!!!”
The muffled screams I hear are from Stormy, Willow, and my mama, making me wish I had videoed them getting soaked. Not that the girls should care since they were in the pool, to begin with. But seeing my mama get drenched would’ve been fun.
It takes me a few seconds to surface, but when I do, I’m met with three pairs of angry Austin women.
“What?” I say, shrugging my shoulders.
“Levi Austin, how dare you do this to me?” My mother looks like a drowned rat. Her usual perfectly styled hair is matted to her face, and her clothes are clinging to her body. “And to think I said I’d watch your children for you,” she huffs and turns back toward the house yelling something unintelligible.
“Where are you going? Why does Memaw need to watch us?” Willow asks as she swims toward me. She climbs on my back, much like she used to when she was little before she was comfortable in the water.
“I gotta head back home for a bit.”
“Why? What’s in Nashville that you can’t do here?” Stormy asks.
If I didn’t know any better, I would think I’m in the middle of an inquisition by the way she’s staring at me.
“First of all, it’s where we live, Stormy. Second, I have some business I need to take care of, and third, I have a friend who needs some help.”
