Читать книгу Rom-Com Collection - Kristan Higgins - Страница 31
ОглавлениеCHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“I THINK IT’S FANTASTIC that you guys are together. Really. You’re perfect for each other.” Jeremy beamed at them like a proud parent.
Faith made a noncommittal noise, looked in her wine and tried not to cringe. Levi, she imagined, was doing something similar, though of course he was too stoic and manly to cringe, but inside, he’d be cringing, too.
They were at Jeremy’s for dinner—a celebratory dinner, he’d said, because the two people he loved best in the world were shtupping each other. He seemed to be the only one celebrating, however, and it was quite possible he was a little too happy, which was rather grating.
Jeremy had figured it out during what had become their weekly lunch at Hugo’s. Levi had come in for something or another, wearing a gun and looking incredibly smokin’ alpha protector, and she’d fought the urge to wrap herself around him like a python. “Gotta go,” he’d said, and Faith had muttered goodbye, and the second Levi was out of earshot, Jeremy’s eyes had widened. “You two are doing it, aren’t you?” he’d whispered gleefully.
Yes. They were. But it was a little early to be thinking thoughts like perfect or even together. Levi was hard to figure out. On the one hand, he’d come to her apartment door six out of the eight nights since they’d first slept together. And the sex was great. She honestly hadn’t known sex like that really existed outside of Ryan Gosling movies. Skyscraping, mind-blowing, tunnel-of-light great. Before and during sex, and immediately afterward, it felt as if they had something going on, something—she barely even dared to think the word—special.
Otherwise, not so much. She’d dropped by to see him the other day at the station; he’d asked, “What can I do for you, Faith?” with a completely straight face, like she wanted to discuss her parking tickets (which she really should pay...sleeping with the police chief hadn’t prevented him from ticketing her car in the forty-five seconds she’d been double-parked in front of Lorelei’s).
Then last night during nooky, he’d put a hand over her mouth, smiling. “You’ll wake the neighbors,” he’d said.
“Don’t stop,” she’d whispered.
Hmm. Now that she thought of it, that had been their longest conversation. Levi had been working constantly—there’d been a small crime spree in east Manningsport. He’d gone up to Geneva to have dinner with Sarah (and hadn’t asked her to come...which was fine, but still, she really liked Sarah, and if she and Levi were in something, it’d be nice to see his sister more. Right?).
So tonight was their first “date,” not that it had been either of their ideas. It was the brainchild of Jeremy—Jeremy, who was dressed in black jeans, a blue striped shirt, untucked, and yellow river man’s sweater with four buttons unopened at the neck. Good old Banana Republic.
Levi, on the other hand, wore faded jeans with a tear in the knee, work boots and a flannel shirt, and despite her growing irritation with the man, it was getting hard not to rip open that shirt and take a bite.
But so far, Levi had barely said two words to her. Make that one. He’d said hey when he came in the door, half an hour after he was supposed to be there.
“I should’ve thought of this years ago,” Jeremy now said. “Faith and Levi. Levi and Faith.” Again with the beaming.
“Well, years ago, we were together, Jeremy,” Faith said, a trifle testily. Levi said nothing. She resisted the urge to elbow him in the ribs.
“Right, right! But you two have, you know...chemistry.”
Faith rolled her eyes. At the moment, the only chemistry she was feeling was acidic. She glanced at Levi, who gave her a six on the Boredom Scale. Nice. Then again, she may have been misreading his glances. Then again on top of that, she was, thus far, nothing more than a booty call.
“Whoops. Let me check the potatoes,” Jeremy said now. He got up, all male grace, and went into the kitchen.
And still Levi said nothing.
“Am I just a booty call to you?” she whispered.
“What? No,” he answered tersely.
Wow. Two whole words. “You haven’t taken me out yet,” she countered.
“I’ve been working.”
Ooh. Three words now. “Sure.”
The Boredom Scale jumped to a nine. “Faith, four houses have been broken into in the past ten days. I’m the police chief. I like my job. I have to do my job in order to keep it. I’m sorry I haven’t—”
“You know what? It’s fine.”
“I hate that word,” he grumbled.
Faith gave him a pointed look. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Levi. Please forgive me.”
“What bug is up your—”
“Shut up, he’s back.”
Levi sighed, that typical male women are such pains sigh. This time she did elbow him in the ribs. “Jesus,” he muttered.
“No, it’s just Jeremy. But close,” Faith shot back.
“So tell me everything,” Jeremy said. “How did you guys get together?”
“It’s purely sexual,” Faith said.
Jeremy laughed. “You’re so cute.”
“It’s true. I’m adorable.”
“You are.” He smiled at her. “Isn’t she, Levi?”
“Yeah. Adorable.” At that moment, his cell rang. “Chief Cooper,” he answered, his face losing that bored affect as he listened. “Okay. Yep. I’m on my way.” He stood up. “Sorry, guys, I have to go. An attempted break-in at the Hedbergs’ house. They think their dog scared off whoever was there.”
“Have fun,” Faith said, taking another sip of her wine.
He looked down at her. “I don’t know how long I’ll be.”
“Whatevs, honeybun.”
Levi looked at Faith another minute. “Bye,” he said, then leaned in and kissed her, and just like that, her heart softened.
“Be careful,” she said.
“Will do.” Then he left, and she and Jeremy were alone in the beautiful living room of the Lyon house, a fire crackling in the huge stone fireplace, wine and cheese on the coffee table.
She already missed Levi. Even if he was just her life-size sex toy.
“So,” Jeremy said. “You and Levi. How’s it going?”
She tucked her feet under her and took another sip of the wine (an oaky chardonnay with an overstated buttery texture, to be honest). “I don’t really know,” she said.
“The air crackles between you two. It does. It crackles.”
Faith snorted. “Crackles with irritation, maybe.”
“Well, you like him, right?”
Faith had to think about that one. “I like him sometimes. And, once in a great while, I think he likes me. I mean, I know he likes me in some ways—”
“He does. Of course he does. You’re wonderful.”
Faith put her wine down. “Can you stop with the compliments, Jeremy? It’s driving me crazy.”
He sighed. “Okay, yeah, I’m a little...” He paused. “I’d really like to see you happily settled with someone. And I love Levi like a brother. So I’m sorry if I’m a little overly invested here.”
“I’m sorry, too,” she said. “I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
He smiled, that easy, generous, ready smile that won over patients in a heartbeat. “It’s okay. I think I’m owed some snapping.” He paused. “I still feel bad that I couldn’t give you what you wanted, Faith.”
“It’s okay,” she said. “Water under the bridge.”
Being here in his beautiful house, where she’d been hundreds of times, the fire, the wine, the elegant furniture and many family photos...she’d been so close to living this life. To having Jeremy, the heir to this vineyard, the town doctor, the guy who was everything she’d ever imagined having in a man.
The man who loved her with all his heart but had to picture Justin Timberlake to do the deed.
It occurred to Faith that she’d never thanked Levi for stopping her wedding.
She took a sip of her wine, which was improving with oxidation. “Can I ask you something about Levi?”
“Of course! I mean, nothing that would betray our brotherly bond and all that.” Another smile.
“What was his wife like?” Faith asked. She’d been dying to hear about her, but as she and Levi hadn’t done more than some X-rated acts, she hadn’t had the chance.
“Nina, Nina, Nina,” Jeremy said, swirling his wine around. “Nina Rodriguez. She was unbelievably pretty.”
“Hey! A little loyalty, please?”
“I take it back,” he said. “She was so ugly. In an unbelievably pretty way.” He grinned. “She looked like J-Lo.”
“Ouch.”
“Well, she was also the one who broke his heart.”
Crap. She’d been kind of hoping for a marriage of convenience situation with an upcoming and heartfelt declaration from Levi that only now did he understand the true meaning of love, yadda yadda. Too many romance novels or something. “They were only together for a little while, right?”
“Well, they knew each other in Afghanistan. She was—is—a helicopter pilot. Total kick-ass.”
“Right.” More wine was definitely called for. She took the bottle from the ice bucket and poured herself a second glass. “Was she nice?”
“Not the word I’d use. She was hot. Sorry, she was,” Jeremy said. “And she was funny. Great smile, seemed very smart. But nice? Not sure about that.”
Unfortunate that she had to ask Jeremy about these things instead of the man himself. Jeremy, however, would talk. “Did they live together first or anything?”
“Nope. Levi had to go to some Army thing in Fort Drum, and he came back with her, asked me to come to the Town Hall and there she was. They got married right then and there, with just his mom and sister and me.” Jeremy smiled at the memory. “He was totally smitten. Couldn’t take his eyes off her. He was so...smug, you know? Like, yeah, look at me, married to her.”
“You’re giving me a cramp, Jeremy.”
He grimaced. “Well, obviously it didn’t work out. Nina was fun, she was gorgeous, but she was edgy, too. It was tough, because it was one of those situations where you could see that his heart was going to be crushed. No one was really surprised it didn’t last.”
“Except him?”
“Exactly.” Jeremy paused. “He adored her, she couldn’t wait to leave. Just not meant for small-town life, I guess. Or marriage. And Levi, meanwhile, had practically named their kids.”
Faith knew that feeling. She and Jeremy actually had named their kids. “And that was a year ago?”
“More than that. Maybe a year and a half? Yeah, because it was June and we had the biplane show on the lake. He walked around like someone had hit him in the head with a baseball bat.”
Faith sighed. “Well, this sucks, Jeremy, because from the sound of it, she’s the love of his life, and I’m a booty call.”
“How long have you guys been together?”
“Eight days.”
Jeremy laughed. “I’d give it a little time, sweetheart.” He stood up and picked up her wineglass. “Let’s eat. I have some beautiful steaks and twice-baked potatoes and coleslaw, all your favorites, not to mention grape pie from Lorelei’s. We can watch a movie if Levi’s late. I have The Devil Wears Prada. I watched it last night, too, and I swear it gets better every time.”
“I can’t believe I ever thought you were straight.” She took his hand and let him pull her off the couch, then followed him into the kitchen.
* * *
THE HEDBERGS HAD COME home to find the back door open and called Levi, rather than go inside in case the burglar was still there. Smart. He made the family wait as he took a walk-through. No intruder. It looked like Katie’s room had been tossed, but she said it was as she’d left it. Andrew gazed at him with wide-eyed adoration, firing off questions about bad guys, guns, robbers and whether or not Abraham could be trained to attack.
After that, Levi walked around the house, looking for signs of a break-in—screens knocked out, footprints in flower beds, damage to any of the doors. Christine, the oldest of the three kids, admitted it was possible she hadn’t closed the back door when she’d left that afternoon.
“Sorry to have bothered you for nothing, Chief,” Mr. Hedberg said.
“No bother. You did the right thing by calling,” he said, scratching Abraham’s ears. “That’s what I’m here for, and especially with the other burglaries, you shouldn’t hesitate. It’s good you have a dog, though,” he added. “Very effective deterrent, aren’t you, boy?” Abraham had wagged to show that yes, he was an excellent watchdog.
“We should give Abraham a steak,” Andrew suggested. “Right, Chief Cooper? Can I be a cop when I grow up?”
“Sure,” Levi said.
“Or a soldier! So I could kill the bad guys.”
“Hopefully all the bad guys will be gone when you grow up,” Levi said, feeling the familiar awkwardness. Then he shook hands, told the family to have a good night and took a cruise through the neighborhood. Pru and Carl lived up the street, so he pulled into their driveway and knocked on the door. Abby answered.
“Hi,” she said, her face lighting up. “Wanna come in? Hang out?”
“Sorry, Abby, I can’t. Are your parents home?”
Her face darkened. “They’re ‘taking a nap,’ okay?” she said, making quote marks with her fingers. “Like I’m four and believe that. My father’s living at my grandmother’s house, but he comes over for conjugal visits. The noises, Levi. No matter how loud I turn up the TV, I swear I can still hear them. I cannot wait to go to college.”
He suppressed a grin. “Well, the Hedbergs thought someone might’ve tried to break in, but there was no sign of anything missing. Even so, make sure the doors are locked, and you call me if you hear anything.”
“First of all, I know everything already. Katie just texted me. And secondly, I’m not exactly the type to go investigating things that go bump in the night. I’ve seen all the horror movies.”
“Right.” He gave her his best cop look. “And how are you? You keeping on the straight and narrow?”
“Oh, sure. Mmm-hmm.” She was texting as she spoke. Irritating.
“Make sure you do, Abby. One act of stupidity can have long-lasting implications.”
“Wow. I’ll totally think about that. Thanks. You’ve changed my life.”
“Don’t be a twit,” he said.
“I’m posting that you said that on my Facebook.”
“I mean it, Abby. You don’t want to get pregnant or—”
“Oh, hey, I just remembered something! I’m not your sister! I have plenty of adults to lecture me, okay? Don’t be one of them. Just give me one of those hot looks instead, how about it?”
“Have a good night, Abby.”
“That’ll do.” She held up her phone and clicked. Great. He’d be on her Facebook page in seconds.
No, she wasn’t his sister. She might end up as his niece, however.
Oh, shit. Where had that thought come from?
He backed out of the Vanderbeek’s driveway. Thing was, yeah. He wasn’t the tomcat type. It’d be nice to get married, have a couple kids.
But this time, he had to pick wisely. Nina had said she loved him (though looking back, she said it in the same tone that she used in saying she loved pizza). Said she was ready to settle down. Liked the idea of small-town life. She figured she’d get her master’s in education, become a teacher. Yes to kids.
That had lasted three months.
He picked up his phone and called Sarah. “Hey. What are you doing?”
“Nothing. Studying. How are you?” There was an eagerness in her voice that bespoke loneliness. He could hear music in the background.
“I’m fine. You alone?”
“Yeah. Chem test tomorrow. My slutty roommate’s with her boyfriend.”
“I thought you liked her.”
“She’s a slut, Levi. So what’s up?”
“Just checking on you.”
There was a pause. “Thanks,” she said, her voice small.
“I need advice,” he said, surprising himself.
“Really?” Her tone was much happier all of a sudden. “Why? Did Faith dump your sorry ass?”
“No,” Levi said, a smile threatening. “I’m just wondering if I want to be...I don’t know. Runner-up.” He winced, not sure he should be telling his sister this.
“Why would you be runner-up? Oh, the Jeremy thing! Right! I got it.” There was a rustle. “Tell me everything.”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“Is she still hung up on him?”
Levi hesitated. “I don’t know.”
“Ask her.”
“Right.”
“Do it, dummy! Just ask her. Then kiss the stuffing out of her, and she’ll definitely pick you. Straight trumps gay every time.”
Levi laughed. “Got it. How are you? Doing okay?”
She sighed so hard it practically ruffled his hair. “Am I allowed to say no?”
He hesitated. “You’re still adjusting, that’s all. You’ll love college before long.”
“Whatever.”
“Not whatever, Sarah. You have to give it some effort, though.” He tried to think of what Faith would say. “It’s okay to be homesick. But don’t let that take away all the good things.” There. That sounded pretty good.
“Whatever, Sigmund. I have to study.” Her voice was deflated.
He sighed. “Okay. You’re smart, you’ll do great.”
“Thanks.” Barely a grunt now.
He hung up, bemused. College was supposed to help with her grief, not make it worse. He didn’t like knowing she was lonely.
A sign told him he’d driven out of Manningsport, across the little stretch of Osskill and into the town of Bryer. Looked like his subconscious had taken him for a little ride. A left at the intersection, two miles down, a right. This was the fourth time he’d been here. Funny how familiar the drive was.
Nice neighborhood, built in the late sixties. Ranches and Capes, big yards, smallish houses, all very wholesome. Great place for trick-or-treating, unlike the trailer park, where things could be a little dicey. When he was seven, Jessica’s dad had offered him a can of Pabst. From then on, Levi’s mom had driven him and Jess into the Village on Halloween. That had ended when they were nine. They’d each just happily accepted a regular-sized Mr. Goodbar (his favorite) and were leaving the porch of the giant old Vic when a voice came from the window. “Who was it?” the man asked.
The woman—Mrs. Thomas—answered, her voice sharp, “It was a couple of those trailer park kids. I wish their parents wouldn’t drive them here. They take advantage.”
Levi’s face had grown hot, and Jess...Jess had looked as if someone had just punched her in the stomach. Without thinking, he’d thrown his candy bar in the bushes, then hers. Taken her pillowcase and dumped it all right there, then did the same with his, even though the McCormicks had been really nice, complimenting him on the zombie makeup and telling him he’d almost given them a heart attack, he was so scary. They’d told Jess she looked beautiful.
Mrs. Thomas had broken her hip last spring, falling as she got out of the shower, and Levi had knelt on the floor next to her, the first person on the scene. He’d covered her up with a bathrobe so the firefighters wouldn’t see her naked, and she’d cried as he did it, telling him he was so kind. He told her not to worry, wondering if she realized that the kind cop had once been one of those trailer park urchins who used up the treats meant for better kids.
Levi slowed the cruiser, then pulled over. There was the house, a dark blue ranch with rhododendrons and a big maple tree, complete with swing. Lights were on in the living room, shining through the big window. A child’s bike lay next to the mailbox, half on the street.
There was his father’s wife, coming into the living room, handing someone a glass. His father, most likely. Their TV was on. Levi had never met the woman his father had married...only a glimpse of her twice before. She had fluffy blond hair and was on the skinny side.
There were no lights on in the bedrooms, which indicated the boys were asleep. Strange to think he had two half brothers. He’d never met them, didn’t know their names. He’d seen them the first time he’d come down the street, playing in the driveway with their Matchbox cars. They were young. That was about all he could see. He hadn’t parked that time, just kept going, careful not to look too hard.
Levi’s watch beeped. Ten o’clock. He could be with Faith right now, and all of a sudden, the desire to see her closed in on his chest like a vise.
But before he left, he got out of the car, walked over to the bike and moved it so it wouldn’t get run over.
Twenty minutes later, he was back at Jeremy’s enormous house. “Sorry that took so long,” he said.
“Hey. Faith’s asleep,” Jeremy said, pointing.
Sure enough, she was, her head on the couch pillows, a soft-looking blanket over her.
“Is she okay?” he asked, fighting a small pang of jealousy. A movie played softly on TV, something with that famous actress, the one who won all the Oscars.
“Just tired,” Jeremy said. “How was the call? Don’t worry, she sleeps like the dead.”
“I know.” Well, he knew that he could kiss her goodbye in the mornings and not have her so much as stir. Then again, he’d managed to wake her a time or two in the middle of the night, and done his best to make her sleep-deprived.
“Right, right. Of course you do. You want some food? We saved your steak.”
We. “I’m good.” He sat down in the chair, looking at Faith.
“So, are you guys serious?” Jeremy asked softly.
Levi took a breath and held it for a second. “We’ve slept together a couple times, Jeremy.” Six nights of the past eight, spent in the little apartment that looked as if she’d lived there for years.
“She’s not really the type for a casual relationship, you know,” Jeremy said.
“Listen, single gay guy, I can take it from here, okay?” He raised an eyebrow at his friend, who smiled.
“Yeah, I understand. But maybe I could give you a little advice?”
“I’m good.” The questioning look stayed on his friend’s face. “Fine,” Levi said. “Knock yourself out.”
Jeremy adjusted the blanket around Faith’s feet. “Little things mean a lot to her. Tell her she looks pretty or notice if she’s wearing a new dress. Talk to her. Bring her flowers.”
“Flowers. Got it.”
“And don’t be sarcastic. She’s fragile.”
“I actually think she’s pretty tough,” Levi said, his words tight.
“It’s an act.”
“Is that right?”
“I think so. I know her very well.” Jeremy smiled, and for a nanosecond, Levi felt like punching him.
“Well, if the advice portion of the evening is done, I think I’ll take the delicate flower home,” Levi said.
“Sure. I didn’t mean to be a dick or anything. I just want you guys to work.”
And that was the thing. Jeremy was a damn prince.
“Got it. You wanna wake Sleeping Beauty?”
“Faith,” Jeremy said in a loud voice, shaking her feet. “Faith, honey, time to wake up. Come on, now. Wake up.”
Nothing from Faith, who appeared to be in a deep coma. “Faith. Come on.” Jeremy was practically shouting at her now.
“Maybe a bucket of ice water?” Levi suggested.
“What? I heard that. Don’t throw anything at me,” Faith muttered. “I’m here. What day is it?” She struggled into a sitting position, frowning. Then she saw him, and her face softened. “Hi.”
That urgent feeling of wanting he’d had at his father’s house, the need to be with her—not necessarily to sleep with her, though that would be nice—but just to touch her, have her close...that feeling was back. “Ready to go?” he asked.
“Okay.” She leaned over and kissed Jeremy on the cheek. “Thanks for dinner. Sorry I fell asleep.”
“Oh, don’t worry. It was like old times.” He smiled. “Levi, let me pack up your food.”
When they got back to the Opera House, Levi followed her into her place. “Hi, handsome!” she said to her leaping dog. “Who’s a good boy? Hmm? Give me two minutes, and we’ll take a you-know-what.” She went to the kitchen and got a glass of water, then scootched up onto the island counter, swinging her feet. “I take it you’re staying over?” she said, pink staining her cheeks. She didn’t look at him.
Levi didn’t answer. Instead, he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her and just lay his head against her chest. Felt some of the tension drain from his muscles as he breathed in her warm, sweet smell.
“You okay, Levi?” she asked softly.
“Yep.”
“What took you so long tonight?”
He imagined telling her about his father’s other kids, the happy little family he wasn’t part of. Maybe throw in some of the jealousy thing with Jeremy. Didn’t really see the point, all that talk about problems and issues and whatnot.
And, to be honest, he wasn’t sure he wanted her to know. Her, or anyone. “It just took a while, that’s all,” he said. He could stay here all day, against Faith’s gorgeous rack, listening to her breathe. Kinda perfect.
Except for one thing. “Faith?”
“Mmm-hmm?”
“Your dog’s trying to impregnate my leg.”
She laughed, the sound rich and warm. “You’ll make beautiful puppies together.”
“Let’s take him for a walk.”
“And come back here and fool around?”
“Sounds like a plan.” He looked into those dusk-blue eyes. “You want to go out with me tomorrow? On a date?”
Her smile was a sight to see.
