Dear Adam, page 15
“Oof,” I grimace. “I think you should maybe make an appointment.”
“They’re kind of growing on me. They kind of just scream, ‘Mess with me and see what happens. If I’m crazy enough to do this to my hair, imagine what I could do to you,’ you know? Anyway, my hair is not the point. This kiss is, and I want details. Nitty gritty, sloppy, saliva-covered details.”
“Ew, not happening.”
“Was there tongue?” she asks eagerly.
“He’s leaving for a few weeks to finish a job,” I say instead of giving the details she wants. “And then he’s coming back…hopefully.”
I blow out a puff of air and pinch the bridge of my nose. Unease slides down my spine as I say it out loud, like I gave into my teenage dream without considering the future—which is not how it felt in the moment.
“You mean you don’t know?” she asks with raised eyebrows.
“He wants to make us work so I mean, yeah, I think so. I hope so.” I shrug, realizing how it sounds. I promised myself I wouldn’t get my hopes up but here I am—hopes higher than Dolly Parton’s hair.
“Well now that I know most of the juicy details, because I know you’re not telling me everything, I’m going back to bed.”
“Emma, we have to be at the store in an hour,” I remind her, looking pointedly at my wrist even though my watch is missing.
“Right, so I can sleep for forty-five more minutes,” she says defensively.
“You’re a mess,” I tell her.
“A mess you love,” she coos. “See you later!”
“No, see you soon—” I start, but before I can finish my sentence, she’s ended the call.
As I’m turning the open sign around, the Teenie Mobile parks in a space in front of Bloomie’s. Levi uncurls himself from the driver’s seat and stretches, clearly uncomfortable in the too-small car. He turns my way and must notice me standing in the doorway, because the smile he flashes me has my knees going weak.
He’s wearing his signature black V-neck, ball cap, and faded blue jeans, but somehow, each time I see him, he gets better looking. Or maybe it’s the fact I now know what it’s like to have his lips against mine, and how his hands feel in my hair…
I snap my mouth shut and do a quick drool check when he reaches the door. He bends down and effortlessly gives me a tender kiss on the cheek, like it’s a thing we do, a thing we’ve done for years. My cheeks heat, and he shoots me a cocky little grin, pleased with the effect he’s had on me.
Pretzel, also excited to see him, flies out from her spot under the workbench and paws at his leg before rolling over onto her back. He bends down and scratches her belly before straightening to face me.
“Do you have plans this evening?” Levi asks. Behind me, Emma stands at the cash register, pretending to count the till. Little does she know, I’m fully aware she’s “counted” the same stack three times.
I consider his question with a tap on my chin. I can admit I have zero plans and go out with this incredibly attractive man, or I can play it cool.
“Did you have something in mind?” I say, proud of myself for not sounding too eager.
“I wanted to see if you’d like to go on a boat ride with me this evening? We can watch the sunset.” A grin spreads across my face at the way his cheeks flush.
“I’d love that,” I reply. “Are the dogs coming, too?” He nods then reaches for my hand, giving it a squeeze before he promises to pick me up at closing and turns to leave. I watch him walk away, gaze lingering a little too long on the way his jeans mold to his backside.
I float through the rest of the day, barely able to focus on getting our orders arranged, my mind occupied completely with thoughts of Levi and our date tonight. I feel like I’m in high school again, all day dreams and blushes for the boy I have a crush on.
The day passes slowly, and Emma is no help, taking every opportunity to make fun of what I’m sure is a starry look in my eyes.
Finally, though, it’s the end of the day, and a thrill shoots through my body when Levi pulls up right as I’m flipping the sign from open to closed.
He unfolds himself from the Mini Cooper, the sheer manliness of him completely at odds with the femininity of the Teenie Mobile. It’s a study in contrasts, but a testament to how confident Levi is that he doesn’t let this turquoise vehicle take away from that.
Emma and I step onto the sidewalk, and I lock the door behind us, then turn to face Levi.
“Have fun, you two,” she says with a wink.
Levi smirks at me. “Did you tell her about last night?”
My smile in response is shy, blush creeping into my cheeks. “I might have mentioned it.”
His grin grows. “All good things, I hope.”
Deciding to mess with him, I say, “Nope. I told her you’re a terrible kisser and your breath is atrocious.”
He gasps, then pulls back and covers his mouth with a hand.
I chuckle at his response. “I’m just kidding, obviously.”
He pretends to wipe at a bead of sweat along his brow and lets out a pent up exhale. “You ready?” he says, walking to the passenger door of the Teenie Mobile and opening it for me.
I get in, and off we go.
A short ride later, we arrive at the Middleton’s. When we get out of the car, Levi goes around back and pulls a basket from the trunk. I raise my eyebrows suspiciously, and he gives me a coy smile in return. “You’ll see.”
When he stretches out his hand, I don’t hesitate to curl my fingers around his. It’s a gorgeous evening but despite the warm breeze blowing off the water, my arms erupt in goosebumps when our hands come together. He leads me onto his family’s boat and I follow the dogs on, taking a seat at the bow while he easily maneuvers it away from the dock and into open water.
It’s my favorite time of day during the summer when we finally pull up to a stretch of secluded, sandy beach. When the sun sinks low into the sky, casting everything into a golden hue, life feels a little easier and full of promise.
Levi takes my hand and helps me from the boat, and we wade to shore. He spreads a worn quilt on the sand and drops a picnic basket atop it. The dogs have swam ashore, and are happily running around the empty beach, chasing seagulls and playing tug-of-war with a piece of driftwood that has floated in.
Levi drops onto the quilt and pats the space next to him.
“Close your eyes!” he says after I’ve taken a seat, and I do as I’m told, giggling when he warns me not to peek. Finally, he tells me I can open them, and when I do, I take in the mouth-watering view of not only two buttery lobster rolls, but him, standing there wide-eyed and eager. I’m not sure which looks more delicious.
“Did you make these?” I ask.
“I did not, and I told Glenda you would absolutely know but she still insisted I take them out of the containers anyway,” Levi blushes.
“Glenda helped you?” I ask.
“Against my will,” he snorts, then pulls out two solo cups from the basket and fills them with sweet tea. “I did make the sweet tea, though. Unless it’s terrible. In that case, it was Glenda.”
“Thank you,” I manage between bites. “For everything.”
“If I would’ve known all I needed to make you happy was buy you food, I would’ve tried that a long time ago,” he jokes.
I shove him playfully on the arm and swallow the last bite of warm, buttery lobster. “Seriously,” I say and hesitate before quietly adding, “I’m glad you came back. I know you did it for Adam, and I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
For a second he doesn’t say anything, simply watches me over the brim of his solo cup. Then he tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear and leans in for a kiss. I don’t allow myself more than a second to think about my buttery, greasy lips or salt-smudged glasses because when his lips collide with mine, It’s only Levi, me, and the privacy of this beach.
“Me too,” he whispers between kisses.
A yip erupts from somewhere below me, and I pull back to find Pretzel standing on her hind legs, staring at me expectantly.
“What’s wrong, girl?” I ask and scoop her into my arms. She nuzzles into me and gives me a small lick on the nose. “I think she misses Adam,” I tell Levi.
“She probably does,” he says and reaches over to scratch her behind her ear. “What if…” he trails off with a half chuckle before shaking his head. “Never mind.”
“What if what?” I press.
“I mentioned it before but it was a crazy idea that would never work.” I pout and stare up at him through my lashes as best I can. Eventually, he caves, saying, “I was just going to suggest…what if we snuck Pretzel into the hospital? You know, just so she could see him. It might even be good for him, too. Who knows?”
“You really think we can get away with it?” My mind immediately flashes to Pretzel and me behind bars, wearing matching orange jumpsuits. I know for a fact orange is not my color and would clash horribly with Pretzel’s markings. Images of the meme of Pretzel in her goggles strapped to my chest on my Vespa with the headline, “Local business owner and dog currently serving time in county jail,” float around my mind as Levi takes Pretzel from me. She's all big eyes and sweet kisses for him. When she rolls onto her back and sticks out her tongue, I can’t help but purse my lips in disappointment.
“She’s obviously never heard of playing hard to get.”
“She doesn’t have to,” he replies in a baby voice. “But seriously, she’s small and doesn’t really bark that much. I think we could do it.”
His eyes meet mine and his smile is so devilish, so cocky, I melt right there under the southern sunset.
Chapter twenty-one
Levi
“Are you sure the wigs are really necessary?” I ask Aly as I push the curly, blond wig out of my eyes for the millionth time. “And did you really need to give me boobs?” I glance down at the two oranges she shoved under my shirt and notice one is dangerously close to the waistband of my pants. I was serious when I had suggested we sneak Pretzel into the hospital, but not when I suggested we do it incognito. Leave it to her to go all out and come up with the most ridiculous disguises.
A typical light and fluffy giggle escapes her, and she immediately covers it with a cough and switches to a huskier chuckle.
“Did that sound real?” she whispers.
“Do you think that’s what I sound like?” I ask, pointing to myself and accidentally jabbing at the one orange that managed to stay in place. But it rolls down to my waistband, too, matching the other one.
“Fix your…” she gestures to my chest. “All that.”
I roll my eyes and reposition the oranges, but something occurs to me. “Aly, I have a beard.”
She ignores me and opens the car door. I can’t help but shake my head at how ridiculous she looks in a pair of my jeans, which are cinched at the waist, and a too-big flannel tucked into them. Seeing her in my worn shirt would be hot if she hadn’t pasted a fake, bushy mustache onto her top lip. It looks like a squirrel tail and kind of makes me want to gag. She walks around to the back seat to get Pretzel, who is wearing what looks like a potted plant atop of her head. Aly insisted she’d look like a succulent if anyone happened to peer into her purse.
She trips on my work boots she also insisted on wearing though they’re way too big for her and steadies herself with a hand on my bicep.
“Are you sure you don’t want to change your shoes?” I ask, knowing the entire roll of paper towels she shoved into the toe of each boots can’t be comfortable.
She considers this for a minute with a caress of her mustache then says, “No, I really want to look convincing.” Right. She hoists the bag with Pretzel onto her shoulder and marches towards the entrance of the hospital. “You coming?” she hollers over her shoulder.
“Do I have a choice?” I say, catching up with her.
She pauses outside the entrance and turns on me, expression serious. “Okay, here’s the plan. Don’t look anyone in the eyes, keep your head down, and if anyone yells at you to stop, don’t. Run. Capeesh?”
“Sounds like a great plan,” I say sarcastically.
“Here we go!” She claps her hands and lets out a squeal of excitement and the sliding glass doors open leaving me to follow. She’s the definition of suspicious, power walking and tripping through the lobby toward the elevators. Breaking rule number one, I look up and make eye contact with one of the security guards standing by the front desk. He gives me a quizzical look, and I immediately glance down…at the oranges that have once again slid to my belly button.
The elevator dings its arrival, and Aly and I both shove ourselves inside next to a serious-looking doctor in a white jacket and a nurse with a stethoscope around her neck.
“Beautiful day today, huh?” Aly asks the nurse in a husky tone that has my lip quivering with a suppressed smile. The elevator dings again as it reaches the second floor, letting us know we’re on the slowest elevator in the world. As nonchalantly as possible, I try to fix my oranges. The nurse replies to Aly with a quick nod, and I catch her nervous glance toward the doctor, who frowns in suspicion.
I glance at the doctor’s name tag and notice he’s an orthopedic surgeon.
“Fix a lot of bones today?” I ask in a high pitched, squeaky voice that sounds nothing comparable to a woman. Before he can respond to my stupid question, the elevator reaches Adam’s floor at the same time Pretzel lets out a small yip.
Aly and I stare at each other, eyes wide. “Did you really just say bones?” she hisses. “As in Milk Bones?”
The nurse and the doctor face us completely. I sheepishly shrug my shoulders and avoid Aly’s piercing glare. How was I supposed to know that would set Pretzel off?
“Was that a dog?” the nurse asks through pursed lips, hands on her hips.
“If you’ll excuse us,” Aly says, forgetting her fake voice as she steps around the nurse. I follow her lead and once we break through the doors, we run down a stark white corridor.
“Wait!” the doctor yells, but it’s too late. We keep moving, not looking back, until we finally reach Adam’s door, laughing hysterically as we burst inside.
Aly’s hat is sideways on her head and the tears running down her cheeks have caused her mustache to peel from her face. I straighten her hat, and we both swivel when we hear an “Ahem.”
“Emma?” Aly asks, confusion creasing her forehead. Shock crosses Emma’s wide-eyed face but is quickly replaced by something more calm.
“Why are you dressed like that?” Emma asks, scanning Aly’s disheveled appearance.
Aly lowers her purse with a devilish smile and pulls out Pretzel, who has somehow chewed through the strap holding the potted succulent onto her head.
“No you did not,” Emma says, glancing between us. With a nefarious smile, she pries the wriggling dog from Aly and gently sets her on Adam’s bed. Pretzel is hesitant at first, unsure of what’s going on, then lets out an impatient whine when she nudges his hand and he doesn’t move. Finally, she settles, curling up in the space between his arm and ribs.
“I didn’t know you came to see my brother.” Aly glances from Pretzel to Emma, who’s jumpy behavior from minutes before has been replaced with her normally casual self.
“Well yeah, of course I do,” Emma replies. “What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t?”
“You’re the best,” she tells Emma and throws her arms around her neck.
Emma glances toward me, gaze locking on my chest. “Your lady bits are a little uneven.”
“Quit staring at my boobs, you perv,” I tell her before turning around to give myself a quick adjustment. “How long do you think we have before someone walks in?” I ask when I face them again.
“Probably just a few more minutes. Especially if the people in that elevator figure out where we went,” Aly answers.
“What happened in the elevator?” Emma asks. Aly and I share a look before she glances nervously toward the door. “You know what? Never mind. I don’t even want to know.”
“Probably for the best,” I say, then glance around the room, taking in the decorations and balloons with ridiculous sayings on them. “Who did all this? Every time I come, they’ve been swapped out for new ones.”
Aly raises her hand with a nervous laugh. “It’s actually time to replace some of these. Every time a balloon starts to deflate I replace it with whatever they’ve got downstairs.”
“He’s going to love this,” I say, taking her hands in mine. “He’s so lucky to have you.” She beams, and I give her a small kiss on the forehead. I inch toward her mouth when Emma’s gagging interrupts us.
Then there’s some shuffling outside the door, and we all freeze. As if sensing it’s about to go down, Pretzel is immediately up and soaring into Aly’s arms like it’s a trick they’ve practiced a thousand times. It’s honestly quite impressive. The door opens as Aly is hoisting the bag back onto her shoulder, Pretzel safely tucked inside. A nurse steps inside and glances between the three of us.
“Everything okay in here?” she asks, surveying the room. Aly whistles and bounces on the balls of her feet, Emma stares intently at the It’s a Girl balloon by the bed, and I’m trying to tuck my blond curls behind my ear with no success. Nothing to see here, lady.
“We had reports of a dog barking and I just wanted to…” She’s staring at my oranges now. “Visiting hours are up.”
“We were just leaving,” I say, ushering the girls out and following them to the parking lot. Immediately, I strip off the wig and pull the oranges from my shirt. Emma grabs one and begins peeling it.
“What?” she says as she slides a slice into her mouth. “It’d be a shame to waste them.”
Pretzel pops her head above the opening of Aly’s bag, watching us all curiously.
“You’re a good girl,” I tell her and am rewarded with a few affectionate licks.
“What are your plans for the rest of the day?” Emma asks.
“I think we are putting the finishing touches on Aly’s kitchen,” I tell her.
