“You know, you could—” A group of laughing college students barreled down the sidewalk, cutting me off.
“Damn. If the town is this crowded in July, I can only imagine how bad it gets in September. And I could do what?” Levi asked when we’d resumed our walk. But the moment was gone, lost to his irritation over the interruption. This wasn’t the time to tell him how much I wanted him to be here with me to see September.
“Nothing. Only that you could bring two nights of clothes. If the plants can spare you,” I said lightly.
I shifted focus to getting us to the big city park hosting the festival. We met up with my dad and some of his senior center friends in the vendor parking lot. I made sure that Levi and I did most of the heavy lifting, but it didn’t take long to get all the supplies to their booth.
“He’s stronger than he looks,” my dad observed as he opened a plastic tub of brochures.
“He is.” I tried not to let out a wistful sigh. But he was. He kept impressing me with his strength, and not simply his ability to carry and paint, but the way he’d bounced back from the disappointment that had landed him at Bold Brew back in June. A lot of people would be in a funk for months, but not Levi. He’d bloomed, surely as one of my mom’s rose bushes, and even now, simply watching him joke around with Herb and another of Dad’s friends made my chest all warm.
“He’s lasted most of the summer too. Things getting…serious?”
“Dad.” The sigh I’d been holding finally escaped because that truly was the question. Were we serious? I hoped so. Neither of us was seeing anyone else. We spent several nights a week at one place or the other and talked on the phone the nights we didn’t get together. “Honestly, I’m not sure. I think—”
“Where do you want this last banner?” Levi bounded up with a large vinyl sign. And that interruption was probably for the best because it wasn’t like my dad was going to have any answers for me. The obvious solution would be to ask Levi, but the same something that made me reluctant to discuss the future also made me nervous to bring up a label for our relationship.
“Here, I’ll help.” Working together, we hung the sign and helped Dad and Herb spread out the brochures and sign-up forms.
“This looks great.” Inez arrived carrying two large plastic cups. “Here, Doug. I got you a lemonade from the food court. You looked hot.”
Levi made a noise suspiciously like a snort. He kept maintaining that she and my dad had some sort of flirtation going. I was less convinced, even if Inez had been around a fair bit lately. I nodded her direction though. I could be friendly.
“Glad you could make it, Inez.” Levi gave her a hug and helped her distribute drinks. “I loved the bakery’s muffins that Doug brought over the other night. So did Joe.”
“I did,” I added dutifully.
“Oh, good.” Inez gave me a warm smile as she took one of the folding chairs near my dad with Levi on her other side. “They do come up with some fun flavors. I love working there and can’t be lured away right now.”
“Someone trying to recruit you?” Levi tilted his head, exposing his sexy neck and helping my brain move away from vexing questions about Dad’s social life.
“Oh, Veronica at the housing project told me that they’re looking to hire someone part-time to help manage the new housing, handle applications, do some advertising, solicit more donations, that sort of thing,” Inez explained, pausing to take a sip of her drink. “She thought I might be interested or know someone who might be. Oh!” Her eyes went wide as she gestured Levi’s direction. “You. You should put in for it. You’d be perfect.”
“Me?” Levi blinked.
“Yes. You were saying just last weekend how you need more hours.” Inez leaned over to pat his leg, sympathy clear in her dark eyes. He needed more hours? And he’d told Inez, not me? My stomach churned, but Inez was still speaking. “And everyone at the senior center and the housing project loves you. You could probably keep your Bold Brew hours and add this in. I’ve got my retirement, so I don’t need the extra job, but I bet this would help your bill worries.”
Bingo. I’d known he had worries he wasn’t sharing. Or at least not with me. And that sucked because I’d thought we could talk about important things.
“Well. Maybe.” Levi bit his lip as his gaze darted toward me. “I don’t have the most work experience so far.”
I didn’t know how to read that look. Was he worried about impressing me or was he not wanting a reason to stick around? Or maybe he needed encouragement? Heck if I knew, so I went for honest. “You’d be good at it.”
“I’ll help with your application,” Inez offered. “All those years working HR should count for something. At least think about it, okay?”
“I will.” Levi stood up as a group of people came by the booth.
As the evening wore on, he was by far the best at getting people to take brochures. All he had to do was flash those dimples and passersby slowed down. I could see what Inez meant. Levi was great with people of all ages, especially older adults, with the patient way he listened and didn’t try to hurry them along. He’d be excellent working for the housing project, but only if that was what he truly wanted.
My gut churned all evening. I didn’t want to tether a reluctant Levi to Laurelsburg, but I also couldn’t risk not saying anything when I cared so damn deeply. Every time I was about to, though, another distraction arrived.
“Levi, make Joe feed you,” Inez said as the light started to shift to dusk. “You should both walk around, enjoy the music and the people.”
“Are you sure you and Doug can manage?” Levi grinned at her.
My dad’s other friends had left earlier to go checkout the food court. Which meant that Inez and my dad would be alone if we left, something that seemed to delight Levi.
“Positive. The initial rush is done, and then the only cleanup we need is to put things under the table that tomorrow’s volunteers will need.” Inez made a shooing motion with her hand. “Go on now. Be young. Have fun.”
Be young. Was that our problem? The age difference? Was Levi not telling me about his worries because he didn’t want anything serious? Or because he thought I’d judge him harshly? Maybe his friendship with me was holding him back, keeping him from being twenty-two and free.
“This is nice.” Oblivious to my fidget-spinner of a brain, Levi gave a silly wiggle to the raucous music as we left the booth. “They do this every year?”
“Pretty much.” I kept my voice neutral, so I wouldn’t dim his glow. “It’s fun. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”
“Yeah, next year, the booth needs a bigger, more colorful sign. And options for the brochures like large print and Spanish. I can help with that.” The way he said that so easily, as if he’d be here for sure next year, made my chest clench.
I wanted that. Wanted him to stay. Wanted a future that easy and—
“Levi?” A guy with a cultured voice stopped us on the path. He was slick. At least five years older than me, but hot as hell. Thin but muscular with a full head of hair, he could easily star as a silver fox on one of those billionaire-prince romances my mom had loved. Crisp white shirt, no trace of sweat despite it being end of July, pressed shorts. Fancy watch. He was vaguely familiar, like I’d seen him around town or Bold Brew.