My heart began to beat faster. “I wished you were with us too,” I admitted.
She rubbed her palms together. “So, you said you were on edge tonight…because of me?”
I nodded, but it took several seconds before I could respond. “I can’t properly explain it. But yeah.” I shook my head, not wanting to elaborate. “Anyway, I apologize for trying to make you feel guilty about things this morning.”
Her mouth spread into a smile. “There are worse things in the world than having a handsome football star acting all protective over you. I appreciate you looking out for me.”
“It wasn’t exactly as noble as that. But I will look out for you from now on, Presley. You and I, we didn’t know each other all that well before. But I feel like after I leave in a couple of months, things will be different. I don’t plan to lose touch with you guys.”
“I’m kind of getting used to having you around, Levi. It’s gonna suck when you leave.”
I hadn’t realized I was still rubbing my knee until Presley moved from her seat and positioned herself next to me. She placed her hand on it and began to gently massage. My body stirred.
“Does that feel okay?” she whispered.
“Yeah. It does. More than okay.”
I bent my head back, swearing at myself for enjoying her damn touch more than I’d enjoyed…well, hell, the last time I’d had sex. What the fuck was wrong with me? Getting off on Alex’s mother?
But I saw her as so much more than that now, didn’t I? And it was starting to become a problem.
CHAPTER 8
* * *
Presley
“Sweetheart, will you do me a favor and go see if Uncle Levi wants any banana-nut pancakes?” The stack on the side of the stove had to be eighteen inches high.
Alex got up from his chair, but instead of heading to his uncle’s room, he walked over and put his hand on my back. “Are you okay, Mom?”
My forehead wrinkled. “Sure, why wouldn’t I be?”
My son shrugged. “I don’t know. But you usually make a lot of food when you get upset. Last time Dad didn’t show up for his visit, you made like a hundred cupcakes.”
Though a hundred was a bit of an exaggeration, I did tend to cook when I was lost in my head. I’d had no idea Alex realized that. This morning, I’d gotten out of bed at six and roasted a whole chicken before chopping it up and making chicken salad. My growing feelings toward Levi had me very unsettled.
But I didn’t want Alex to worry, so I smiled. “I’m fine, sweetie. I made extra to freeze in case you’re hungry after practice, that’s all. You can just pop them in the toaster oven later when you get home.”
Alex shrugged. “Okay, Mom.” Then he walked back over to his chair and sat down.
I turned with the spatula in my hand. “Umm… Did you forget you were going to go ask Uncle Levi if he wanted pancakes?”
“No, I didn’t forget. Uncle Levi’s not home. He left already.”
“He left?”
Alex nodded.
“When did he leave?”
“While you were in the shower. I was in my room getting dressed, and he came in with his suitcase to say goodbye.”
“Suitcase?”
“Yeah. He said he was going away for a few days.”
“Did he say where?”
“No.”
Alex was completely unfazed as he shoveled a pancake into his mouth. I, on the other hand, felt oddly bothered. Levi had gone out of town for a few days and didn’t even mention it to me? It wasn’t like he had any obligation, yet it still made me feel sort of bad that he hadn’t told me or said goodbye.
“Did he say when he’d be back?”
“No. He just told me not to drop my right shoulder when I cut to my right at practice. Coach Brick taught me to do it that way, but Uncle Levi said it should be the opposite—I need to drop left to fake out the defender.”
“Hmm… Well, I’m sure your uncle knows what he’s talking about. Though I’m not sure you should ignore the direction of your coach without discussing it with him first.”
“What’s a wet noodle, Mom?”
“A wet noodle?”
“Yeah. When I told Uncle Levi Coach Brick taught me to cut right, he said Coach Brick was a wet noodle and didn’t know his butt from his elbow.”
Oh boy. “Umm…a wet noodle is… What I think your uncle meant was that he didn’t agree with the information Coach gave you. But I don’t think you should repeat what he said when you talk to your coach, because it’s sort of not nice. Maybe just say your uncle told you to check with him because he thinks you should drop the other shoulder.”
Alex shrugged. “Okay.”
I sighed. “We need to get going in a few minutes to get you to football camp on time. So finish up, and then go wash your hands and grab your equipment bag.”
After I dropped Alex at camp, I decided I didn’t have time to wallow in my silly hurt feelings or micro-analyze everything going on in my head. I had an enormous job to do in order to get the B&B up and running, and that needed to be my priority. So I stopped by the paint store and picked up a few gallons of primer, then dove into the monumental task of getting all of the bedrooms ready for paint. It took me almost five hours, but I cleared the furniture out of the first three rooms I planned to work on, removed everything from the walls, spackled all the small holes, and covered all the moldings and corners with painter’s tape. By the time I was done and ready to pick up Alex at camp again, I felt invigorated, rather than deflated like I had this morning.
At the end of practice, Coach Jeremy walked over to my car while I was putting Alex’s equipment in.
“Hi, Presley.” He seemed a little apprehensive, and I hoped Alex hadn’t mentioned what Levi had called him.
I smiled. “Hey.”
He shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced around the parking lot. My son was talking to a few boys near the fence and not paying the least bit of attention. Jeremy rubbed the back of his neck. “So, I was wondering if maybe you’d like to go out again?”
While I was relieved that Alex hadn’t mentioned Levi’s comment, I also wasn’t sure how I felt about going on a second date. He was a nice-enough guy, and handsome, too; I just didn’t feel any spark. Though, I was pushing thirty now, so was a spark really necessary? In my experience, sparks that burned too hot generally led to a fire. Maybe I needed more of a slow-burn person.
I managed a smile. “Umm... Sure, why not?”
“Great.” He smiled. “Do you like country music?”
“I do.”
“I have tickets to a country festival in Charleston the weekend after next, if you’re up for it. It’s an all-day, all-night type of thing. But we can go and come back whenever you want.”
“Could I…let you know about that? I’d need to figure out a sitter for Alex and stuff.”
“Sure.” He nodded. “Of course.”
I closed my trunk. “I’ll figure it out within a few days, okay?”
“That sounds perfect.”
Alex ran over. “Mom, can I go over to Timmy’s after dinner?”