I miss Levi. I missed the way Levi looked at me, the way he made me feel, how happy I was with him. I had no idea how I was supposed to just forget all of that and move on with my life.
Rubbing my temples, I started to sweat. I rubbed my legs against the smooth sheets in frustration. I snatched my phone from the nightstand and scrolled through my contacts.
My finger lingered over Levi’s name as I debated texting him.
What would I even say? Admitting how much I missed him or that I was thinking about him wasn’t going to make either of our lives easier. It would serve no purpose. I tossed the phone and buried my head in a pillow, hoping the moment would pass. And eventually it did. Rather than give in to my need for contact with Levi, I escaped to the shower and began getting ready for tonight.
***
A couple of hours later, I was downstairs, dressed in a floor-length, purple dress as people arrived for the celebration.
Tanner and Alex wore matching navy suits, and even Fern had changed out of her usual house dress into a fancy outfit. She’d finished off the look with a gargantuan hat adorned with flowers.
I made my way around, schmoozing with the guests and answering questions from local reporters.
It was hard to talk about the renovation process without acknowledging Levi, so I gave him credit where it was due. More than one person asked why he wasn’t at the party, and I explained with a bitter taste in my mouth that he was back in Colorado for work. Perhaps the most bittersweet fact about this entire shindig was that Levi had arranged the whole thing. Back when things were better between us, he’d made all of the party arrangements—from the invite list down to picking the menu.
By the time everyone left, I was utterly exhausted from having to be “on” so many hours in a row as The Palm Inn’s official spokesperson. And I hadn’t eaten a morsel of the food Levi paid for.
The kitchen was finally quiet when I opened the refrigerator to see what was left. Staring me in the face was a tray of peach cobbler. Levi had requested that particular dessert for a reason, and at the time, it was likely not meant to hurt me.
I took the tray out and grabbed a fork, knowing damn well tonight would be yet another evening consumed by thoughts of Levi Miller.
CHAPTER 28
* * *
Presley
Two weeks later, The Palm Inn was officially open for business, and the first guests had checked in. Not only that, we were sold out for two months—until early October. Everything was great, aside from the fact that I was exhausted.
This endeavor was entirely too much for one person. Tanner had started his new coaching job, and was still doing the agent stuff on the side, so he couldn’t help me as much anymore. And I’d started the art teacher position at the local high school, which ate up a good chunk of my time.
Tanner had just dropped Alex off at school when he returned to join me for coffee before work.
“You look totally stressed. Did something happen with one of the guests?” he asked as he poured himself a mug.
“No, it’s nothing bad. I’m just realizing I need help. We’re booked solid for over eight weeks. Preparing breakfast each day is enough work. And now that I’ve started teaching, I don’t think I can handle all the cleaning and turning around the rooms—not to mention the laundry. I know I should’ve foreseen this, but it’s harder than I imagined.”
He put his mug down. “Say no more. After I deal with some client stuff this morning, I’ll line someone up to come in and clean.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“I want to. And I’ll pay for it. Aside from buying food here and there, I’ve been living at this place rent-free, and that’s not really fair. I know I’m still behind on what I owe you, but count on me to handle the cleaning costs and also to start covering more of the other expenses around here.”
It was nice to have his support, but I couldn’t help feeling like this was another attempt to become a fixture in our lives again. But I certainly wasn’t going to turn him down if he wanted to contribute.
After Tanner went upstairs to work, I did something I almost never do. I took my coffee into the living room and turned on the TV. I wasn’t a big television watcher, most of the time preferring to read. But I had a little time before I had to report to school to teach my first art class for the day.
For about ten minutes, I watched the Today show, and during a commercial, I flipped through the channels.
Normally, I’d blow right by ESPN, except the familiar face on the screen caused me to freeze. Levi’s big blue eyes were fixed on the female reporter.
I swallowed the lump in my throat as he spoke.
The beautiful blond had asked him his opinion on a new player who’d been transferred to the Broncos for the upcoming season.
Levi scratched his chin. “Everyone’s welcomed him with open arms. It’s been fun getting into a groove and being back at camp. The team is stronger than ever, and I’m excited for the season to start.”
She continued to ask him questions with a twinkle in her eye. She seemed to be flirting. My stomach sank, and I changed the channel. I couldn’t take it.
If I couldn’t handle a reporter flirting with him, how would I have ever dealt with all of the rest of the women throwing themselves at him, day in and day out?
***
Two more weeks passed, and things felt more under control at The Palm Inn now that I had regular help. Tanner had hired a friend of Fern’s to come in for housekeeping a few days a week, so I no longer had to bear the brunt of that.
Handling the breakfast end of things was also much easier now that I had less on my plate. I didn’t have to start my art teaching job until 11AM, so that allowed me plenty of time to prepare coffee and food for our guests. And sometimes, when I was running late, Tanner would step in and take over for me if he didn’t have to report to his coaching job. Alex was also settled into the new school year, and I couldn’t have asked for anything more right now on the home front.
The only problem was the lingering longing inside of me for a man I couldn’t have. The same man whose brother seemed to be doing everything humanly possible to earn another chance.
Speaking of Tanner, I’d finally decided to give in to one of his many requests to spend time outside of the house together. He’d convinced me I deserved a night out and promised not to assume it was a date if I just agreed.
So, one evening, the two of us dropped Alex off at Tanner’s mother’s house before meeting Lily and Tom Hannaford at one of my favorite Italian restaurants, Carducci’s. Lily and Tom were one of the few couples we’d gone to high school with who were still together. We’d often gone on double dates with them back in the day, so it was definitely like déjà vu to be sitting across from them tonight.
At one point after the waiter took our order, Lily hit me with the dreaded question. “So, what’s going on with you two?” She looked between us. “Please tell me a reconciliation is in the works.”
I’d hoped Tanner, who set up this dinner, had explained things to them so I didn’t have to.
“We’re just friends and co-parents, actually,” I told her.