Jesus. Why did he want to move back here again? Because even though they drive you crazy, you miss your family. “Just tell me my mom and dad don’t already know.”
“They don’t know. Yet.”
Levi groaned.
“You’re surprised? Come on, you know them better than anyone. Your mom’s name should be Sherlock Holmes. Face it, they’re going to hear about this.”
“If my mom finds out before I tell her, she’ll tell everyone I’m going to build a house with a white picket fence and fill it with a wife named Jane and two point five kids.”
Mateo laughed, but when he caught sight of Levi’s face, his smile faded. “Come on, no one will believe that.”
Right. Because other than his half-assed commitment to Amy, he’d never really made any commitment to anyone. He looked away, out the window. It was snowing again. It’d be a great powder day tomorrow. He hadn’t skied since the gondola accident. Maybe it was time to get back on the horse. Maybe he’d see if Jane wanted to go with him . . .
“I’ve known you a long time,” Mateo said. “I know when something’s wrong.”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
Mateo shook his head. “Calling bullshit, man. Is it Jane? She falling for you?”
“You know she’s just doing me a favor.” Which, for the record, he hated. He never should have started this ridiculous farce. Instead, he should’ve found a way to do this for real.
Mateo studied him for a beat. “It’s you. You’re falling for her.”
Levi closed his eyes.
“You’re serious about her.”
“Yeah,” he admitted. “I’m serious about her. Which means I’m screwed.”
Mateo shrugged. “You could just tell her.”
“She’s leaving soon. Already has another contract lined up in Haiti, had it before she even stepped foot into Sunrise Cove. She’ll be there at least three months.”
“So? Do your feelings have an expiration date just shy of three months or something?”
Levi sighed. “It’s not that easy.”
“Have you tried?”
“Haven’t wanted to scare her off.”
Mateo looked at him for a beat. “You know what I think?”
“No, and don’t tell me.”
“I think you’re complicating this on purpose so it doesn’t happen. I think you’re scared.”
Levi sighed and pushed his plate away.
“And now you don’t want to let another woman down. Or worse, hurt her.”
“Don’t.”
“You won’t hurt her, Levi.”
He met Mateo’s gaze. “How do you know?”
The guy took his time answering, crunching on a piece of bacon. Levi’s, by the way. “When we were kids,” he finally said, “you worked hard at making the people around you happy. Your family. Amy. You wanted your people happy, often to the sacrifice of your own happiness. But in the years since, on your own in San Francisco, you seemed to figure some things out. You’ve settled into who you are. You’re good in your own skin now, and know what you want, what makes you happy. There’s nothing wrong with that, man.”
Levi took that in. Realized Mateo was right. He did know what he wanted. “I’m still not convinced it’s that easy.”
“Why not?” Mateo shrugged. “All that’s left for you to do is to make your move.”
“Now who’s the old soul? Why don’t you follow your own advice? Make your move on Charlotte.”
“Because I’m like you—I’m in love, and every bit as terrified as you to admit it.”
Chapter 21
Levi thought about Mateo’s parting words for the rest of the day. He worked, then went for a long run, showered, and a few minutes before Jane was due to arrive, headed downstairs, feeling . . . nervous.
Wondering what the hell that was about, he walked into the living room and went to the big picture window to look out.
Jane’s car wasn’t there.
He turned to face the room and found his entire family standing there staring at him.
His mom clasped her hands together. “Levi.”
“Mom.”
“I’ve got everything prepped for dinner and the house cleaned. Does it look okay?”
“The house is always clean, Mom. It looks great. And I thought you were going to order food in so you didn’t have to cook on your own anniversary.”
“I wanted homemade food for Jane. Did it smell good when you came downstairs?”
“Yes, but it always smells good.” He could tell by the look on her face that he’d given the wrong answer. “Though it smells extra good right now. You didn’t need to—”
His mom sucked in a breath. “Oh dear God,” she said. “She broke up with you, didn’t she. She’s not coming.”
“What?” He shook his head. “No, I just mean that she wouldn’t want you to go to any trouble for her.”
“Well, of course I’m going to some trouble. I want her to love us.”
“She will, Mom.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You sure she didn’t dump you?”
The doorbell rang and everyone jumped. Jasper lost his ever-loving mind, barking at a piercing pitch, warning the entire planet that there was a possible intruder.
Levi got out in front of the whole pack and faced them, hands up. “Sit,” he said. “All of you.”
Everyone but Jasper sat.
“Okay, now try to look normal.”
“Honestly, Levi,” his mom said, “we know how to behave.”
“Do you?”
“It’s his girlfriend,” Tess said, putting an odd emphasis on the word girlfriend that made Levi grimace on the inside. “He’s got the right to want everything to go perfectly. Isn’t that right, Levi?”
He pointed at her, then the rest of them. “All of you, zip it.” He gently touched his finger to Peyton’s nose. “Except you. Never you.”
She beamed her toothless grin at him.
To everyone else he said, “Not a single one of you is going to say another word. Not until I explain to her what you guys did. Because there’s no way I’m letting her walk in here without first telling her about the con you all pulled.”
Tess gave him a long look. “Do you really want to tell stories about con artists?”
Levi glared at her, but she’d been his big sister all his life and wasn’t cowed in the least. In fact, she smirked.
Shaking his head, he opened the door to Jane and her grandpa. Jasper squeezed between Levi and the door and immediately put his nose to Lloyd’s crotch.
“Whoa,” Lloyd said. “The frank and beans haven’t been nosed like that in a long while.”
“Sorry.” Levi pulled the dog away. “Jasper, sit.”
Jasper sat, panting happily, smiling from ear to ear.
“Jasper, huh?” Lloyd patted him on the head. “What a big boy you are. Nice name too.”
“He also goes by ‘dammit,’ ‘don’t you dare,’ ‘no!’ and ‘stop!’” Levi looked at Jane, trying to figure out how to do this. Like a Band-Aid, Jane would say.