“I know you,” he says, flashing a smile similar to his brother. “We met last year in Portland. Fourth of July, right?”
I nod, surprised he remembers. “Nice to see you again, Jet.”
He sits on the couch and says, “And this is my Annie.” Finally, I glance at the bundle in his arms, taking in the rosy-cheeked baby with her little fist clasped around her father’s thumb.
“Great to meet you, Annie,” I say softly, unable to take my eyes off the perfection in Jet’s arms.
When I was a child, I dreamed of having kids and a big house and a handsome husband. But that was before I knew how I was conceived. Now the only thing I can think of is that I don’t want to bring a child into this world who carries the same genes as my biological father.
“Want some tea or coffee?” Sara asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Coffee, please,” I say, fiddling with the strap of my bag. I glance at Levi only to find him watching me closely. So I avert my gaze to little Annie in Jet’s arms, scared Levi might see what’s going on in my head.
As soon as his mom’s back is to us, Levi shifts around to face me, glances down at my hands on my lap, then back to my face. “Nervous?”
“A little.”
He lifts a hand and tucks a few stray curls behind my ear, the tips of his fingers lingering on the shell of my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. “I’m here, okay?”
I nod, my body subtly relaxing at his words.
We spend the next two hours in the Keenan household laughing and talking and getting to know each other better. I learn his dad is originally from Northford and his mom is from Chicago. They met at a concert while attending college together. Jet makes furniture when he’s not touring with his band - he’s built a couple of the furniture pieces in his parents’ home. And each year Levi and his family head to Hawaii for the Christmas holiday.
“Hawaii?” I ask, turning to face Levi. We’re all sitting around the living room chatting as we wait for Levi’s mom to finish up making lunch.
“Yeah, Mom hates the New England winters. It’s kind of just become a family tradition.”
“Do you surf?”
He flashes me a cocky smile. “I’ve been known to shred a couple of waves.”
Of course he does, if there’s anything I’ve learned from the short time I’ve known Levi, it’s that he doesn’t do anything half-assed. It’s both annoying and endearing at the same time.
“Is there anything you can’t do?” I ask shaking my head incredulously. Tipping his head up and rubbing his chin like he’s thinking about it, he says, “Nah, I’m pretty good at everything. Just get used to it, Miller.” He gives me a wink and a big smile. Cocky bastard.
His dad arrives half an hour later. When he walks into the living room, he looks around while sniffing the air and pats his stomach. “Smells good in here.” He removes his hat, displaying blond hair sprinkled with streaks of white, and just then his eyes find mine. He grins, dimples popping in his cheek. “And who do we have here?”
Levi jumps to his feet, smiling, and hugs his father before facing me. “Dad, this is my friend Grace. Grace, my dad, David.”
I stand up to greet him. Instead he pulls me into a big hug, knocking the air out of my lungs.
“Friend, you say?” David asks, dropping his arms from around me and eyeing me curiously. “You never brought the other girl home until Mom begged you.”
“Dad!” Levi says, his cheeks turning red. “Stop reading too much into this.”
David flashes his son a smile and squeezes his shoulder with one hand. “If you say so.”
Just then, Levi’s mom calls us all in for lunch—thank God. We head to the long dining room table. Jet sits near the end with little Annie in her high chair so he can feed her. His dad sits at the other end and his mom next to him. Me and Levi sit across from them.
“Are you a musician Grace?” Levi’s mom asks me when the boys start debating the greatest bands of all time.
“Oh, no. I couldn’t sing to save my life.”
“Me either,” she laughs. “Their musical talent all comes from their dad.”
Levi comes from a family of musicians. His brother plays drums, Levi sings and plays electric guitar and their dad plays keyboard. Levi’s mom is the only one that doesn’t play anything. “Dad was in a seventies’ rock cover band when he was in college,” Levi tells me while as we devour the meatloaf and salad his mom made. “He had the whole look down.” He motions with his chin towards his dad. “Mullet, headband, bangs. I’m pretty sure he wore more makeup than a drag queen.” Levi shakes his head laughing.
“Hey, make fun all you want,” Mr. Keenan pipes in. “But I never heard one complaint from the ladies. Isn’t that right, dear?”
“Mom was a groupie,” Jet turns around and says. He’s now wiping down a cooing—and a very dirty—Annie.
“I was not! I went to one concert. One. It was your dad that couldn’t stay away from me. After me and your father met we decided we didn’t want to be apart.”
I can’t help but smile at his parents as they share a sweet kiss. So this is what it’s like to be a part of a large loving family. When I was a kid I used to wonder what it would be like to have a family with brothers and sisters to argue and play with and a dad that would help me with my homework and teach me to ride a bike. Now that I’m older I only appreciate my mom more for all the sacrifices she had to make in order to raise me as a single parent.
After dinner we all head down to the basement for a family jam session. As Levi starts setting up the sound equipment he asks me what I would like to hear.
“Surprise me.”
After thinking about it for a second Levi starts thrumming the chords of Sweet Child O’ Mine on his electric guitar. I’m immediately transported to the night in the diner with Sol. The night we shared our first kiss, the first night he made me come. My body shivers from the memory. Not wanting to be dragged down by my sad memories, I interrupt Levi before the lyrics start.
“Not that song,” I say quickly.
His eyebrows shoot up in question. “You don’t like Guns N’ Roses?”
I give him a tight smile. “I do. Just not that song.”
Not pushing, Levi, his brother and dad select a different song.
Heading back to campus in Levi’s car, I notice Levi constantly glancing at me, keeping whatever questions he must have to himself.
When we arrive at back on campus, I jump out of the car before he can open the door for me. Then I pretend to stretch to avoid any questions.
He walks me to the door and hugs me.
“Did you have fun?” he asks.
I nod. “You have a lovely family. Thank you for the short trip.”
He shoves his hands inside his jacket pockets. “My plan didn’t go as I wanted, but I’m glad you had fun.” Then we stare at each other for several seconds. “I gotta split. See you tomorrow?”
“Yeah.” I unlock the door, then turn and watch Levi walk back to his car. It hits me then; I’m smiling and it’s all because of him. Hanging out with him and his family was nice. Being around them, talking and laughing, brought back that old yearning of wanting a big family. I probably sound greedy and ungrateful, but I’m not ashamed to admit I want those things in my life despite my fears.