Chapter 6
JUST ADD THAT TO THE LIST
FAWN
“Hey, mamacita,” I greet my mom as soon as I open the door to my apartment. Throwing my arms around her, I hug her tightly while she rocks me back and forth. Pushing me away while holding my arms, she searches my face and smiles, then pulls me close again.
“I’ve missed you, honey,” she whispers, petting my head the way she always does.
“I missed you, too.” I breathe in her scent that hasn’t changed since I was little, taking comfort in its familiarity before she lets me go.
Hearing my dad clear his throat behind me, I turn to find him with his arms open wide. “Daddio.” I grin, his laughter deep as he tugs me into him.
“Kiddo,” he mutters, kissing the side of my head. “It’s been too long.”
“I know,” and it really has been too long. I haven’t seen my parents since school started back up, and I miss them both like crazy. Talking on the phone every couple of days is not even close to the same as seeing them in person. Letting Dad go after a few seconds, I step back, bumping into something, and look behind me to see two small suitcases side by side. My dad must have brought them inside when I was hugging my mom.
“Um . . .” I look between my parents, who haven’t changed much over the years. My mom still has the same short bob she’s always had, which fits her round pixielike face and small stature. And my dad is still intimidating looking, with wide shoulders, red hair, and a scruffy beard. “Do you still need to check in to your hotel room?” I ask, and my dad looks at my mom, who grins at me.
“We’re staying with you. Won’t that be fun?” she asks excitedly.
Um, what? Did she just say they were staying with me and the word fun in the same sentence? Yes, I love my mom and dad, and yes, I miss them, but I moved out of their house for a reason. The first one being that they do not understand the meaning of personal space or boundaries.
“All the hotels we looked into were a little too expensive, so we figured we’d save a few bucks and stay with you,” Dad says, and I press my lips together. My parents are not broke—no, they’re not rich, either—but they can definitely afford to stay at a hotel. This isn’t about them saving a few dollars. I know this is about my stupid sisters opening their big dumb mouths about Levi. Levi, who two nights ago insisted on giving me a ride to my sisters’ place after he kissed me stupid in the hall. Levi, who laughed his ass off when they asked him about the building we both reside in being fumigated. I didn’t think it was as funny as he did, and my sisters had no clue why he thought it was hilarious, but they did find it very entertaining when he kissed me in front of them before leaving.
“All I have is the couch,” I mutter as Muffin finally pulls herself off said couch to come over and greet everyone.
“We figured we’d take your bed and you could have the pullout, unless there is somewhere else you wanted to stay—you know, somewhere close by?” Mom smiles knowingly, and I feel my eye twitch.
Oh.
My.
God.
I’m going to kill them. I’m going to be on the eleven o’clock news tonight, because I’m going to murder both of my sisters.
“I’ll sleep on the couch,” I grit out, trying to make it look like I’m smiling at the idea.
“Well, good, that’s all settled.” Dad grins, picking up both suitcases and taking them to my room.
“Are you ready to go?” Mom asks, and I pull my eyes off my dad’s retreating back to look at her petting Muffin.
“Yep, all ready,” I grumble, walking across the room to grab the black wool coat I laid on the edge of the couch earlier. Putting it on, I do up the four toggle buttons, then slip on my deep-red hat, scarf, and mittens set. Once I’m done, I pat Muffin’s head, mumbling, “Be good, girl,” as I head past my mom for the door.
The last time Levi sent me a text message, he said he would be working most of the weekend, but I still want to check to make sure the coast is clear. All I need is for my parents to run into him, and god help me if that happens.
“Honey, if we’re going to leave, you’re going to have to open the door,” Mom says from behind me, laughing, and I groan inwardly.
“I know.” I open the door and step out into the hall with them following me. As soon as we are all out of my apartment, I watch my dad turn to check the knob to make sure it’s locked before we all head toward the stairs.
“So did you get a new neighbor?” Mom asks, sounding far too innocent, as we pass Levi’s door.
“Yep.” Maybe if I keep my answers short and sweet they will give up.
“Oh, that’s nice. What are they like?”
“You know, just a person.” Just a person—seriously, like, what could he be, an alien? I’m never going to make it through this weekend at this rate.
“What kind of person?” Dad asks, and my shoulders sag.
Damn with that. I know they are not going to give up until I give them something. “Fine,” I sigh. “Let’s get this over with.” I spin around to face them on the stairs, and they both stop two steps above me. “His name is Levi, he’s a detective. Yes, he kissed me, and yes, I may like him, but it’s too early to tell if I do or not. So right now he’s just a nice guy that I kissed . . . that’s all.” I pause, then add, “Well, that and he’s my neighbor. So, please, can we not talk about him while you guys are here?” I ask, and their eyes are wide, but neither of them is looking at me. No, they are both looking past my shoulder. “There’s someone behind me, isn’t there?” I whisper, and they both nod. Lowering my head, I shake it from side to side, then turn around hoping it’s not who I think it is—but of course it is.
“Please tell me you didn’t hear any of that,” I plead to Levi, who’s standing at the bottom of the stairs near the front door with a smile on his face.
“Baby.” He chuckles, and I hear my mom whisper baby behind me.
“Great.” My eyes slide closed as my cheeks heat. One more thing to add to the ever-growing list of embarrassing things I have done in front of him.
“I’m Levi, Fawn’s new neighbor.” His heavy boots sound on the wood of the stairs, then his warm hand comes to rest against my lower back. Opening my eyes back up, I find him standing next to me with his free hand held out toward my parents.
“Aiden Reed.” Dad shakes Levi’s hand, then wraps his arm around my mom’s shoulder. “My wife, Fawn’s mom, Katie Reed.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Reed,” Levi says as I try to shrink into myself. Where is a sinkhole when you need one?
“You, too,” Mom whispers, and I look up, noticing her eyes—glued to Levi—have glazed over. Great.
“Are you heading to the show now?” Levi asks, dipping his head toward me and leaving me no choice but to look at him.
“Yes.”
“Do you want me to take Muffin out for you while you’re gone?” he asks quietly, and I swear I hear my mom swoon and melt into a giant puddle at his feet.
“She should be okay. I took her out not long ago,” I murmur as my eyes unconsciously drop to his mouth. Watching a smirk form on his lips, my brows pull together and my eyes narrow.
“Give me your key—I’m home for the evening. I’ll take her over to my place, and you can come get her when you get back.”
“No—”
“That sounds like a great idea,” Dad cuts me off, and my eyes close briefly. Why, oh, why couldn’t my dad be like any normal father who would grumble at the idea of a man being inside his daughter’s apartment whether she is home or not?
“Yes, I agree that’s a great idea,” Mom chimes in, sounding far too happy about the idea.
“Fine.” Shoving my hand into my pocket angrily for my key, I freeze, then feel in my other pocket, coming up with nothing but a five-year-old ChapStick. Dammit. “Um . . . I forgot my key,” I say softly.
“Do you want me to call a locksmith?” Levi asks, and I look up at my dad, knowing that he’s going to be pissed when I say what I’m about to say. But I don’t want to have to pay for a locksmith to come out when I don’t really need one.
“There’s a key under my doormat,” I whisper.
“You’ve got to be shitting me.” It’s growled, but not by my dad, whom I’m looking directly at. No, by Levi, who’s standing next to me with his hand on the back of my coat, clenched into a fist around the material. “Do you know how unsafe that is?”
“The building is secured,” I whisper, and my dad’s jaw clenches tight, shifting the beard on his face.
“You know that doesn’t matter, kiddo,” Dad growls.
Levi mutters, “Damn straight it doesn’t.” Oh great, now I have both of them growling at me.
“It’s been there forever and nothing has happened.”
“You know shit can happen, Fawn Grace Reed. My career is based off bad shit happening to people who don’t expect it to happen to them.” Dad shakes his head, and I know he’s really mad, since he didn’t just use my name—no, he used my full name.
“I won’t put it back after tonight.”
“No, you won’t,” Levi mutters, and I turn to glare at him—not that he notices. His eyes are on my dad’s and they are sharing a look that doesn’t bode well for me.
“We should go or we are going to be late,” Mom says, and all eyes go to her. “We still need to pick up our tickets at the box office.”
“Right,” Dad mutters, looking from her to Levi. “If you’re not working in the morning, come on over for breakfast. Katie’s making pancakes, and Fawn’s sisters will be over, so there will be plenty.” Um . . . what? No!
“I’d like that,” Levi agrees, loosening his grip on the back of my coat. “Have a good night, Mr. and Mrs. Reed.”
“Aiden will do.” Dad takes his arm from around my mom to take her hand on the stairs. With his other hand, he pats Levi’s shoulder.
“And you can call me Katie,” Mom says with a bright smile, and I roll my eyes at both of my parents.
“Okay, Aiden and Katie, I’ll see you both in the morning—and Fawn.” He dips his face close to mine. “I’ll see you tonight when you come to pick up Muffin. Have a good time.”
“Thanks,” I grumble, watching him smile like he thinks I’m cute. Whatever. I pull my eyes from him and head down the last few stairs, hearing my mom and dad behind me as I open the door to the building. As soon as I’m outside, I inhale a deep breath of cool air. I’m no longer embarrassed about what Levi heard me say. No, I’m annoyed with him for being high-handed as well as pissed that he’s going to be coming to my apartment to have breakfast with my parents and sisters tomorrow. I don’t want them to get to know him yet, not when I don’t even really know him, and I don’t want them to try to influence my feelings for him.
“Well, Levi seems very nice,” Mom says, taking my arm, and I sigh.
“Yes, he’s nice,” I agree, because he really is nice.
“I like him.”
“Mom, you like everyone,” I grumble. My mom has never met a person she hasn’t liked; I swear she could find a likable quality in a serial killer if left alone with him long enough.
“I like him, too,” Dad says, holding out his arm for a cab.
“Surprise, surprise.” I roll my eyes as a cab pulls to a stop in front of us. My dad opens the door for my mom and me to get in the back, and he gets into the front with the driver. Sitting there, I listen absently as my parents chat until my dad asks the driver to pull over so we can walk the last few blocks, since traffic is backed up.
“Are you excited, honey?” Mom questions, leaning into my side as soon as we’re out of the cab and on the sidewalk.
“Yes.” I smile at her. I don’t get to go to shows often, since the tickets are so expensive, but I love getting to pick whatever show I want for my birthday each year. It’s always something I look forward to.
“Come on.” Dad’s arm wraps around my shoulders, pulling me against this bulky chest and holding me there while leading me down the block. Finally getting to the theater, we get in line to pick up our tickets from the box office, then head inside, where we are directed to the first floor. The theater is huge and packed with men, women, and kids from all walks of life, some dressed up to see the show, others wearing jeans and sweaters and pulling luggage along with them.
“We’re gonna go find the restrooms.” Mom smiles as I head toward the concession stand. “We’ll meet you at our seats.”
“Okay, do you guys want anything?”
“Wine for me.” She grins.
“A rum and Coke and a bag of popcorn,” Dad says, wrapping his hand around my mom’s.
“Sure,” I agree, then watch them disappear in the crowd. Waiting in line for what seems like forever, I finally make it to the front and place my order, making sure to get a magnet since I have one from every show I’ve ever gone to. With a drink holder, my dad’s popcorn, and a bag of peanut M&M’s in my pocket, I make my way to the front of the packed theater. Finding my parents already seated, I take the seat next to my mom, unpack the drink carrier, and take off my coat, all the while listening to the quiet hum of excitement around me.
Staring at the red drapes blocking the stage, my mind wanders to what’s going on between Levi and me as I nibble my M&M’s and sip my wine.
“What?” I ask when I turn to find both my parents smiling at me.
“Nothing,” Dad mutters, shoving a handful of popcorn in his mouth as my mom winks and pats my hand. I don’t have long to wonder what that’s about. The lights dim, and the show starts, pushing all thoughts of Levi out of my head as I watch in wonder as the magic of The Lion King on Broadway unfolds in front of my eyes.
“So was it everything you thought it would be?” Mom asks after the show comes to an end and the people start to put on their coats and leave.
“Everything and more. I can’t believe how magical it was, how amazing the props were. It was way better than the movie.”
“It was cool,” my dad agrees, helping my mom into her coat as I put mine on. “I didn’t think anything could top Hamilton, but this show was very well done.”
“It really was,” Mom says, touching his cheek with her hand, and he turns his head to kiss her palm. God, my parents are seriously still so in love that it’s crazy, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that no matter how long it takes, I will wait for a real love—because I want a love like they have. I want to look at the man I’m with over thirty years later and still feel my face get soft the way my mom’s does when she looks at my dad.
“Can we stop and get a hot dog before we head back to the apartment?” Dad asks, and Mom shakes her head.
“You and those darn hot dogs,” she grumbles.
“They’re good.” He smiles, and I laugh. No street-cart food is really good, but my dad likes standing in the middle of Times Square eating a hot dog while looking at the lights.
“If we must,” Mom agrees, giving in like she does every year.
“Thanks, darlin’.” He kisses the top of her head, then leads us out of the theater with the crowd. As soon as we’re outside, we make our way down the block toward the bright lights. Stopping at the first food cart we see, we order two hot dogs and a pretzel covered with cinnamon and sugar, then wander slowly through the crowd of people. There are some truly beautiful places in the world, and Times Square is one of them. It’s not full of rare, beautiful history like the Louvre in France, but it’s still beautiful in its own way. Standing under the bright lights with people from all over the world around you fills you with an energy that is impossible to describe unless you have experienced it firsthand. I still remember the first time my parents brought us to Manhattan. The first time they bundled us up and took us to see Times Square. That was when I fell in love with the city.
“Thank you guys for tonight,” I say softly to my parents as we stop to catch a cab to head home.
“You’re welcome, honey,” Mom murmurs, wrapping her arm around mine and giving it a squeeze.
“Any time, kiddo.” Dad smiles. I love my mom and dad. They have always made it a point to do things with my sisters and me as a family and with each of us separately. Like on our birthdays we get to choose something to do alone with them. Mine has always consisted of a show, Mac’s is always a baseball game, and Libby—well, Libby usually asks them to take her shopping. They might not be normal parents in a lot of ways, but where it counts, they are better than most.
Finally getting a cab, we head back across town. As soon as we pull up in front of my building, I get out with my mom and head toward the door while my dad pays the cab driver. Punching in the code, I hold open the door for my parents, then scan the street when I hear my name.
“Oh, it’s Levi,” Mom says, and I look to where she’s pointing. Levi is standing with a woman who’s wearing a pair of tight-fitting workout pants and a slim-fitting jacket, and she’s petting my dog.
Um, no!
“Baby, come here,” he calls, staring at me, and I narrow my eyes.
“I’ll meet you guys upstairs in just a minute. I need to get my key from Levi,” I tell my parents as I let the door go.
“Sure, honey,” Mom murmurs. Stomping to the edge of the sidewalk, I look both ways quickly, then continue my stomping as I cross the street toward Levi and the woman who is now sizing me up.
“Hey, baby,” Levi says quietly, and I glare at him, then move my eyes to my girl and take hold of her leash near her neck. No damn way is he going to use my dog to pick up women. Hell, no.
“Levi,” I growl, trying to tug Muffin’s leash from his grasp, but of course he doesn’t let go. No, he uses it to pull me toward him. “Levi,” I cry in frustration as his arm slides around my back and I’m dragged into his front.
“Did you have fun?” he asks, brushing his lips over mine and knocking me completely off kilter. I blink, watching him smile. “Never mind. You can tell me about it when we get inside,” he mutters, touching his lips to mine once more, then turning me in his arm. “Baby. This is . . . Sorry, what’s your name again?” he asks, looking at the woman standing in front of us. Her eyes fill with ice.
“Beth,” she huffs as Muffin’s head moves under my hand.
“Right, Beth, this is Fawn,” he breathes against my ear, making me shiver, and his arm tightens. “We should go in, baby, it’s cold.” He takes my hand in his as nausea and realization fill my stomach. “Have a good night.”
“Yeah, night,” she says, looking us over once more before jogging off. Tugging my hand free from Levi’s grasp once Beth is out of sight, I move ahead of him across the street to where my parents are still standing in the open door of my building, watching us with varying looks on their faces.
“Hi, Levi.” Mom smiles, giving him a hug like she hasn’t seen him in forever, and I fight the urge to scream at the top of my lungs.
“Katie, did you enjoy the show?” Levi asks while my dad and I head up the stairs ahead of him and my mom.
“Oh yes, the show was amazing. Wasn’t it amazing, honey?” she murmurs.
“It was amazing,” I agree through clenched teeth as I head across the open landing toward my apartment. Turning to face Levi outside my door, I move my eyes to his shoulder. “Do you have my key?” I hold out my hand.
“Yep.” He digs into the front pocket of his jeans and pulls it out, dropping it into my open palm.
“Thanks,” I mutter, turning to open the door for my parents. “I’ll be right back.” I smile at them—or try to—as they go inside, then shut the door behind them before they can ask me what I’m doing.
Stomping across the wood floors to Levi’s door, I cross my arms over my chest and tap my foot as I wait for him to unlock it, feeling anger swell inside my chest when I see him smiling. “You okay, babe?”
Am I okay? No. I’m pissed and hurt, but I’m focusing on the pissed part, because that feeling is the safer of the two coursing through me right now. As soon as he unlocks the door, I move in ahead of him and watch him shut the door. “I’m not your woman,” I say as soon as he turns to face me. After watching him cross his arms over his chest, my eyes then move to my dog . . . my dog as she takes a seat at his side, and he raises a brow. “If you don’t want to talk to a woman, just tell her you’re not interested. Don’t use me to throw her off your scent,” I hiss, leaning in, and his eyes narrow. “That is not okay.”
“Are you done?” Pressing my lips tightly together in answer, I move toward the door only to stop as he steps in front of me, blocking my path. “You’ve got me confused with someone else.”
“Confused?” I frown, and he grins.
“You think I’m the kind of guy that would do something like make an excuse to a woman so I don’t hurt her feelings. That’s not me, baby. I’m not that guy. I’m not that nice.”
“You’re nice.” I shake my head, and his fingers run up my jaw, then slide behind my ear, where he tucks a few strands of hair.
“I’m not nice,” he says so sincerely that I almost believe him, but I know the Levi who brought me a cake on my birthday, the Levi who offered to watch Muffin when I’m gone, and he’s nice, really nice. Maybe even too nice.
“You’re always nice to me,” I whisper, and the look in his eyes changes ever so slightly.
“Yeah,” he agrees, sliding his hands around my waist and turning me until we are face-to-face. “I’m always nice to you.”
“Why?”
“Because I like you, because you’re different.”
“You like me?”
“I think I’ve made that pretty clear.”
“What’s going on between us?” I try to keep the vulnerability out of my voice, but it still seeps in. I hate not knowing what I’m doing or where I stand with him. I hate feeling insecure, and I would rather embarrass myself right now and know there is nothing going on than to have one more day go by where I question things.
“Fawn.” His face softens, and his fingers tighten. “Can’t you see I’m trying to figure it out?”
“Oh.” I drop my eyes to his chin and press my lips together. That is not the answer I was looking for.
“Look at me,” he urges, resting his fingers under my jaw, and I reluctantly do.
“What I know is that I like the parts of you you’ve allowed me to see. I enjoy spending time with you and want to do that more. I’m not psychic, I can’t see the future, so I don’t know what will happen between us, but I’m interested in you enough to want to find out.”
“Oh,” I repeat, this time swallowing.
“Now, are you on the same page as me?” he asks, and I nod. “Good. Now are you done being pissed?”
“I wasn’t pissed.”
“Gorgeous.” He sighs, shaking his head. “You were pissed when you saw me across the street with Becky.”
“Beth,” I grumble, and he grins.
“Whatever her name is.”
“I thought you were using my dog to pick up chicks.”
“I’ve never needed a dog to pick up a woman. Besides, I’ve got my hands full with this hot little blonde who lives next door to me and may or may not be crazy.”
“I’m not crazy.” I feign annoyance while secretly doing flips in my head. He thinks I’m hot.
“Crazy people never think they’re crazy, gorgeous.” He grins, and I slap his chest, then feel my mouth soften when he takes my hand to kiss my palm, just like I watched my dad do to my mom at the theater. “Now, why don’t you go on over to your place, make sure your parents are settled, then come back and hang out with me for a while?”
“Sure,” I agree as nervous excitement fills my stomach. Muffin has sprawled out on the couch, making herself at home.
“She can stay.” He brushes his lips over mine as he opens the door.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive,” he agrees. “Now go on and hurry back to me.” He taps my ass lightly two times, sending me on my way. Stopping with my hand on the knob to my apartment, I turn to find him watching me. I don’t know what he’s thinking, but the look in his eyes makes my mouth dry. Pulling my eyes from him, I scoot through and close the door behind me, finding my parents both on the couch in their pajamas.
“Is everything okay?” Dad asks as soon as my eyes meet his.
“Yep. I’m going to go hang out with Levi for a bit. I’ll be home in a while,” I say as casually as possible, even though my stomach has started to turn with nervous butterflies.
“It’s after eleven,” he states, and Mom smacks his chest. “What?” he asks looking at her.
“Go on. Have fun, honey.” Mom rolls her eyes at him.
“I’m just going to change first,” I say, heading to my bedroom and shutting the door. I take off my coat, toss it to the floor of my closet, and dig though my stuff until I find something to wear. Settling on a pair of leggings, an oversize off-the-shoulder sweater over a tank top, and a pair of scrunched, warm socks, I change as fast as I can, almost taking myself out a few times in my rush.
As soon as I’m done, I go to the door and swing it open. “I’ll see you guys in the morning,” I say, going over to kiss each of my parents’ cheeks.
“Night, honey,” Mom says, kissing the side of my head.
“Night, kiddo,” Dad says, then mutters, “Be smart,” giving me a look that I ignore.
“Tell Levi we’ll see him for breakfast,” Mom says as I slip on my Uggs, and I turn to catch her smiling ear to ear.
“Will do,” I agree, opening and shutting the door behind me. After knocking on Levi’s door, I don’t even have a second to wait before he’s pulling me through the door and shutting it behind me. “What are you doing?” I ask his back as he drags me across the living room.
“We’re going to make out.”
“What?” I squeak as he pulls me into his bedroom and kicks the door closed.
“Your dog’s taking up the couch, so we’re going to make out in here and watch some TV.”
“Oh.” He pushes me onto the bed and looms over me, making me feel dizzy once more. “I thought we were going to get to know each other,” I breathe as his golden eyes search mine.
“We are.” He grins wickedly, then drops his head, covering my mouth with his. After the first touch of his tongue against mine, all I can think is I want to get to know all of him.