I sat at a small round table in Firehouse Café, nibbling on one of Janet’s delicious wild blueberry scones. I tried and failed to keep my mind occupied by staring out the window. With Firehouse Café situated smack in the middle of downtown Willow Brook on Main Street, there were plenty of people to watch. At the moment, two teenage siblings were arguing over who was riding in the front seat while their mother ignored them as she loaded up luggage into the back of the hatchback.

Despite this potential distraction, my thoughts were churning and had been all morning. Amelia was meeting me here, and I was mortified in anticipation of seeing her. I still couldn’t quite believe I’d announced Levi and I had sex to her and Cade last night. Just thinking about it now, my cheeks heated.

Janet slipped into the chair across from me at the table, handing me my coffee.

“Morning dear. You look, I dunno, a little off this morning. You doing okay?” she asked.

Janet’s warm brown eyes held a hint of concern. With flour dusted on her apron, her silver hair pulled atop her head with a pencil, she evinced an air of warmth. Not to mention, she always smelled good simply because she was a phenomenal baker and carried the scent of sugar and cinnamon with her.

I shrugged. “I was out late last night, that’s all.”

I sure as hell wasn’t about to announce to her what was really going on, namely I was screwing Levi and couldn’t seem to keep my hands off of him. I could barely even think about last night. It wasn’t the getting tipsy and blurting out that I had sex with him to Amelia and Cade on speakerphone, it wasn’t that Levi carried me to his bed, and I didn’t remember getting there. None of these things were weighing on me beyond minor embarrassment.

Rather, what was weighing on me was all about how I felt when I was with Levi. My mind spun back to last night—to waking up with him curled around me, his arousal pressing against my bottom with me already soaked with need. Our encounter had been this sleepy, hot, dreamy sex. It had been so slow, deep, and intense, I blushed even thinking about it now. My orgasm had started at my toes and rolled through me, shattering me at my core. I could still feel myself falling back to sleep with him curled up tight against me and his lips on my neck.

I didn’t know how long we slept after that because I had no idea what time it was. I came awake when I heard his on-call pager beeping on the nightstand by the bed. He’d dropped a kiss on my neck and reluctantly drawn away. I’d instantly ached for his presence and climbed out of bed to make him coffee. With Ham following me curiously down the stairs, I’d fed him first with some lettuce and carrots before starting a pot of coffee.

When Levi walked into the kitchen a few minutes later, the smile that claimed his lips gave my heart a swift kick.

Janet cleared her throat, rather audibly, effectively nudging me out of my reverie. I was all kinds of out of sorts this morning. I took a gulp of my coffee, lifting my mug in gratitude. “Delicious, as always.”

Janet merely nodded. “Seen your mom lately?”

“Couple of weeks ago,” I offered. I wasn’t sure how much Janet really knew about what had gone down with my family before my mom and I moved here. I was glad Janet was friends with my mom, but I wasn’t sure what she expected of us.

I surprised myself with my question. “What do you ask about my mom for? You see her more than me probably.”

It was hard to surprise Janet, but this did the trick. Her eyes widened slightly, yet she didn’t miss a beat. She cocked her head to the side. “I love you hon, and I love your mom. I hope maybe you two could get past everything that happened before you moved here.”

Ah, so perhaps my mother had given a few clues. “Look, we’re at peace. I’m not walking around holding a grudge. We’re just not that close. Things were really, well, shitty with my dad. I don’t know how much she’s told you about that.”

“Hon, I think she’s told me everything. Let me give you the short version. Your dad beat the shit out of her sometimes, he was emotionally abusive, and he ignored you. She shoulda left when you were a little girl, and she didn’t. He finally beat the shit out of you one day, and she lost you because she couldn’t make the right decision at the time. The way she tells it, she didn’t have the strength. I’m not saying that’s right, but it is what it is. By the time she found the strength to leave, she was afraid it was too late.”

I stared at Janet, my heart feeling funny in my chest. She wasn’t saying anything I didn’t already know. Yet, hearing it spelled out so succinctly and knowing my mother had spoken this directly about it made me sad. I was okay. I really was. I had moved on and scabbed over the scrapes and bumps my childhood had left on me.

Honestly, my childhood wasn’t something I dwelled on, probably because it always hurt a little. I had enough sense to know I couldn’t change the past, so I simply tried to accept it. Not certain what to say to Janet, I simply nodded and took another swallow of my coffee.

“I’m glad she has a friend like you,” I finally said.

Janet reached across the table to squeeze my hand before standing and adjusting her apron. “I wasn’t trying to pry. Just letting you know she doesn’t expect anything from you. Maybe it will help you to know she understands where you’re coming from.”

With a warm smile, she changed the subject. “Amelia meeting you here soon?”

“Yep, I’m sure she’ll be here any minute.”

As if conjured by name, the bell jingled over the café door, and I glanced over to see Amelia entering. She gave a wave and strode up to the counter. Janet squeezed my shoulder and hurried over. I returned to nibbling on my scone.

Within moments, Amelia walked over, shrugging her jacket off as she slipped into the chair across from me. I took a fortifying gulp of coffee, figuring I’d best cut to the chase.

“So I was a little tipsy last night when I said that, but it’s true,” I said flatly.

Amelia’s eyes narrowed, and I saw a hint of mirth in them. “It doesn’t surprise me.”

My cheeks got hot. I was embarrassed, but it would pass. Amelia might tease me, but I knew that would be all it was. I rolled my eyes. “Why doesn’t it surprise you?”

“Because he’s had a thing for you forever, and it’s obvious you like him too.”

My mouth dropped open. “What?! How is that obvious?”

Amelia grinned. “You two are like kids. He teases you, and you get all bitchy. It’s not like other guys haven’t tried to get you to go out with them, but only Levi gets under your skin. Let’s face it, he’s handsome as hell. He’s not for me, but you can’t deny it,” she said with a laugh.

I smiled even though I didn’t want to. “Fine. So he’s handsome. I’m not serious relationship material,” I said flatly, ignoring the funny little thump of my heart.

“Why are we talking about getting serious already?” she asked. “You don’t have to skip to that right off. A little fun wouldn’t hurt you. To be honest, I’m not one to talk up one night stands, but you are way overdue to get laid and have been for too damn long. I mean, when’s the last…?”

My cheeks were so hot I needed a fan. “Oh my God. Shut the hell up. You know I hardly ever date. My vibrator is as good as any guy.”

The moment I said that, for the first time ever, I was lying. Levi was far and away better than my vibrator, but I wasn’t about to fess up to that just now.

“Bullshit,” she said bluntly. “You definitely don’t date, but good sex is better than a vibrator any day.”

She took a sip of her coffee and broke off the end of my scone when I pushed the plate in her direction. “Look, you’re awesome and Levi’s a good guy. I can’t even say he’s a player. He dates here and there that’s pretty much it. Why not relax and enjoy some fun for once in your life?”

“I have fun!”

Amelia shook her head. “I know you do. Not with guys though.”

I sighed, ceding this argument. It wasn’t worth it, not just now. “I have to find another place to stay.”

“Well, you’d better get on it then,” she said with a wry grin. “Unless you want to come stay with Cade’s parents, I’m not sure how much luck you’ll have right now. I’d offer our place, but the downstairs floor is torn up, and we have no hot water.”

“I don’t want to stay with Cade’s parents. That’ll be weird because it makes it seem like I’m like too childish to stay with Levi.”

“Aren’t you then?” Amelia countered.

I resisted the urge to throw the last bite of my scone at her and satisfied myself with a glare.

“You could always call your mom,” she added, her tone softening.

What was it with people bringing up my mom today? I sighed and shook my head softly. “No, that would be even weirder. Janet already gave me a little pep talk about her today.”

Amelia held my gaze evenly. She was one of the few people that I’d confided in about my life before Willow Brook. “Well, then I say you keep staying at Levi’s and maybe have lots more sex.”

I burst out laughing, my cheeks heating even more. “Oh my God! Don’t even, okay? It’s bad enough that Cade heard.”

“I felt terrible last night. Seriously. As soon as you made your little announcement, I knew you were gonna die when you realized you were on speakerphone. If you’d told me sooner, I could’ve headed you off,” she said bluntly.

“It was just the night before,” I mumbled. “I really wasn’t holding out on you.”

“Like I said, Levi’s a good guy. He’s close to his sister, and his parents are great. Honestly, if you were looking for something more than sex, he’s a pretty good candidate,” she said.

My heart tumbled in my chest, and I felt as if I was falling inside—that feeling you get when an elevator goes down too fast and your whole stomach drops with it. Or when you’re on a roller coaster and it rounds the top of a curve before plummeting down.

None of this was supposed to happen. I wasn’t supposed to want Levi so much it made me ache. I wasn’t supposed to give into it and then feel as if I were being bound in a web of intimacy that felt so good it terrified me.

I mistakenly assumed my first thought had been unspoken, but Amelia’s eyes widened.

“Oh my God. What did I just say out loud?”

“That it wasn’t supposed to happen,” she said calmly before taking a sip of coffee. Setting her mug down, she eyed me. “Try to relax and maybe enjoy it. You know I’m here for you. No judgment. Ever.”

My throat tightened because I knew she meant it. She was loyal to the bone and there for me no matter what.

“I know,” I finally said, quickly shifting topics. “I suppose we should get to work, huh?”

Amelia shrugged. “Don’t you have a doctor’s appointment soon?” she asked, her eyes flicking to the brace on my forearm.

“Next week. She said I should be good to go by then.”

“Good. There’s plenty to do no matter what. We’re due to start the tile cutting for the bathrooms. You can do that, and I’ll do all the heavy labor,” she offered with a grin.

“You love this, don’t you? You get to insist I do all the boring, tedious shit.”

She burst out laughing. “I don’t love it, but it’s good for you to take it easy and to maybe accept a little help here and there.”

I rolled my eyes as I stood. “I don’t need anyone’s help,” I muttered as I snagged my empty coffee mug and plate.