the stairs and on inside, leaving the perplexed dog to jump up and run around in circles, nose to ground, wondering where his new friend went.
Still chuckling, Levi came up to Val and the baby. He got a whiff of something sweet, then another scent that reminded him of his mother’s kitchen the day before Thanksgiving.
“You got her a kitten?”
“Not exactly. My father-in-law brought them home. Little girl, kittens...” She shrugged. “Thank God Connie had already called dibs on the second one, or I’d really be in trouble. And I’d seen Radar with cats before. Dog’s an idiot, and doesn’t know from boundaries, but I knew it’d be okay. Hoped, anyway. And Josie needs something to focus on.”
Speaking of focusing, her gaze wandered to the porch. On a little gasp, she went closer, the baby clinging to her hip. “Oh. Wow. This is...impressive.”
Levi stood behind her, getting another heady whiff of domesticity. “Thanks.”
“I can’t believe you finished it so fast.”
“Wasn’t that big a deal. The foundation was still okay, only needed the boards replaced. Whoever built this originally knew what they were doing.”
“Still. It would’ve taken Tomas forever...” As if that thought had jump-started another one, her gaze jerked to his, an inch away from accusing. She hiked the baby higher on her hip, her voice soft but the anger underlying her words unmistakable. “How come you didn’t tell me you’d gone to see Connie and Pete?”
“You’re mad,” Levi said, just as softly. Her cheek pressed against her mama’s collarbone, the baby grinned up at him from around her thumb, and something squeezed inside Levi’s chest.
“I’m sure as heck not happy,” Val said, snapping him back to the moment. The baby leaned back to pat her face; Val grabbed her chubby little hand and kissed it before looking at Levi again. “If you wanted to know what the budget was, why not ask me? Why go to them?”
“First off, did you expect me not to go see them? And second, we got to talking about the house—”
“I have major issues with people not being up front with me, Levi. So as long as we’re...working together, no sneaking around, no hiding stuff from me. Because if it’s one thing I hate, it’s surprises. Or having to wonder what’s really going on in someone’s head.” She pulled a face. “Drives me batty.”
“It was a judgment call, okay?” he said after a moment, guessing her strong reaction had little to do with the house. “Not to bog you down with details. Like the fact that this budget isn’t going to go very far if you have to pay for labor. You’re stressed, Val,” he said when she glared at him. “More than you probably want to admit. So sue me for wanting to make things easier for you. Like I know Tommy would. Believe it or not, I’m trying my best not to be a jerk here.”
Their gazes tangled for several moments before she sank onto the porch step, the baby still in her arms. Radar sauntered over to give kisses, and she smiled. Then sighed.
“Sorry,” she mumbled.
“S’okay.” Then he crossed his arms. “But you can’t seriously expect me to share every single thing I’m thinking.”
Another sigh preceded, “Not unless it pertains to me. Or my girls. Because I doubt either one of us really knows what the parameters are for...whatever this is. But as long as we’re honest with each other, maybe it won’t be quite as awkward?”
By rights, her request should’ve made him hugely uncomfortable. Because there was stuff lurking in his head he wasn’t about to share with anyone, let alone someone in Val’s situation. And yet at the same time he found her openness more of a relief than a threat. Especially considering some of the women he’d been with over the years. Might be nice, not having to work his ass off trying to figure out who this one really was.
Even if this situation was only a way to make good on his promise, since he didn’t imagine Tomas would’ve expected it to be open-ended. Or that he and Val should become friends or anything. Besides that, she’d said her “rules” only applied to whatever affected her or the girls. Not what affected him.
“I suppose I can do that,” he said.
Her lips curved. Barely. “So if I ask you something, you’ll give me a truthful answer?”
Hell, he couldn’t even answer that truthfully. But all he said was, “Long as you don’t ask me if what you’re wearing makes you look fat. ’Cause that dumb, I’m not.”
He’d never noticed before the way her eyes crinkled when she laughed. Made him feel good to make her laugh. Not that it was much of a compensation for what’d happened. But since, aside from his handyman skills, it was all he had—
“And you can ask me anything, too,” she said.
“Deal.” Although he wouldn’t.
Because, again—that dumb, he wasn’t.
A short time later, Levi clacked the knocker on his oldest brother’s front door, smiling at—over much excited barking—an equally excited “It’s Uncle Levi!” coming from the other side. One of Zach’s boys, probably. Although Josh was there, too; his twin’s mud-spattered four-by-four was parked behind Zach’s even dirtier Chevy pickup. Because around here, the filthiness of one’s truck spoke directly to one’s ballsiness. And that went for the women, too.
Speaking of ballsy...all three of them together for the first time in more than six years? Should be interesting, Levi mused as he took in the almost painfully cute front porch, attached to an equally adorable blue-and-white house, rosebush-choked picket fence and all. Next door stood a toned-down version, beige with black shutters, that housed Zach’s veterinary practice and small-animal boarding facility. Although Levi gathered that a lot of the boarders ended up—
The door opened, and three little boys, a pair of Chihuahuas and one overly enthusiastic golden retriever all scrambled to get to Levi first.
—here.
“Guys, guys...” Laughing, Levi’s fraternal twin made some lame attempt at untangling the exuberance before grabbing Levi in a back-pounding, bone-crushing man-hug. Then Josh held Levi apart, a thousand questions simmering in eyes the same murky green as Levi’s, although his ten minutes’ younger brother’s hair was darker, straighter. Neater. Josh also stood a couple of inches shorter than Levi, a fact that had annoyed the hell out of Josh all through high school. Ten years later, though, what his twin lacked in height he’d more than made up for in rock-solid bulk. Which stood him in good stead, Levi supposed, for working with horses day in and day out.
“You look good,” Josh said, grinning like crazy as he hauled his little boy up into his arms. Even a toddler, Josh’d been the sweet one, Levi the holy terror. He wondered how much that still held true.
“Thanks—”
Zach’s two started messing with each other, making the dogs bark. From the kitchen, Zach called, “Cut it out! Now!” But not before the younger kid got in a final punch.
Ah,
