“Ha-ha. And it’s just an experiment.” Jane handed out forks and everyone dug in. Jane knew it had to be good when the only sound in the room was chewing.
“You’ve been holding out on me,” Charlotte said, mouth full.
“On all of us,” Zoe said, shoveling meatloaf into her mouth.
Mariella was eating and working on her laptop at the same time. “Is it for fuck’s sake or for fuck sakes?” she asked the room. “It’s a work email, so it has to sound professional.”
Charlotte choked on her bite. “Honey, what have I told you about using the f-bomb for work?”
“To do it behind my boss’s back, not to his face?”
Charlotte waved a hand like Well, there’s your answer.
Mariella sighed. “And to think, I grew up for this shit.” And then she hit the delete key a bunch of times.
“You know who should have some of this?” Mateo asked. “Levi.”
“Seems only fair,” Charlotte said, looking at Jane. “Seeing as his mama gave you the recipe.”
Just yesterday, Jane would’ve agreed. But she’d been jerked out of her fantasy bubble after Shirl and Tess’s visit, making her realize that one, she’d fallen for Levi for real and she still didn’t know what to do with that, and two, continuing the charade and hurting the people Levi loved felt incredibly wrong. “I’ve got someone else in mind for the meatloaf,” she said.
Charlotte smiled. “Your grandpa.”
Jane touched the tip of her nose. Charlotte pulled her in for a warm hug.
“He looks good on you,” Jane whispered.
“I rather think it’s the other way around,” Charlotte drawled.
Jane pulled back and looked into Charlotte’s eyes. “You’re okay?”
“Well, I’m still neurotic as hell, but okay? Yes.”
Jane laughed, kissed Charlotte on the cheek, and headed out.
When she pulled into her grandpa’s driveway, she stared at the truck parked in it.
Levi’s truck.
Her heart skipped a beat in confusion, but also happiness.
She walked up the driveway and looked inside Levi’s truck. Empty. And the hood was cold. She knocked on the front door, but when no one answered, she let herself in. “Hello?” she called out, walking through the living room before coming to a stop.
Levi was on a ladder, head into the attic access, so all she could see was a pair of long denim-clad legs and possibly the best ass in Tahoe. “What are you doing?”
There came a solid thunk, followed by an oath, and then Levi craned his neck to look down at her, rubbing the top of his head.
“You okay?”
He smiled. “I am now. And hey.”
“Hey yourself,” she said casually because it felt way too good to see him. “What are you doing here?”
“Your grandpa called me. He wanted to know who to hire to make this place a smart house. I told him I’d do it for him.” He twisted and put his head back into the attic.
Fine with her. Great view. “You didn’t have to do this.” His jeans were faded and fit just right. His long-sleeved Henley rose up a bit when he stretched to reach something, exposing a strip of skin that made her mouth go a little dry.
“Don’t stand too close,” he called down. “It’s dusty up here.”
“Just appreciating the view.”