Sixteen Levi
Alright, Levi. Just one more fence post, and then maybe—just maybe—Sunny will have messaged us back.
I jam the last post into the ground, wipe the sweat from my forehead, and casually reach for my phone like I’m not checking it again for the third time in ten minutes. Don’t judge me.
There’s been a storm warning, and we can’t risk anything getting loose. We’ve been out here all damn day securing everything we can, and I’m ready to call it quits.
“Why do you keep checking that thing?”
Colton asks, smirking as he leans against the truck. His eyes narrowing as he waits for an answer.
“No reason,”
I mumble, picking up the last of the tools and tossing them into the back of the truck.
“Just checking the time.”
Colton’s smirk turns into a full-on grin as he climbs into the passenger seat, clearly not buying it.
“Ohhh myyy Goddd,”
he says, dragging out the words like he’s just uncovered some great secret.
“You’re checking to see if Sunny has messaged you!”
I shoot him a glare as I slide behind the wheel. “Shut up, Colton.”
Colton just cackles, clapping his hands together like he’s won the damn lottery. “Oh, you’ve got it bad! Brother, you’ve fallen hard.”
I give him a not-so-gentle whack on the shoulder as I reverse out of the field. “I will throw you out of this truck.”
“Ouch! No need to get violent just because I’m right!”
Colton rubs his arm, still grinning like a damn fool.
When we pull up to my place, I’m hoping for a quiet evening to myself. Maybe distract myself with cookies, TV, anything. But the moment I open the front door, I’m greeted by chaos. Noah, Knox, Hunter, and Bodhi are all sprawled out on my couch like they own the place, munching on the cookies I made yesterday.
“Don’t you guys have homes to go to?”
I ask, stepping over their shoes, shaking my head.
“They’re not as well-stocked as yours,”
Noah says around a mouthful of cookie.
“Yeah, your snacks are so much better,”
Knox adds, holding up half a cookie like it’s a trophy.
“You’re welcome,”
I mutter, kicking off my boots.
They’re a pain, but I like having them around. They keep things from getting too serious, even if they do raid my snacks like wild animals.
But even with them here, laughing and arguing over some talent show on TV, my mind’s still on Sunny. Why hasn’t she messaged me yet? Is she busy? Or maybe… maybe she’s losing interest. That thought hits me in the chest, like a weight pressing down.
I drop onto the floor and lie flat on my stomach.
Don’t ask.
Noah, always the observant one, speaks up.
“Uh oh. Levi’s stressing.”
I can feel their eyes on me now. “Oh yeah. He’s definitely stressing.”
Knox adds.
I turn my head and glare at them. “I’m not stressing.”
Bodhi snickers from the couch, barely holding in his laughter. “Levi, you’re laying on the floor. You always do that when you’re stressed.”
“He’s got that ‘I’m in love, but don’t know I’m in love’ look,”
Colton chimes in, mouth full of cookies like he doesn’t even care.
“I’m not in love with Sunny,”
I grumble, though even I can hear how weak it sounds.
Fuck. Am I in love with her?
Suddenly, all these moments with Sunny start flashing through my mind. Her smile, the way she looks at me with those baby blues like I hung the moon. The way I can’t stop thinking about her. She consumes every damn thought, every breath. Her laugh? I’d do anything to hear it everyday. And when she’s not around, it feels like something’s missing. Like that nauseous feeling you get when you leave your house and forget something.
Colton leans over, grinning. “Admit it, Levi. You’re gone.”
I roll onto my back, staring up at the ceiling like it’s got all the answers. “I’m not in love with Sunny, am I?”
The room goes quiet, and every single one of these idiot's stare at me like I’ve just announced I’m joining a monastery.
Bodhi clears his throat. “You might wanna say that again, but you know…with more confidence.”
I sit up, rubbing my face with both hands. “Okay, okay, so maybe I’m thinking about her all the time. Maybe I can’t function without seeing her. Hell, she makes me feel like everything’s better just by being in the room. But that doesn’t mean I’m in love.”
Knox deadpans, “Nah, definitely not in love. Just sounds like your classic case of obsession. Totally normal.”
The room bursts into laughter, but my mind’s still spinning. Is this what love feels like?
Colton’s voice cuts through my thoughts. “Brother, you’re so in love with her. Just admit it and save us the trouble of having to hear you deny it.”
I sigh, laying on my back again. “Fine. Maybe I am.”
The room goes silent for a moment, and then Knox grins, leaning forward with a mischievous look in his eye as he pats me on the shoulder. “Finally. We’ve been waiting for you to realize.”
“Shut it, Knox,”
I say, chucking a pillow at him, but I can’t help the small grin that’s pulling at the corners of my mouth.
“Seriously, though,”
Noah says, sitting up.
“You should tell her. If she makes you feel all that stuff, you owe it to yourself to let her know.”
“Yeah, man,”
Bodhi adds, “You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take. Michael Jordan said that. Or y’know, someone else. Either way, it’s solid advice.”
I look at him, completely shocked. “Bodhi, that’s… surprisingly deep coming from you.”
Bodhi shrugs, looking proud of himself, “I have my moments.”
Colton sits up, more serious now. “For real, Levi. Sunny’s crazy about you. Anyone with eyes can see that. Just talk to her. Don’t keep all that bottled up.”
I know they’re right. Holding back my feelings is only going to make things harder. But we agreed no strings attached to just having some fun. And the thought of putting my heart on the line? Terrifying. However, the thought of not telling her, of letting her slip through my fingers, is even worse.
“Okay,”
I say, nodding more to myself than anyone else. “I’ll talk to her when the times right. But if this goes south, I’m blaming all of you.”
The guy's cheer like I’ve just agreed to fight a dragon. Knox even starts singing, “Levi’s got a girlfriend!”
under his breath, but I let it slide. For now.
As I lie on the floor, staring at the ceiling, I realize something. I’m not just scared of rejection. I’m scared of what happens if this goes right. If Sunny feels the same way and everything changes. Because after everything, that might be even more terrifying than losing her.
But one thing’s for sure—I can’t keep this to myself forever. Sunny needs to know, and I’m going to have to grow a pair and tell her. Soon.
* * *
I finally manage to slip away to my room, shutting the door behind me like I’ve just escaped a serial killer. I flop down onto the bed and stare at my phone, her picture lighting up the screen. I should call her. I’m going to call her. No big deal, right? We talk all the time. It’s normal. Yet here I am, a grown man hiding from my friends like a nervous teenager about to call his crush.
I hit her name and bring the phone to my ear. One ring. That’s all it takes before she picks up, like she’s been waiting for me. The thought sends a wave of warmth through me as a smile spreads across my face.
“Hey,”
she says, her voice soft and low, like the perfect end to a long day.
“Hi,”
I manage, my voice coming out rougher than I intended. Why am I nervous? This is Sunny.
. But the sound of her voice, that gentle lilt, makes my chest tighten in a way that’s becoming way too familiar.
“What are you up to?”
she asks, and I can hear the smile in her voice, warm and sweet.
I rub the back of my neck, glancing toward the window where I can still see the guys messing around outside.
“Uh… hiding in my room.”
Her laughter fills my ear, that breathy sound that never fails to wreck me.
“Hiding? From what, exactly?”
I grin, knowing how ridiculous it sounds.
“The guys are trying to get me to judge their handstand competition in the backyard. It’s a whole thing. I swear, Bodhi’s already face-planted twice, and Hunter is acting like he’s in the Olympics.”
She laughs again, a little harder this time, and damn, it’s like music. I would pay good money to hear that sound every day.
“You’re serious? You’re hiding from a handstand competition?”
“Yup,”
I say, leaning back against the headboard. “I love ‘em, but there’s only so many I can judge in one night.”
“Sounds like fun,”
she murmurs, still giggling softly, I can just picture her—lying in bed, hair messy from a long day, her teeth biting down on her bottom lip to hide her smile.
“I wish you were here,”
I blurt out before I can stop myself. I feel my throat tighten, waiting for her response, hoping it doesn’t sound like too much.
There’s a pause on her end, just long enough to make me wonder if I’ve crossed a line. But then she speaks, her voice softer, more serious.
“Me too,”
she says quietly. “By the way, the beds Paisley and I have are super uncomfortable.”
I chuckle, but my heart’s pounding.
“Well, you could always come over here. I’ll have these guys out of my house in five minutes, tops.”
There’s silence on her end of the phone, just for a beat, and I feel that familiar nervousness creep in again.
“Sunny? You still there?”
I ask, sitting up a little.
Through the phone, I hear rustling, the unmistakable sound of someone moving around. Then I hear a door close, followed by a soft, steady voice that sends a shock wave of warmth straight to my chest.
“I’m on my way, cowboy.”
Before I can even respond, the line clicks, and she’s gone. I sit there for a second, staring at my phone, my heart thudding in my chest. Did she just—?
She’s coming over. Sunny is on her way. To me.
I can’t help but laugh, a grin spreading across my face. I drop my phone on the bed and run a hand through my hair. What just happened? She didn’t even hesitate. She’s really coming over. My mind’s spinning.
I make my way across the room and open the window. Leaning out, I blow the loudest whistle I can, gaining the guys attention as I yell, “pack up boys, daddy’s got company.”
I wink down at them as they all start dry heaving and yelling.
“Ugh, dude! Never call yourself daddy again. Please!”
Bodhi yells, covering his ears.
He loves it.