Chapter 20
Layla
Ifidget in the passenger seat of Levi’s car on the short drive to my mom’s.
Levi is meeting my mom. I repeat the words in my head, not quite believing it.
If someone asked me how this happened I wouldn’t be able to answer.
Are we even dating? It doesn’t matter. He’s here and I’m nervous as hell.
This isn’t about Levi meeting my mom. It’s about having no idea what we’re walking into.
I only hope today is one of her good days.
“Are you okay?” Levi asks glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. “Layla?” he prods when I remain silent. Reaching across the seat, he gives my knee a gentle squeeze in support.
“Yeah, sorry. I’m okay.”
He sighs, parking his car in front of the small white ranch I grew up in. “Are you sure you want me to come inside?”
Turning my head to face him, I insist, “Yes, I’m sure. I’m just anxious about what she will be like, especially after last night. I promise, this has absolutely nothing to do with you.”
“I’m not going to judge her, or you. That’s not me.”
“I don’t think you are.” Taking a deep breath, I say, “Okay, let’s go.” I climb out of the car and stride up the walkway with Levi right behind me. Not stopping, I push in the front door and step inside.
My gaze travels over the cozy living room with a small tan floral couch, a chocolate brown recliner and the tables now clear of the Kleenex and empty bottles and cans Gabe and I cleaned up last night. I breathe a sigh of relief knowing it didn’t revert to the mess overnight.
“Mom?” I call, hesitant.
“Layla? I’ll be right out,” she replies.
“Okay. I brought someone with me,” I add, hoping she doesn’t walk out in her nightgown or something.
He glances around the room, noticing my senior picture with me dressed in a black dress alongside my brother’s in a black suit. “You were beautiful then too,” he says, grinning. Just below that, is my kindergarten graduation picture, my two front teeth missing from my smile. “That one is too cute.”
I arch my eyebrow, blushing. “Thanks.”
My mom steps into the room dressed in black pants and a simple dark red, long-sleeved top bringing a smile to my face. Exhaling, my shoulders truly relax seeing the mom I know. “Hi, Layla.”
“Hi, Mom.” Happy, I step towards her and give her a hug. “How are you feeling today?”
“I’m so much better. Thank you for helping.” I nod in acknowledgement. “Who’s this handsome young man?” she asks sounding older than her 59 years.
“Oh, sorry. This is my...um, this is Levi.”
Levi grins and steps up to my mom, holding out his hand in greeting. “It’s wonderful meeting you. I’ve heard so much about you.”
She smiles and takes his hand, squeezing instead of shaking it and making me blush. “It’s wonderful to meet you too, Levi. You must be special because Layla doesn’t bring many boys around here.”
“Mom!” I interrupt.
My mom chuckles, attempting to brush it off, while my face is completely on fire with embarrassment. “Oh, don’t be so uptight, Layla. It’s fine. I’m just happy to meet the man.”
Levi’s eyes sparkle, his grin wider. “I’m happy to be here,” Levi reiterates, glancing at me.
“Why don’t you two have a seat, stay for a little while. I made a cheese board if you would like some snacks. I could go get that for you.”
I shake my head. “No, thank you, Mom. We’re okay. We just ate, but we’ll stay and talk for a little while.”
“Okay,” she agrees. My eyes remain on her until she sits down in the recliner.
Making my way over to the couch, I sit down, Levi lowering himself down, right next to me.
“I just hung up with your brother a few minutes ago. He wants to pick me up and take me to visit a couple of those homes on Monday.”
“Don’t you think that’s a good idea? Some of them are really nice. Gabe sent me the ones he wanted to bring you to check out.”
She presses her lips together. “Hmm.” Looking around, she leans forward as if about to tell us a secret. “Yeah, but I’ll be the youngest one at any of them. I don’t want you and Gabe to have to worry anymore.”
“We just want you to be safe, Mom.”
Nodding, she turns to Levi. “So, you’re the one that went out on a blind date with Layla. I thought you weren’t very nice.”
My face heats and Levi’s head falls back as he bursts out laughing. “Thanks a lot, Mom,” I mutter under my breath.
Levi catches his breath and says, “It’s okay. We know it’s true, but I begged her for forgiveness. A lot of apologizing, a few bouquets of flowers and some dinners, I think I might finally be getting her to forgive me.”
Mom narrows her eyes in warning at Levi. “Make sure you treat her right. No more of your nonsense.”
He laughs again, his eyes bright with amusement. “That’s my plan. She deserves all good things.”
“You got that right,” my mom agrees.
“Can we stop talking about this as if I’m not here?” I squeak, not able to even glance in Levi’s direction.
He reaches for my hand and weaves our fingers together, but I still can’t look at him. “Gabe told me that you play baseball.”
“Yes, I do. Well, right now Layla’s helping me with an injury. I hurt my shoulder and my elbow this season.”
“Well, you have the best physical therapist there is. You should be playing again in no time.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Where are you from, Levi?”
“Originally, not too far from here. I’m staying with my Uncle Steve and Aunt Miranda. While I’m here.”
“Oh, I know your family. I’ve met your dad before too when he was visiting his brother.”
Levi frowns, his body briefly goes taut and he nods. “Yup. He’s visited a few times.”
I feel the tension suddenly radiating off him, his hand reflexively tightening its grip on mine. Tilting my head in his direction, I whisper, “Are you okay?”
He nods, forcing a smile. His phone rings and without looking at the screen, he jumps up. “I’m sorry I have to get this.” With his phone in hand, he rushes out the front door.
“Hmm. He seems nice.”
“Mom,” I mumble in warning.
“Just make sure you know all his secrets before you decide to make a commitment. The good looking ones are always hiding something and I think he just proved it.”
I heave a sigh. There’s no point in arguing, but I have a feeling it has something to do with his dad. Hopefully he’ll open up to me sooner or later. “I’m sorry, Mom, but we have to go. I have some paperwork I have to do since I missed work today.”
She flinches knowing she was the reason. “Oh, okay. Well, thanks for stopping and tell Levi it was nice meeting him.”
“I will.” Strolling over to her, I give her a kiss on the cheek. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
Waving, I walk out the door, finding Levi leaning against the passenger door of his car. He lifts his gaze, meeting mine and pushes off the metal. “I was just coming back inside.”
Shaking my head, I mutter, “It’s okay, Levi. I told her we had to go.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” I insist, climbing in the car.
He slides in behind the wheel and looks at me. “I’m not hiding anything, Layla,” he claims as if reading my mind.
“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not.” He pauses, running his hand through his hair. “It’s just that my dad is an asshole.”
“Believe me, I get it,” I emphasize before heaving a sigh and dropping my gaze, feeling drained, defeated. It feels like he knows almost everything about me, but so much of him is still a mystery to me.
How is that a relationship? “I’m here to listen if you want.”
“Yeah, I would like that, but I just can’t right now.” His claim feels like he’s closing me out. Am I like the other women he dates? My gut wrenches, but I ignore it, his heavy questioning stare boring into me. “Do you want to maybe go to a movie? I don’t remember the last time I’d been to one.”
“Um, maybe next time. Since we already did your therapy earlier, I think I need to go home and get some work done. I’m behind on paperwork since I called in today.”
His face falls and he leans back against the seat, starting the car. “Okay. I understand.”