CHAPTER 10Levi
Levi
As much as he hated to admit it, Levi was impressed.
He walked in a silent skeptic, but that changed when Estrella Vale explained her approach to finding his match.
Estrella was in her mid-fifties, with lavender shoulder-length straight hair, and delicate features framed by a pair of smart black rimmed glasses. She was soft-spoken with a faint but enchanting accent that he couldn’t quite place.
Nothing out of the ordinary except for her eyes. They appeared otherworldly, with different shades of blue swirling in their depths. There was something about them that unsettled him, but he couldn’t pinpoint why.
The building—or rather the house—was small and nondescript, easily blending in with the other houses in the row.
He might have missed it if he hadn’t been looking for this exact address.
The light blue craftsman front door had opened as he was poised to ring the doorbell, Estrella in the doorway, ready to greet him.
He was ushered into a light and airy room with white wainscoting, floral wallpaper in various shades of coral, gold, and green decorating the walls above.
A single tan colored couch flanked by two cream plush armchairs faced a small historic brick fireplace, only separated by a light wood coffee table.
Levi had never seen a room so bright and yet so warm. While the colors weren’t something he would have ever chosen for himself, he found it wonderfully comfortable and inviting.
“My research has proven that punctuality is a very attractive quality in a partner.” Estrella extended her delicate hand in greeting, her mouth lifting in a playful half-smile. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lockwood.”
Levi smiled widely and eagerly shook her hand. “I’m at the mercy of your expertise and appreciate the expedited appointment.”
That earned him a full smile from Estrella.
She turned and beckoned him to follow through the large opening in the direction of what looked like a kitchen.
There was also a set of stairs, confirming that she lived in the house that lay on the other side of the entryway.
“While appreciated, there is no need for such formalities here, Levi. I’m in the business of getting to know the real you, and that begins now. ”
Estrella continued into the kitchen, offering the option of a warm beverage. Hands in his pockets, Levi gratefully accepted a cup of coffee as he absentmindedly observed the space.
The same color scheme from the sitting room continued into this area.
Natural wood tones were used throughout the counters and furniture, punctuated by a deep white farmhouse sink sitting atop coral colored cabinetry.
Light wood open shelving displayed colorful dishes, cookware, and jars of dried ingredients and spices.
The air held the scent of freshly baked apple pie that had his mouth watering.
This is what a home smells like , he thought, his eyes widening with the sudden realization.
He had never lived anywhere that truly felt like a home, even as a child.
The closest thing was when he was at Owen’s house growing up, or at Grace and Isaac’s house hanging out.
Frowning, he made a mental note to visit Owen’s mom.
It wasn’t only his friends he had been neglecting lately.
Yet deep down, he knew—this confirmed why he hated going home after work.
A low familiar ache in his chest decided to rear its ugly head again. Brushing it aside, he glanced at the farmhouse table nestled in front of a large wall of windows overlooking the colorful backyard.
The words came tumbling out of his mouth without warning. “I love your home.”
He could hear her smile, rather than see it, from the other side of the kitchen.
Estrella poured two steaming cups of coffee from a French press as promised.
“I’m in the business of uniting two souls so they can build a home and life together.
A stuffy office makes it so unnecessarily clinical.
” She carefully walked the two mugs over to the table.
“I will give you the option of having our consultation here or in my office.”
Levi didn’t hesitate. “Let's stay in here. I honestly love this room.” He was surprised that he liked the coral cabinets. They were bright and warm, which gave the space an added layer of calm…something he desperately needed at that moment.
“It’s my favorite room too.” She settled into a cushioned seat at the end of the table and motioned for Levi to do the same. As he sat down, he placed his notebook and documents on the table ensuring he was as prepared as possible.
Estrella turned her sharp gaze to his folder; her attention focused on the multiple colors of sticky notes layered within it, but she said nothing.
Levi followed her gaze, his cheeks heating a little.He wasn’t sure what to expect from their meeting, so he did his best to be ready.
He went through the documents for today and marked pages with critical items to discuss.
The color-coding system made sense to him, helping him to find a particular section quickly without spending too much time skimming through the text.
“I like to be very prepared when going into unknown situations that could stress me out,” he admitted with a nervous laugh, fingertips anxiously tapping on the table.
Those eyes—a whirlpool in the depths of a blue lagoon—bore into him again, rendering him still.
“I've been in contact with your attorney, Mitchell, so don’t worry about paperwork during this appointment. The signed service agreement can wait until the end, so you have all the information to make an informed decision. No need to spend our time together reading when one can learn a great deal from talking and listening,” she assured him with a secret smile.
He released the breath he had been holding.
It was as if she knew what a struggle reading could be for him—though he supposed the heavily notated file probably was a clue.
Regardless, he still appreciated this small mercy and let his shoulders relax a bit.
“You may regret that once you find out how boring I can be,” he teased.
She didn’t so much as react to his joke aside from a slight head tilt.
“What brings you to my doorstep? I spoke with your friend Ivy, and she shared quite a bit of detail about you and your situation, but I want to hear it directly from you.” Her tone was serious, and her eyes continued to change hues. It was borderline distracting.
Levi felt like every pore on his body was being analyzed by a panel of overly judgmental church ladies. It was uncomfortable, exaggerated, and left him feeling like his flaws were the main attraction.This was exactly the kind of situation he actively avoided regularly.
“I’m not sure what Ivy told you specifically, but this whole thing came about because I was an idiot during a Board meeting and let one of our most abrasive members get under my skin.” Levi could feel the anger bubbling up again, but clenched his teeth as he fought to tamp it down.
Once he had his emotions under control, he recounted the events of the meeting, including the derogatory comments Tyler had made. She didn’t say a word, but her irises kept swirling as she listened.
If he was going to fully commit to this process, then he had to jump into the deep end of this pool—and try to ignore her unsettling eyes. Which meant opening up about himself, no matter how uncomfortable it was.
He took a calming breath.
“I’ll start with why that Board member’s comments bothered me so much. You’ve noticed how prepared I came today, and it’s because I have dyslexia. Growing up with it was a nightmare, not because of how much I struggled in school, but because of how my peers and adults treated me.”
This was going to be much harder than Levi thought. It was one thing to say the words aloud, but it was quite another to try to explain what dyslexia is and how it affects everyday life.
“The stereotypes—It's not just about letters being jumbled or backwards like many people think…it comes in so many different forms and affects every person differently. For me, the words are not static, meaning they don’t stay still and seem to move around when I read, so following a linear sentence takes me significantly longer to get through than the average person.”
This was why Tyler’s words had cut Levi so deeply. He wasn’t the first person in Levi’s life to question or mock his ability to read. It reopened a deep wound that had never fully healed.
“It also makes writing harder—my penmanship was and still is a constant battle. It’s mentally draining to try to decode something like that.
People assumed I was lazy and unmotivated because I was tired all the time.
I fell asleep at my desk on more than one occasion because I was trying so hard that it was physically taxing. ”
He swallowed audibly and turned to gaze out the window. He hated talking about these experiences. He hated feeling weak and vulnerable.
“Being mocked like that, at my own company, which was meant to be a safe place for people like me…
I haven't felt that low in a long time. So, when he took another shot at me about my past and very public relationship failures, I was caught completely off guard. I don't know what came over me, but the next thing I knew, I had announced a fiancée I didn’t have.”
Despite his best efforts, Levi felt inadequate again, his voice beginning to waver. “I guess I snapped and didn't want to continue feeling like a failure.”
Levi forced himself to face her. Estrella was still unmoving, still watching him with that unflinching and intense stare.
It was really starting to creep him out.
“In talking with my friends, they ultimately pushed me to finally stop and think about—an intervention of sorts. It made me realize what I've been ignoring for quite a long time now…” he trailed off softly.
He examined his trembling hands as they rested on the table. Clenching them into tight fists, he shifted them to his lap, while searching for the right words to explain.
He hated rambling—but he powered through.
“The reason I already love this kitchen is because it feels like a home— that’s what I want.
I have a large house, but it's not a home . It's cold, empty, and I hate being there. I hate it so much that I work almost all the time because I don’t have time to think about how alone I am. But I was brutally reminded this week,” he said bitterly, “that I apparently don’t make good choices when it comes to selecting partners. ”
Levi looked Estrella directly in the eyes and with all the conviction he could summon, he revealed, “I want a home to share with someone who loves me, flaws and all, that I love just as acceptingly. I needed a kick in the ass to wake me up and, unfortunately, this Board member was the one who delivered it.”
His deepest desire and his worst fear.
Every aspect of the silent battle he had waged within himself for the past few years was out in the open, no longer contained or repressed within him.
Levi held his breath and waited several moments for her to speak, acutely aware that patience was a test of sorts and one he desperately needed to pass. The longer the silence stretched, the more anxious he became, the air in the room suffocating with every second that ticked by.
The torrent of colors in her eyes began to subside, returning to a more static blue. Estrella then snapped out of whatever trance she had been in and took a slow, contemplative sip of her coffee.
“Fate sends us signs all the time. But it’s up to us to decide if we are ready to see and understand them,” she finally said.
“I have to agree with you here—while it wasn’t the most preferred method of delivery coming from your Board member, it was, in fact, a sign you needed.
” Her lips quirked up in mild amusement.
Just as quickly, her expression dimmed, and a hint of sadness crept into her tone. “I can sense how weary you are from the toll that the extra effort you expend fitting into this world has taken on your soul.”
Something in Levi’s chest eased at her words. She straightened as her face brightened.
“The good news is that I’m confident I can help you find a match…
I may even have a prospect in mind who is currently being vetted.
But ,” her tone sharpened, “you need to be committed to truly finding your other half, not a temporary placeholder. Otherwise, this will be a waste of everyone’s time.
So, be undeniably sure before moving forward—before you tell me what it is you want. ”
He didn’t miss a beat, answering earnestly. “I want to find my match.”
It was late evening, and Levi was still beside himself.
He had never revealed so much about himself in one sitting to anyone, let alone a stranger, the words yanked from him by some invisible force.
He didn’t know what to make of it.
The rest of their time together continued well past lunchtime. Estrella was courteous enough to provide sandwiches and homemade lemonade as she laid out the next steps of the matchmaking process.
Levi’s head swam as he recalled the detailed discussion about the psychological profiling, lifestyle analysis, and in-depth interviews he would have to do. If he took the time off from work and fully immersed himself, he could get it all done within two or three days.
Still…It was an intimidating level of information, and the blind nature of the match—which included no photos or names until the wedding—had him second-guessing this decision.
Estrella reinforced her perfect record of accomplishment and reminded him that he had a choice in the process…only to casually hint that she may already have someone in mind for him.
That caught Levi’s attention, confirming what Ivy told him.
With time running out and leaving no room to wrestle with the vulnerability of marrying a stranger, Levi agreed to return the next day at 8:00 AM sharp, fully invested and fully committed.
It was all he could think about for the rest of the night. He drifted off to sleep, praying it was true: that he would have a match.