Chapter 36
Chapter thirty-six
Everly
I thought attending my cousin’s wedding when I had food poisoning would be the worst wedding experience of my life.
Bad shrimp had nothing on a broken heart.
While we waited for the ceremony to begin, everyone else glowed with happiness in the late afternoon sun.
The fake smile on my face wasn’t fooling anyone, especially my sister.
“You’d be better off scowling than smiling like that,” Maddie whispered to me. Thankfully, Aiden had too many sisters, blood related or chosen, to include any of us in the bridal party, which meant I could sulk in a folding chair looking at the floral arch instead of standing by it.
“I’m just trying not to cry,” I said as the corners of my eyes burned.
“Go ahead. Everyone will just assume it’s because Cal is Aiden’s best man instead of Logan.”
“You’re evil,” I said, burying my face in my hands and sobbing. Grief often hit at milestone occasions, and this should have been one. Now the reality of sitting through my brother’s best friend’s wedding without him hit hard, screaming over the pain of my broken heart. At least momentarily.
Strong arms wrapped around me, and I wanted to punch my sister. “Aiden,” I said, crying harder. “Go back up there.”
He shushed me and rubbed my back like I was his overtired infant. Poor baby Logan had already had enough excitement and was conked out on my mom’s chest. It’s almost like he knew she’d need him to get through the ceremony without turning into a blubbering mess like me.
“Seriously, Aiden,” Maddie snapped. “You’re making it worse.”
“I can’t get married while she’s like this,” he said, still rubbing my back.
I took a steadying breath. Then another. Aiden pulled his hands from my back, and I looked up at him. “Sorry.”
He shrugged. “I cried on Theo and Cal earlier.”
That made me smile. Aiden had been so angry for so long, I sometimes wondered if he’d ever move past it to being sad.
“I cried into my pillow this morning,” Maddie said, raising her hand like she was in a classroom.
So had I. I had every morning since Levi and I broke up. Not once had I thought about my brother. Guilt pricked and then receded. Logan would never have wanted it, and I’d vowed not to let the emotion near any thoughts of him.
“I’m OK, Aiden,” I said, grabbing his hands and giving them a squeeze. “Please go back up there.”
He kissed us both on the cheeks and made his way to the front.
“You’re a hot mess,” Maddie said, digging into her tiny clutch. She pulled out a wad of tissues and started dabbing my eyes. “They make waterproof mascara for a reason. Didn’t you see the tube on the bathroom counter? I left it out for you.”
I’d gotten ready on autopilot, like I had every morning for the past two weeks.
“Thank you, Maddie,” I said, taking her hand. “I’m so lucky you’re my sister.”
“Stop it,” she said, her eyes shining. “You just want to make my eyes as red and puffy as yours.”
“Of course,” I said, smiling at her.
She wrapped me in a tight hug and sighed. “Do you think we’ll ever have any happiness that isn’t bittersweet?”
“I don’t know,” I said as she pulled away. “Mom and Dad look pretty happy.”
Fortunately, my parents hadn’t left the row in front of us when I broke down. Chances were both of them would have lost it, and one Hendricks sobbing at Aiden’s wedding was already one too many.
“They do, don’t they?” Maddie said, linking her arm with mine. “It’s almost enough to make me want a love like theirs, like you do.”
I shook my head. “I’m starting to think you have the right idea.”
Maddie looked past me at something and smirked. “I’m going to see if Lauren needs any help with her dress.”
“What?” I asked as Maddie stood. “She has her bridesmaids for that.”
“See you after. Maybe.”
My sister ran toward Aiden’s house, and moments later someone tall stood in the aisle beside me, blocking the setting sun. “Mind if I sit with you?”
I’d know Levi’s voice anywhere, but the light behind him made it impossible to see his face. “Sure,” I squeaked.
He sank into my sister’s seat, and a moment later, soft instrumental music began.
The silence stretched between us while excitement built around us.
Aiden’s parents walked down the aisle and took a seat beside mine.
Rose Stevens followed behind on her son’s arm, her photographer boyfriend snapping pictures as they found their seats.
The music changed, and Rowan, Poppy, and Cammie headed toward the arch.
Though I kept my eyes on the procession, I felt Levi watching me.
A gaggle of Aiden’s nieces and nephews rushed by pulling the wagon that should have held Logan.
Everyone stood as the bride started down the aisle.
I caught sight of Maddie a few rows behind me, her face glowing as she watched Lauren.
When we sat back down, I tried to focus on the ceremony.
Instead, all my attention was on the man beside me.
Though I managed not to stare at him, I felt his presence like a fire.
Unlike me, he seemed completely calm. He radiated ease.
It honestly pissed me off a little. How dare he show up at my pseudo-brother’s wedding moments before the ceremony and ask to sit beside me?
I lifted my chin, every muscle in my body tensing for a fight.
Levi took my hand, his touch gentle. The unexpected contact made my breath hitch. My eyes met his, and he gave me a small smile before turning his attention back to the ceremony. He kept hold of my hand until we stood to applaud while Aiden and Lauren kissed.
“Keep it PG,” Mr. O’Malley yelled, and everyone laughed. Aiden dipped his bride and kissed her longer.
We all cheered as the happy couple made their way down the aisle. I about fell over when Aiden gripped Levi’s shoulder as he passed and gave it a friendly shake.
“Do you have a minute?” Levi asked as everyone started chatting at once.
“I do,” I said, which felt highly cringe given the setting.
Levi stepped into the aisle and motioned me ahead.
He placed his hand on the small of my back and led me to a corner of the yard overlooking the field next door and the treehouse memorial Aiden built in honor of my brother.
Voices hummed around us, yet everyone kept their distance as if we were surrounded by an invisible force field.
Levi gripped the fence rail with one hand and turned to face me. “I want to apologize,” he said. “I never should have asked you to remove yourself from the Wythers case. I feel terrible that you were dropped from it. I never wanted our relationship to hurt your career. I’m sorry.”
“You were doing what you thought was best,” I said. I’d had enough time to replay the interaction until every word and expression burned into my memory, and I concluded that Levi believed he hadn’t had another option.
“And so were you.”
“At the time, yes. But I wasn’t removed from Bryant’s case; I dropped him. And you didn't hurt my career. Preston and I made partner.”
A genuine smile broke across his face. "That’s wonderful, Everly. When I heard you were off the Wythers case, I assumed the worst. I should have known better. You’re so talented, they’d have been crazy not to promote you."
“Thank you,” I said, his reaction filling me with pride.
He cleared his throat. “If you don't mind me asking, why did you take yourself off the case?”
“I couldn’t make myself be part of Bishop’s defense team after what he did to Cammie, and I realized I couldn’t be impartial to Bryant either.”
“Because of his association with Bishop?” he asked, studying me.
“Yes and no. I guess on some level, I blame him for what happened with you.”
He nodded. The knuckles on his hand gripping the fence were white.
“How are you?” I asked.
“Miserable,” he said, not taking his eyes off me.
I hadn’t expected raw honesty. Polite lies, certainly. Awkward small talk, inevitable. I wasn’t prepared for the searing pain in his eyes or hitch in his voice.
“Levi,” I said, shaking my head. His name was the best I could do with the lump in my throat.
He lifted his hand as if he wanted to touch me before pulling it back to his side.
“I want to apologize, too,” I said.
His eyebrows rose as though the thought of me needing to apologize for anything hadn’t occurred to him.
The man had told me he loved me, and I’d basically accused him of trying to manipulate me.
As the days passed, and my anger at the professional quagmire he’d put me in eased, I felt like a complete ass.
Levi had done nothing to make me question his character, his honesty.
More importantly, he’d already told me with his touch.
I’d just been too guarded to admit to myself what my heart knew.
We were very much in love with each other.
As he stood patiently waiting for me to continue, I fell a little deeper.
I laid my hand on top of his, and his grip on the fence rail eased. “I broke up with you after you told me you loved me. I didn’t think it was possible. At least not so soon.”
“It’s the truth,” he said, looking down at me.
I nodded. “I believe you because I feel the same.”
A huge smile broke on his face, and he snaked his free arm around my waist and tugged me closer. “Everly,” he said, lowering his head.
I put my hand on his chest and stepped back. “It doesn’t change anything, Levi.”
“It changes everything,” he said. He took my face in his hands and pressed our foreheads together.
I shook my head, fighting tears. “My job isn’t just a job.”
“I know, baby,” he said, kissing my forehead. “It’s your passion.”
I nodded. The tears that had threatened earlier spilled from my eyes. He caught them with his thumbs and brushed them away. “And you’re mine,” he said.
“Your job—”
“Is a job,” he said. “I can get another job. There’s no other you.”
I shook my head. “You say that now, but you’ll end up resenting me. You’re a great cop, Levi. Everyone says so.”
“Just because I’m good at something doesn’t mean it’s good for me,” he said. “I’ve been thinking a lot the past two weeks about what I want. Not what I thought I should want, but what would give meaning to every day. I came to the conclusion it wasn’t my job.”
“Your job is very meaningful,” I said.
“It is,” he said. “And there are other things I can do that are also meaningful. I’m not saying it will happen overnight or even this month, but no matter if I leave here today with you or alone, I want to make a change. If I’m being honest, it’s been a long time coming.”
“You want to leave here with me?” I asked.
“I thought you said you believed me when I told you I loved you,” he said, shaking his head.
“Yeah, but then I—”
“Handed me my ass. I wouldn’t expect anything less when I deserve it. Though I’m going to try my best to deserve you, which means never letting our jobs come between us.”
At least two hundred people milled around us, chatting, laughing, basking in the joy of a wedding. My eyes widened. “My entire family is here.”
Levi turned to look at the crowd and smiled. “Seems like a fun group.”
“Maybe we should leave? Everyone knows we broke up. You have no idea how many nosy questions they’re going to ask.”
Levi smirked. “I have a pretty good idea. Besides, Aiden might forgive me for arresting Theo, but I’m pretty sure stealing you from his wedding before the reception begins would be a strike against me for life.” He took my face in his hands again. “And that’s exactly how long I plan to stay.”
With that, he lowered his mouth to mine in a kiss that definitely wasn’t PG.