Chapter 52 #2
When I hit the button on the side, which I was certain would not let me in, I found that smart Levi apparently didn’t feel the need for any kind of security on his mobile devise. Clearly, he was a little irresponsible and unaware of shady characters out there.
Allie = shady character.
My eyes darted around my empty room. It would be completely wrong to go any further. Every phone owner deserved privacy. I could almost hear the universe scolding me: Who the hell do you think you are? That is not your phone. Shhh.
I set it down quickly. The last thing I needed was to be was on the wrong side of karma. We all know that one never escapes karma. Every action is stored and will come back around like a rubber band and snap you right in the ass. Yes, it was a day to have my head on straight.
But do you know what? It suddenly pinged two more times. Two. What in God’s name was happening in the world of Levi? Why the urgency late at night? Was there an emergency? OMG what if his place was on fire right now?
I should bring Levi the phone immediately. I started toward the door while fighting with myself. But he’s the one with zero security on his phone. He clearly had no concern for who may see his cell. Right?
As I clicked on a message, even the devil on my shoulder asked what in the hell was I doing.
As I awaited the message to open, I wondered if there was a chance for Allie and Levi after all.
The answer to that question was a swift throat punch.
I stared at the phone while having difficultly comprehending the sight before me.
And I was worried about karma? Me?
Yeah, Karma wasn’t coming for me. Nope. She was just sharpening her nails and finishing her drink. She would be with Levi shortly I was certain.
My stomach squeezed tight as my eyes landed on a woman in a bikini on the beach and a smile emoji. Her hair was dark and her tan darker while her hot pink bikini barely contained her ginormous set of knockers.
Okay.
Of course he had friends. Like really pretty friends, but so what?
I scrolled over to his contacts. Yes, there were more women than men, but not a big deal.
As I went through the A’s, I clicked on Ashley and a message popped open and I nearly fell off the bed.
There was Ashley alright, sitting on a couch next to a sleeping Levi with no shirt.
Yes, apparently Brazilian babes are believers in my “no shirt for Levi” rule.
But I have all sorts of crazy photos in my phone with men. Well, man.
Sure, there’s the one where Clint and I went to Texas Roadhouse and he rode the wood horse they bring to your table when it’s your birthday. Kinda the same. Okay, not the same.
My door rattled with a knock, and I shoved the phone under the pillow.
“Allie, Do you have any saline solution?”
I bolted to the door, whipped it open, grabbed Kristina, and jerked her inside.
“What’s going on?”
“Well, I’m doing something I shouldn’t be doing.”
Her brow arched. “Should I come back later?”
I shoved her so hard her back hit the wall.
“Shut up. I mean, I’ve looked at something that I shouldn’t be looking at.”
She clapped her hands. “Well, let’s see?”
“You won’t judge me? Believe I have zero self-control?”
“Sweetie, I’ve cooked for a man I should have poisoned. So yes, I have self-control and know you do too. No judging.”
I scooted over, retrieved the phone, and held it out.
“What’s this?”
“Levi’s phone. And I looked at some stuff. He dropped it here and has no lock code, can you believe that?”
“No code?” She grabbed it from my hand. “Well, that’s on him. He’s leaving his info out there for the whole world to see. What have we got here?”
I gulped. “Well, I was looking at his contacts and, uh, there are a lot of women in there.”
“Let me take a looksee.” She plopped on the bed, and I followed. “Actually, me doing this means you’re not, so it’s really a win/win situation.”
She flipped through his contacts. “Let’s see what Mr. Levi’s messages looks like.”
“This is bad.” I leaned in closer.
“Shhhh, my little one. It’s fine.”
She flipped to the B’s. “What do you think Bella’s last message was?” She clicked on the name, and our collective gasps filled the space. There they were. Levi was sitting on a bed looking at his phone while Bella took a selfie.
She quickly closed the message as a mixture of sadness and irritation shimmied in.
“Maybe we shouldn’t look anymore. I mean, if he’s not with anyone he didn’t do anything wrong.”
“You’re right. I mean, he said he didn’t date or get into relationships, so it is what it is, I guess.” Inhale. “Go to the C’s.”
“Allie.”
“C’s.”
She clicked on Carla and went to the last message to see a blond with big green eyes sitting with Levi in a bar.
Kristina shrugged. “So he likes to, uh, go out a little. He’s just a popular guy maybe.”
She clicked on the name Chad and after scrolling through some messages a photo appeared of Levi and Chad golfing. Totally normal right?
“Just guy stuff.”
She continued to the D’s and hit Destiny and a message popped up with a photo of a sleeping Levi next to two nearly naked women.
The image caused my crying heart to leap from my chest and do a death dive out the fucking window.
“Holy crap.” Kristina looked closely. “Wow.”
“This is who he is.”
She took my hand in hers.
“I’m just one of them now.”
“Maybe not.”
“He was as clear as a missile strike that he doesn’t do relationships. It was us just getting our kicks. I’m so stupid.”
“You’re not, honey.”
“Maybe deep down I thought it might be more somehow. But he was telling me the truth. He isn’t the kind to settle down or move in with somebody.”
She clicked on Emma and my eyes blinked uncontrollably at the sight of a beautiful woman with thick long black hair wearing white shorts and a blue off the shoulder shirt sitting on a beach with a German Shepard beside her, and a message.
The couch was delivered and looks so good! I did some cooking so now the freezer is stocked with your favorites. See you in a few days!
My stomach clunked to the ground, and I wished my life had background music so I could keep up with whether I was in a comedy or horror show.
Kristina’s head shook. “He’s living with a woman?”
Her eyes shot to me.
“But he doesn’t do relationships.” I stared at the words that were burning my corneas.
She exhaled. “Well, is he’s buying couches and she’s filling up the freezer with his favorites, that sounds like a relationship to me.”
My mind was grasping at straws. “Maybe not?”
“Allie, he’s purchasing domestic items with a woman, and it sounds like the share a home together.”
While my mind was attempting to choke out this new information, prissiness was seeping in. It was one thing if he were honest about being a player and not wanting anything serious, but it was another when he had a woman at home and was with me; he’d made me the other woman.
He planned to be in Colorado and then go home. He didn’t know I’d be here. He just wanted to shag and bag me before he left the good old US of A.
Kristina set the phone down. “What can I do?”
“Nothing.”
She stood and pulled me to my feet. “Okay, but remember a true friend doesn’t ask what are you going to do when you tell them you’ve killed someone. They say I’ll get my shovel. You text me if you need me.”
After a quick hug she exited as my scorched brain processed the new crap that had dropped into my life like a steaming pile of horse shit.
He’d become his father? When I was in high school John Dawson was one of those men who was rough, tough, drank hard, but had an undeniable sexiness that kept him away from his apartment a good chunk of the time. I guess the apple didn’t fall far. My life sucks.
He was well aware of the effect he’d always had on me. He just wanted to have another go at it before he went home. To the woman who was probably awaiting his return naked on his new couch.
I allowed myself to cry for five minutes, and the tears fell like rain, and I realized just how far into my heart he was. Again.
I crawled into bed and closed my eyes tightly trying to summon strength.
I tossed and turned bouncing between if it was a toaster-in-the-bathtub or burn the fuckin’ house down kind of night.
As I attempted to sleep, I realized insomnia is just another word for chit chatting with the demons.
Clearly my noggin had decided I would not sleep until I find a cure for my insomnia.
Dear two thirty a.m., we have got to stop meeting like this.
I finally just got up and read my favorite author Mary Lee Painter. Yes, Wild in Minnesota took my mind off of the biggest heart breaker on this side of the globe for a while before I took a hot shower.
I applied ointment to my stitches and realized he caused everything. Yup, the second he was in the same state as me my car flew off the road, and I was hurt in multiple ways. Again.
I dabbed on some concealer to hide my cry bags, and blush as if my heart wasn’t busted into iddy biddy pieces. It was a I want to fake my own death, move to Mexico, and live off tacos and margaritas kinda day.
I just needed perspective. I needed to make it through the wedding and get the hell out of Colorado and deal with my Levi feelings never.
While I debated on tossing his phone out the window and into a snowbank, instead I set it on the sofa table in the living room like a normal human before entering the kitchen where laughter assaulted my ears.
I kept my eyes down and made it to the table. I could see Levi at the stove out of the corner of my eye so I sat with my back to him. I could not see his beautiful face.
Clint, Will, and Lexi were seated at the table. Rachel walked in behind me and gave my shoulder a squeeze.
“Good morning. After all that activity yesterday, did everybody sleep well?”
Behind me I heard silverware falling onto the tiled floor. The whole table turned to see Levi’s red face. “Oops.”
“No. It was a terrible night, from top to bottom.”
More dropping utensils.
Clint pushed me over a mug. “I guess coffee is in order.”
“Or vodka. Is it too early for vodka?”
I grabbed my phone pretending to read something when Levi appeared and placed overflowing plates in front of us. I refused to lift my eyes.
“Bon appetite.”
His deep voice rattled me, and I was glad when he returned to the center island and stove. My heart gave me a disgusted huff. How was I going to survive being trapped in this place with the man who turned my legs to spaghetti with a glance?
And what about my new tattoo? Shit, a daily reminder of what a dumbass I was. How could I be soooo stupid? Word of the day! Dipshitidiot; when dipshit just doesn’t cover it.
I took a bite of breakfast and irritation pumped beneath my skin; damn the hot man who can create a delightful breakfast of fluffy French toast and bacon with the perfect amount of crispness.
I focused on eating slowly because I wanted to inhale this masterpiece when his voice filtered through the room. “How’s everything?”
I was shocked when Lexi nodded. “This is good grub, Levi.”
I could imagine the smile he wore at her words. It made me want to slap him around a little. Edit, a lot. I had a moment of joy hit me at the thought of beating him senseless with spatula and hog tying him with the Christmas tree lights around the window.
I held my fork in the air. “Not my favorite. Good try, I guess.”
All eyes shot to me as my tone was a little more grizzly than I’d expected.