Chapter 10 #4
This phone call was a good wake-up call. Last night was as well. He told me not to cross the line, so I won’t. I’m done messing with him. Now it’s time to focus on what really matters, and that’s making something of myself.
Not for my dad . . . but for me.
When I enter the kitchen, Levi is at the island with one of the many bagels I’ve purchased for him.
He paired it with eggs to make a sandwich, and I’m grateful he’s eating it.
So grateful that it nearly makes me cry.
I feel like I’ve been put through the wringer of emotions this past week, so to see him eat that bagel, one that I’ve lost sleep over, well, it does something to me.
“Morning.” He studies me for a second before asking, “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” I wipe at my eyes and move toward the fridge, where I grab a strawberry banana Naked Juice. I purchased some the other day, thinking that Levi might like them, but instead, I’ve been the single consumer.
“It doesn’t look like you’re fine,” he says.
I shut the fridge door and turn toward him. “How about we just talk about what you need from me and answer those questions from last night?”
He pushes away from the counter, looking confused as he sets his bagel sandwich down. “Whoa, why are you mad at me? I’m the one you disrupted last night.”
“I don’t care about what happened last night, Levi. I just want to get started on my day, okay?”
His brow creases as he wipes his fingers on his napkin. “Consider me confused because it seems like you’re mad at me, and I have no idea why. Is it because I didn’t knock on your door? Well, you didn’t fucking knock either.”
“Not everything has to do with you,” I say. “This isn’t about last night. Last night was stupid and a mistake, and yes, I crossed the line. I’m sorry, it won’t happen again. Now, can we talk about your suit?”
He doesn’t answer right away, but he does study me. I can see he wants to press and get to the bottom of my mood change, but thankfully, he moves past it. “Sure, what about my suit?”
Perfect. Revert to work. That’s what you’re here for anyway.
“Because you have such specific measurements, I wasn’t able to pick you up the blue velvet you wanted, but I did order it.
Instead, I packed you a navy-blue suit for your trip, along with a maroon one and a black one.
I paired them all with shirts, but no tie because I know you don’t enjoy wearing a tie.
They also have matching shoes to go with them.
You can wear the same shoes for the maroon and black.
I packed navy-blue loafers for the blue suit.
The macaroons you wanted are in the fridge, don’t forget them.
I waited in a thirty-minute line just to order them.
Your high-maintenance pretzels have been sorted, social media is ready to go for the rest of the week, and Blakely is sending me your game day shots so I can use them as well.
I packed your backpack, but it’s up to you to put any snacks you might want, including the pretzels.
While you’re gone, I’ll work on the list you gave me, but is there anything else you need before I leave? ”
He stares at me, blankly. Almost shocked from the laundry list I just read out to him. If I’m honest, I’m impressed with myself. Proud of how I’ve adapted from college student to working as an assistant. Dad may never be proud of me— I’m still learning to accept that— but I can be proud of myself.
“Well?” I ask, crossing my arms now.
“Uh, no, I think that’s it.”
“Great, well I’m going to head out. Email or text. Good luck this week.”
And with that, I turn away from him and head down the hallway where I shut my door, flop on my bed . . . and cry.
LEVI
“What do you have there?” Halsey asks as he sits down next to me. “I didn’t think you read.”
“I don’t,” I say as I stare down at the book of Vermont that Wylie typed up for me. When I was packing my bag—after getting the rundown from her—I decided to include the book of Vermont out of guilt. She did work hard on it, so I might as well try to read it.
“Are you planning a trip to Vermont?” Halsey asks.
“Nope,” I say, looking down at the book and the bridge image she chose for the cover.
“Okay, then what’s with the book?”
I look up at Halsey and say, “Can’t a fucking guy just want to read a book without getting the tenth degree from another man?”
Halsey blinks a few times. “Uh, a guy can read a book, but you looked tense so that’s why I came over here. The others volunteered me because there was a book in front of you, and they were worried.”
I glance toward the back of the airplane, where Pacey, Hornsby, Taters, and OC are all craning their necks to see what’s happening.
“Tell them I’m fine, and I don’t need them worrying about me.” I reach into my backpack and pull out my Tupperware of unbroken pretzels.
“Well, it seems like?—”
“I said I’m fine,” I say tersely, startling Halsey.
He holds up his hands. “Okay, if you think you’re fine, then you’re fine. But you know, if you want to talk about anything, we’re here for you.”
“Thank you, Danny Tanner, now please be gone. I need to read my book.” I shoo him with my hand and then open to the first page.
Halsey scoots away and I’m left in peace with some fine literature.
The first thing I’d like to note about this book is that the Arial font is quite pleasing to the eye, so I’m not mad about that.
I kind of wish there were more pictures, but I made her rewrite the whole thing so how can I be mad about that?
I flip through the first few pages, taking it in. How did she type all this in a few days? She must have magic Mavis Beacon fingers that fly across the keyboard at 100 words per minute. I mean look at this, all lined up and . . .
I glance down at the words.
Wait a second.
I flip to the first page and read the first paragraph, then flip back to the page I was just at. It’s the same. The same paragraph. I flip through some more pages, and lo and behold, it’s the same thing. Over and over again.
“Son of a bitch,” I mutter as I slam the Vermont book shut. And here I was, ready to educate myself on the country’s maple candy capital.
How dare she?
Why would she do that?
She knew I’d read it.
Or did she . . .
I pull out my phone and because I’m hooked up to the Wi-Fi on the plane, I can send text messages, so I go to the queens.
Levi: Red alert! A lot has happened in the last twenty-four hours, and I need my ladies.
I pop a few pretzels in my mouth and wait for a response while I sift through the book.
At least she had the decency to change up the pictures, but .
. . oh my God. I bring the book closer. One of the pictures has a watermark on it from Shutterstock.
She didn’t even have the decency to pay for the freaking picture.
The audacity.
My phone buzzes with a text.
Winnie: The queens are here, or at least I am. What’s going on?
Levi: So many things. Let’s start with how she walked in on me last night while I was pleasuring myself.
Ollie: That’s hot.
Blakely: OMG, did she see your tattooed wiener?
Penny: Ew, did she see your O face?
Levi: For the record, I have a nice O face.
I saw it in a mirror once and congratulated myself on a dignified and respectable way to experience an orgasm.
Second, no, she did not see my wiener, everything was covered up.
And third, it was really fucking hot and the minute she left I came on my stomach.
Penny: The coming on the stomach is not a detail we needed.
Ollie: I love it when Silas comes on his stomach, seeing it across his abs. Yes, chef’s kiss.
Blakely: *raises hand* I like it too.
Winnie: I shall not say if I like it or not since my man’s sister is in this text thread.
Penny: Thank you, Winnie. And yes, I like it as well, but I don’t want to picture Posey with cum on his stomach.
Levi: What is your problem with me? You have some sort of aversion to thinking of me in a sexual way. Is it the bologna?
Penny: Yes, and because you’re just . . . Posey.
Winnie: Perfect way to describe him.
Ollie: I second that.
Blakely: Third.
Levi: Not sure if I should be happy about that or not. But either way, back to the topic at hand. She walked in on me, then I got pissed, walked in on her, and then told her she’d crossed the line and left.
Ollie: Hold on, when you say walked in on her . . . what does that mean?
Winnie: Was about to ask the same thing.
Levi: She was getting off as well.
Winnie: Wow, what a night.
Blakely: Did you see anything?
Levi: She was covered by her bedding as well, but she did actually come while I was there.
Penny: Oh my God, she finished in front of you? I think I might like this girl.
Winnie: Bold choice.
Ollie: I’m getting horny.
Blakely: When are you not horny, Ollie?
Ollie: Never. I’m horny all the time.
Winnie: Same. I never knew sex until Pacey came along—sorry, Penny.
Penny: It’s fine. I’m just going to pretend you’re not with my brother and leave it at that. Congrats on the amazing sex.
Winnie: Thank you, he’s so good with his tongue.
Penny: I said congrats, I didn’t ask for details.
Ollie: Let’s talk more about tongues.
Levi: CAN WE FOCUS ON ME! I saw her come last night. I can’t get her moan out of my head.
Blakely: Right, we’re here to support bologna boy. What did you do after she came?
Levi: Laid down the hammer.
Ollie: The hammer being your penis?
Penny: Great question.
Levi: No, not my penis, a metaphorical hammer.
Told her she crossed the line. And then this morning, she was a bit cold and standoffish.
She actually looked upset, like she was going to cry.
I was worried that I’d hurt her feelings, and I’ve been stewing about it all goddamn morning. Then I found something . . .
Penny: ^^^ See that pause, ladies? He uses that for the drama.
Winnie: I was going to say, it’s quite dramatic. Just tell us, why did you have to use the ellipses?
Levi: It’s better that way.