Chapter 2
Levi
Finishing my workout, I stand in the living room of my temporary apartment and stretch. My aunt and uncle decorated this side of the house for guests, keeping it simple yet modern with gray and black furniture. It’s comfortable with sleek lines and the space even has its own entrance.
Thankfully, they let me escape here, but it’s been a while. Their house looks different, but the small town seemed to be the same as I remember when I drove through. Then again, my four hour drive had been closer to seven and my eyes were starting to cross by the time I arrived.
Stepping out my door, I look out over the backyard, taking in the patio with a large teak table and red cushioned chairs, a grill, and a U-shaped couch up against the house.
Beyond, lounge chairs sit on this side of a tiered pool, water flowing down from one oversized square and into the next.
It’s not a pool I can swim laps in, but it is beautiful–like nothing I’ve ever seen.
The back door to the main house swings open and my Aunt Miranda steps onto the patio with a welcoming grin. “Good morning, Levi. I was just coming over to see if you were awake.”
“Good morning. I’ve been up for a while.
I just finished with my workout,” I inform her and she nods in acknowledgment.
“If I’m going to have a chance of getting my shoulder back for next season, I have to stay on top of my physical therapy.
” The rest of my arm is already feeling the impact of the injury and I can’t let another piece of me fall apart.
I’m ready to work my ass off to be in top form.
“I’m sure it will work out the way it’s meant to.”
Her words leave a sour taste in my mouth. I know she’s only trying to support me. “Doesn’t mean I can take it easy.” I’m not giving up.
“True, but you’ll be okay no matter what happens.” I hope she’s right. I’m not ready to let go of baseball, I’m only twenty-seven. “Breakfast is in the kitchen if you’re hungry, but Uncle Steve already left for work.”
I smile. “Thanks. You didn’t have to do that.”
She shrugs. “I was making it anyway. We need to eat too.”
Nodding towards the pool, I change the subject. “When did you put the pool in? It looks great.”
“Thank you. We added it last spring.” She giggles. “Your cousins asked why we didn’t put it in when they still lived here.”
“Probably so we didn’t break our necks wrestling from one pool to the next.”
“Sounds exactly like something you and Lawson would do.” A look crosses her face as if lost in a memory.
“How are Lawson and Della?” I ask about my cousins.
“They’re both doing well, but we can catch up about them later. I have something to ask you.”
“Okay,” I say, drawing out the word.
“I need you to do me a favor.”
“Of course. It’s the least I can do for letting me stay here indefinitely.” I give her a crooked grin.
Arching her eyebrow, she probes, “How long are you staying?”
Chuckling, I ignore her inquiry, not knowing the answer myself. “What do you need Aunt Miranda?”
She exhales harshly and holds my gaze with a steely determination, hinting that I may not like what she’s about to say. “For you to go out on a blind date.”
A laugh escapes and I arch my brow in disbelief. “You want me to do what?” There’s no way I heard her right.
She scoffs. “Oh, don’t act like it’s such an inconvenience, Levi. I see you with different women all the time in the media.”
My eyes narrow and my stomach twists. I expect that from other people, but not from my family–at least not here. “Don’t believe everything you read.”
Flushing, she waves her hand. “I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant. It can’t be a hardship for you to go out on a date with one woman while you’re here.”
Heaving a sigh, I run my hand through my hair and drop it to my hip. “Is this in exchange for staying here or something?”
“Of course not. You’re our nephew. You are always welcome here and you know that. I’m just asking for a small favor, but I would never make you do it.”
“A small favor is cleaning the pool, helping with dinner, or running to the store to pick up some things. It is not me going on a blind date,” I reiterate, waiting for her to crack a smile, telling me she’s joking, but it never comes.
She worries her bottom lip, as if debating on what to tell me before releasing it. “It’s for my book club. They play matchmaker for some of the single women in Love Canyon, setting them up with a different book boyfriend.”
My chin falls to my chest and I groan in annoyance. “Why me? I’m not anyone’s book boyfriend.”
Tilting her head and pursing her lips, she crosses her arms over her chest in disbelief. “You may be my nephew, but if you think that, you don’t understand what book boyfriend means. And besides, the recent ego I’ve seen from you tells me you know better.”
I scoff. “Thanks a lot.”
“You know I love you, Levi, but all the women I’ve seen you with in the past couple years has burned a hole in my retinas and completely scarred them. I know I shouldn’t take any of it seriously, but it’s not you and it breaks my heart to see it.”
My stomach knots. She’s not wrong, but that doesn’t mean I want my aunt to call me on it. “So, because you’re disappointed in my choices with women, you and your book club can make me go on a date with some woman here?”
She shakes her head. “I won’t make you do anything. I’m asking.”
Closing my eyes, I exhale a heavy sigh. “I thought being in Love Canyon meant I got away from cleat chasers.”
She laughs and my eyes open, veering to her. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about with that.”
“How am I supposed to trust that’s true? Good women are a rare breed in my world and I’m pretty sure all of them are already married.”
She gives me a sad smile. “Levi, I promise I wouldn’t do that to you. She’s a genuinely nice girl.”
“Great. Just the word every guy wants to hear.” My head falls back in frustration, knowing I’m going to relent. Hopefully this nice girl doesn’t know who I am.
“Will you go? Please? I don’t want her to sit and wait and have no one show. She doesn’t deserve that.”
I frown. Aunt Miranda knows she’s getting to me. That’s not something I want for anyone. “When?”
“Tonight. The diner. 5pm.”
“Isn’t that a little early and short notice?”
She shrugs. “You’re not busy and it’s when we eat around here.”
My eyes widen. “When who eats around here? How old is this woman you want to set me up with?” She laughs without responding, prompting me to ask another question. “Isn’t there anything better than the diner for a date around here?”
“There are a lot of great places, but we thought it would be easier since you’ve never met. Besides, does it matter where you go when you claim you don’t even want to go on this date?”
“Guess not.” Running my fingers through my brown hair, making it stick up on top, I drop my hand back to my hip in defeat. “Okay, fine. One date and one date only.”
“Yes!” Grinning wide, she steps towards me and hesitates. Scrunching up her nose in displeasure, she takes a step back. “On second thought, I’ll give you a thank you hug after you shower.”
A laugh escapes my mouth and her features soften with both gratitude and relief. “Thank you, Levi. You won’t regret this.”
“I already do,” I mumble under my breath as she walks away.