Chapter 9
Tab
Flipping my spatula, I take a deep breath, the smell of pancakes cooking on the electric griddle filling my nostrils, the air moving freely through my lungs. I feel better than I have in weeks.
In fact, I feel so good that I’ve decided I’m going to work today. I figure if I can survive an argument with Levi, I can survive some time at work. I can’t live in my bed forever.
After a few minutes, I check the bottom of the pancake and move it over to the pile of finished ones. I wasn’t sure if Micah was still here, but a looming presence comes up behind me, and I’m glad I decided on making more. For a second, a little hope-filled part of me thought it could be Levi.
Which is crazy. I told him to leave me alone last night. But the reality is, hanging out with him was fun. He’s funny and kind, and the way he didn’t push when I asked him not to take my robe off was perfect.
Until it wasn’t… Those pesky negative thoughts invaded my brain.
A gasp sounds behind me, and I jump in my slippers and spin. Not only is Micah there, but Raeann is too, standing just in front of him. I point the spatula at him accusingly. “Tattlers don’t get pancakes.”
Micah shrugs. “I simply notified her that you were up…and cooking.”
Raeann moves around the side of the island. “I’ll finish those up.”
I think about arguing with her because I’m absolutely fine—I haven’t had any coughing fits and my burns are the regular amount of soreness today—however, my stomach wins out.
I’m starving, so I willingly hand her the spatula, grab a pancake from the stack with my fingers and plop it on one of the plates I have laid out.
“What are you doing up this morning?” Raeann asks.
I’ve already shoved the first delicious bite into my mouth, so I chew while watching Micah go in for his pancakes. I eye him, and he smirks. Once I swallow it down, I say, “I’m going into work today.”
“I have it handled.”
“So do I, and I love you to pieces, but don’t fight me on this.”
I watch her take the information in. Her shoulders bunch, but they release a little. I’m used to being the one who takes care of Raeann and not the other way around. I will say, she’s handled this all really well, stepping up when I needed her to.
I peer around the side of the island and spot Athena lying on the floor next to her. I swear she lifts her head and smiles at me, then resumes the position.
That’s a good sign. If she sensed anything wrong with me, she’d be over here in a heartbeat.
Raeann sighs. “Isn’t this—”
“The best idea I’ve ever had? Yes, thank you. It is.”
“I was going to say too soon.”
“Listen, if I get tired, I’ll come home, but I feel really good this morning, and I want to do something productive with my life.”
Honestly, the spat with Levi woke something up inside me. It’s as if he was forcing me to live in the real world and be present. Not to mention think about something other than the fire and my burns. Evoking emotion inside me that wasn’t just desolation.
I thought for sure I’d wake up to a text from him, but I didn’t.
I was pretty harsh last night, but I needed to be.
He does have a reputation, so we’ll just see how he responds.
If he thinks I’m not worth the trouble, I’ll have my answer in the form of no answer.
But I’ll be leaving with a sweet new phone and a couple of hot spank bank pics.
My face flushes, and I have to push him into the back of my mind before I give anything away.
“Well, I don’t like it,” Raeann says, scraping the last of the pancake batter onto the griddle.
“I promise I’ll go easy.”
After another pancake, I stand and stride toward my room to get dressed. If I’m lucky, I’ll be ready before she is, and I won’t have to hear her try to talk me out of going.
“What are you going to wear?” she calls out after me.
“I’ll figure it out!” I stop in the hallway. “Better question, where’s my wallet and stuff?”
“Hall closet.”
Perfect!
I head to my room and close the door, leaning my back against it briefly as I take a deep breath. Lungs still clear, Raeann is on board. Sort of. So far, so good.
I head to the closet to look at my outfit choices and most definitely not the phone that I hid in there earlier. Except, when I open the doors, the first thing I do is check to see if anyone—and by anyone, I mean the only person who has this number—texted me.
My heart leaps when a message pops on the screen.
Levi: Incoming.
What does that mean?
I’m in the middle of texting him back when a knock sounds on my door. I put the phone back in its hiding place, shut the doors, and call out, “Come in.”
Raeann walks in with a couple of large bags in her hand. “Delivery.”
“What’s that?”
She knits her brows together. “Clothes. They’re for you. I’m assuming you bought them.”
“Oh, I…” This must be what Levi meant. I check the logo on the bags, and it’s from this cute, chic downtown store I’ve purchased from a few times. “I did,” I tell her. “I bought them and had them delivered so I wouldn’t be late for work.”
“Nice.” She sets them on the bed. I can’t wait to go through them, but Raeann turns toward me. “You know I’m just worried about you, right? I don’t want you to push it because I know how you are.”
“I promise, I won’t.”
She reaches out and gives me a hug. “Everyone will be so excited to see you. They talk about you all the time.”
I squeeze her harder than she squeezes me, and knowing Raeann, it’s because she’s worried she’ll hurt me.
It was nice that Levi didn’t treat me with kid gloves. He respected my boundaries, but he treated me like the old Tab.
But Raeann knows what it’s like to have her life upended due to a disaster. She’s lived through it. This is two people’s differing reactions from their own life experiences, and there’s something special about that..
Raeann steps back. “Okay, I’ll hurry up and walk there with you. No way are you walking in there without me.”
I give her a grateful smile, and she closes the door behind her on the way out. I open the bags, pulling out the outfits. The man has good taste. I check the sizes and all seem to be spot on. I don’t know how he knows my size so well, but I’m sure he’d have a funny quip about it if he were here.
I take out the last outfit, a pair of jeans with a cranberry-red top, and a note falls to the bed.
I pick it up.
For Rapunzel,
In case you want to get out more.
Love,
BDL
This man is insane.
I go to the closet to grab the phone.
Biting my lip, I search for what to say. Fuck it, it’s Levi. I’ll say whatever comes to my mind.
Me: Thank you. But didn’t I tell you to back off?
Levi: My other nickname was Hard of Hearing.
I snort laugh as soon as the message pops up. I can’t deny that Levi makes me feel giddy inside, even if I will be another one of his conquests. Would that be such a bad thing as long as I make sure my heart doesn’t get attached? I could do that.
Me: Hopefully BDL is a more apt nickname.
Levi: Girrllllll, don’t be starting with me this early in the morning. I will make that fire escape my bitch again to show you personally how apt it is. Just say the word.
I sit on the bed and kick my feet. A wave of heat hits me. I can’t differentiate if it’s because of Levi or due to some weird post-burn trauma thing.
Me: I actually can’t. I’m going to work this morning.
A smile takes over my face. I can’t believe I just typed out those words, and the fact that I partially owe it to Levi for the reason I’m going. I’ll take Things I Never Thought I’d Think for $1,000, Alex.
Levi: I think I’ll stop by the store later. How good are you at acting?
Me: Terrible.
Levi: This should be fun.
I take the outfit that the note fell out of and pull it on.
As I suspected, it fits perfectly, though it does have short sleeves.
I peer at myself in the mirror, staring at the bandages that run the length of my right arm.
They’re not hideous or anything, but I don’t want them to be the first thing people see.
The inevitable questions that would follow would drive me insane.
I especially don’t want to talk about the fire when I see my team again.
After rummaging through the bags Levi sent me, I find one long-sleeved shirt.
Luckily, I can layer this under the cranberry top.
After I redress, I peer at myself in the mirror again.
Perfect. Well, partly perfect. Now that I know where my wallet is, though, I can buy a few shirts like this to layer underneath all the great stuff Levi purchased.
I can’t believe he would be so thoughtful.
Still staring at the clothes, I still when a knock sounds on my door. “Tab?”
I nearly jump out of my skin. “Yes?” I call out, practically leaping toward the door and winging it open.
“Ready to go? I have your pills.”
“Fantastic.” I grab the pills and head to the nightstand where my water sits. I place them on my tongue and swallow them down, then take another drink after the big one sticks like it always does.
When I turn, Rae-bae is smiling at me from ear to ear. “I can’t wait to see everyone’s faces when I walk in with you.”
I hook my arm through hers and lead her out the door. “Since the walk is so short, why don’t you catch me up on any changes that have been made?”
Raeann shifts between talking excitedly and matter-of-factly, depending on what she’s informing me of. Creative stuff is always said with a burst of excitement, while the everyday running of things is delivered with an informational tone only. It’s obvious what gets her going.
The sun shines on us when we hit the sidewalk. Others are out and about, too, walking in a hurry. We stay linked as we turn toward the shop.
“That’s about it,” Raeann finally says. “I’m sure I’ve forgotten something, but we’ll figure it out.”
I rub her arm. “So, how are you and Micah doing? I hope I’m not in the way.”
“You could never be in the way,” she says, rolling her eyes. “He’s great. We’re great.”
She peers down, and I follow her gaze to the bling on her ring finger. It’s the biggest engagement ring I’ve ever seen in my life. “It’s hypnotizing us again,” I inform her after we’ve both been staring at it for more than a few seconds.
She laughs. “Yeah, I do that a lot.” Grinning at me, she picks up the speed, and before I know it, she’s dragging me toward a glass entrance door.
Inside, a sea of dog clothing awaits, and my heart starts racing.
Raeann swings the door open, and shouts, “Guess who’s here?”
Walking into Pet Threads is like I’m a contestant on one of those home renovation shows who gets to experience my space for the first time.
The store is larger, grander. Since we’re in a different part of the city, the architecture is different.
The inside is brick with an open ceiling, revealing the round, metal ducts transferring air from one area of the store to another.
It’s very industrial but made pet chic thanks to an interior designer Micah hired when we got the new space.
Luckily, we were really only out of commission for a few weeks. Micah pulled some strings with our manufacturers, the property owner, and the designer. Something I’m supremely grateful for because the faces staring at me in awe right now need jobs, regardless if our old shop burned to the ground.
Athena moves closer to me as Jace and Katya rush forward. I’m sure she can feel my heart on overdrive. Warm hands surround me, a little Pet Threads cocoon, and I can’t wipe the smile off my face.
“You’re back!” Katya announces.
“She’s taking it easy,” Raeann informs them.
“Aww.” Jace reaches out for her and tugs her into the hug with the rest of us. Athena barks, her tail wagging. “I didn’t think she’d ever let you out,” Jace whispers to me.
“You have no idea,” I whisper back. “Clearly I will never be asking any of you if I need to break out of jail.”
“Dude, she’s scary when it comes to you.”
“You know I can hear you guys, right?” Raeann deadpans, smiling quickly afterward.
We break apart, chuckling, and then Katya squeezes my hand. “Something told us you might be coming into work today. This was delivered.”
She pulls me around one of the racks, and I spot a humongous bouquet of white lilies on the front desk.
“Do you have an admirer?” she teases.
“I’ve been holed up in Raeann and Micah’s apartment. I haven’t met anybody.”
“Hey, it’s our apartment,” Raeann corrects. “Micah just stays there with us.”
When I get closer, the smell of the lilies is nearly intoxicating.
I scan for the envelope when Jace says, “No note.”
No matter. I know exactly who they’re from.
Being wooed by Levi Soucy might actually be pretty fun.