Chapter 11 #2
His Stetson is resting on the table. He puts it back on his head and I follow him out the front door, thanking Piper for the pie.
He walks me to the back of the house, over a cute little cobblestone pathway.
The resort house is grand but sweet in keeping with the look of the main ranch house.
A set of wooden, hunter green double doors greets us at the entrance.
Each window is shuttered with matching, smaller scale shutters, also in hunter green.
Parking is in the back of the resort area, with an entrance to the lot from behind the ranch itself.
The main foyer has small signs indicating which room numbers are on which side of the building.
At the center of the foyer is a small desk, where the concierge sits.
Since it isn’t twenty-four-hour concierge yet, there is nobody there at the moment.
There are tall ferns flanking either side of the concierge’s desk.
Levi explains to me that behind the concierge's desk, they’re planning to put the resort's logo, but it’s in the process of being designed right now.
It doesn’t look unfinished, per se, however, as an artist, I see that there is room for a lot of pictures and artwork on the walls.
Barren save for textured paint, the walls cry for adornment.
A couple passes us as we walk through the right side of the hallway, to the last door.
“I want to show you something.” Levi says, punching in the code on the small pad by the doorknob.
The door opens to a small suite, complete with a double bed, a small sitting area with a fireplace, and a small, three-piece bathroom.
“It’s fancier than what I need, but Billy insists that I stay here until we build a bunkhouse.
I’ll get maybe another six months out of this room, and then the traffic is going to take it over.
I’ll stay in the main ranch house after that. "
“You’re not going home?"
“Not if my daddy still lives there, no." He changes the subject, gesturing with his hand towards the drafting table and the picture hanging on the wall by the fireplace. It’s sitting on a ledge, and I do believe that this is the first time I’ve ever seen my work displayed outside of the studio.
It looks beautiful. “Takes my breath away each time I look at it. " Levi comments.
“It’s like it was meant for this room."
“It sure was. But that piece goes where I go. Someday, when I have my own place, designed by myself, that picture is going to be the first thing that I put in my house."
He has a way with words. Even though I can’t hear his tone, I can read his face.
He’s a very sincere man. He means what he says.
And the best part is that he’s not afraid to say it.
Levi may have a bit of a tough exterior, but he is very soft, caring and sensitive on the inside.
Shelley is lucky to have him, and I sure hope that she knows how lucky she is.
I smile at him, but say nothing. What do you say when someone says something so sweet to you?
My feelings get expressed through art, because that’s all I know.
“I'll walk you back to your car. You said you have a lot of work to do, so it's best not to keep you from it."
In my heart, I want to stay. This is Levi’s home, however temporary.
Him bringing me here is so special. I walk over to his drafting table and look at the sketch he has attached to the easel.
“This is beautiful, Levi." The rough outline of a house looks almost artistic. He’s sketched a beautiful cottage style home. Not too ornate or modest.
“That’s the beginnings of my dream home. Do you like it?"
“I love it. I’d love to see what it looks like someday."
“I won’t get my license for a couple of years yet, but hopefully by then it’ll be finished. I’ve got the money to build it, but unless I hire a licensed architect, this will have to wait."
“It will sure be worth the wait."
We look at each other. He reaches out and touches my face.
His fingertips make my skin sizzle. My eyes close instinctively to his touch, but I flutter them open quickly, being careful not to show him how my body is reacting to him.
The last thing I want to do is lead him on, and be that person I don’t want to be.
If things were different, these moments could truly be ours.
And as much as they feel real, I know that they can only be empty moments, robbed of true substance by Shelley, and the problems created by that situation.
"I really should go." I tell him gently.
Before his feet move, he takes my hand in his, and he kisses my temple. "Let's go."
His hand doesn't leave mine until I get to my car.
Buddy calls me over to his shop next door, letting me know that he's found an antique frame that's perfect for me.
When I walk in, he's got it at the counter, polishing it up.
It's gorgeous and not too ornate, like some of the older styles were back in that time.
There's just fine detail around the edges of the oak frame.
"I figure I'll sand it down some and re-stain it for you.
What color do you think would fit this?"
"Oh, a deep cherry finish would look great on that." I tell him, inspecting it. "This is a great find. Where did you get it?"
"A shipment came in early this morning. I ordered a bunch of things for the Hoedown.
That gives me a couple of days to go through it all and take my pick of the things that go with me.
I figure it's best to take some fresh things to that shindig, that way all the old bitties can't throw it in my face that I never have anything new. "
I smile at him. He's such an adorable man. "How much do I owe you for this?"
He waves. "Aw, nothing. It only cost me twenty bucks. It'll cost more to re-finish it, but that's a labor of love."
Buddy never asks me for my money, other than for rent, and even that's way below what he should be taking from me.
His head lifts from the frame and I follow his gaze to the door.
I see Levi walk in the door. He smiles at Buddy, but his smile grows larger when he sees me.
Buddy looks at me and then at Levi. "Lennie, um, why don't you take that frame and see what it looks like with some pictures?
That way you can tell what color you'd like it to be. "
I'm surprised by this. I hesitate. "Um, sure." I look at Levi, and I can tell that he's picking up on Buddy's behavior. "I'll see you later."
"See you Saturday." Levi says, giving me a wink.
When I glance back at Buddy, before I close the door behind me, he's looking at Levi like he's about to get a dressing down.
Levi
He at least has the grace to wait until she closes the door before he starts on me. "What the hell are you doing, boy?"
I play stupid. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You are messing with that girl's head."
"I am not. I gave her a riding lesson last night, that's all."
"It's not the lesson I'm worried about. It's the other stuff."
I lift a brow. "If you're insinuating that I'm sleeping with her, you would be dead wrong."
"Don't insult my intelligence, or her virtue, son. Lennie is no harlot."
"You don't have to tell me that, Buddy. And I don't know why you're giving me this lecture, because there's nothing going on between us."
"There's plenty. And you're kidding yourself if y'all are thinking otherwise." He gestures with his hand towards the door. "Those looks. Both of you. You're asking for trouble. I suggest you be careful and keep your distance."
"And how do you suppose I do that? We're friends, I'm teaching her to ride, we both live in the same goddamn small town, and as it turns out, we have a lot in common."
It's the first time I've ever seen Buddy snarl. "You better find a way, goddammit. If you hurt a hair on that little girl's head, so help me God, Levi."
The muscles in my jaw work. I swallow. "You don't understand, Buddy.
" My voice is raised an octave, and now it lowers.
"I'd never hurt her. Not one inch of her.
" I lick my lips, willing myself not to tell him the truth, but it's coming out, no matter what.
"I'm in love with her, man. Cold, hard, completely in love with her. "