Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“Just give me the biggest cup of coffee you have,” Levi told the barista at Juniper Café. “It’s less about the caffeine than about doubling for a hand warmer.”
The woman, a fifty-something named Marcia who had seen Levi many days at this point, grinned.
“I thought you were getting more acclimated!” she protested.
He pulled a hangdog expression, which made her laugh. “I’m going on a hike. People around here don’t know that winter is for inside.”
She laughed again and rang up his order. Levi stepped away from the counter with a wave, enjoying the fact that he had established banter with his local coffee provider. It made Magnolia Shore feel that much homier.
Not that he was struggling to feel at home here. Although he’d pretended to be put out about the hike, and though he did anticipate that he would suffer from the cold more than his companions, he wasn’t really disappointed to be going.
Because he’d been invited by June’s friends’ partners.
A guy named Shane had called a few days prior.
“Hey, sorry to call you out of the blue like this,” the friendly voice had come from across the phone line. “I got your number from June. My name is Shane Ridley. My sister, Eleanor, and my girlfriend, Winnie, are in book club with June.”
He’d gone on to explain that while the women had their book club, the men they loved had come together to make a more informal group. They didn’t meet quite as regularly as the book club did, and their activities varied, but this weekend they were going on a hike, and did Levi want to join?
Levi did. He’d confessed his limited experience with hiking, but Shane had reassured him that their group’s level was varied, and that the whole thing was really an excuse for them to hang out and grab some beers afterward.
And that was a plan that Levi could get behind.
Really though, he would have accepted even if they’d told him that it would be a twenty-mile hike, uphill both ways, in the rain.
He would have still enjoyed himself too, he was sure.
He loved the welcoming atmosphere of Magnolia Shore and adored how everyone here treated him like a person, rather than a celebrity.
He also figured that the men who loved the women of June’s club, which was full of great people, would be good friends for him too.
He was just about to head over to the diner to say hello to June quickly before meeting the men, as she had a shift waiting tables that day. He hadn’t quite made it to the door with his comically large coffee when his phone buzzed insistently in his pocket.
He looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Veronica, one of the reps from his record label. Normally, Levi would let them leave a message, since he was hurrying out the door, but he’d sent the single that he and June had recorded, and he was eager to hear their feedback.
“Ronnie, hi,” he said, picking up the phone.
“Levi,” the representative purred affectionately.
Veronica was a total character who always dressed in eclectic vintage fashion and hairstyles and talked as though she was a gangster’s moll out of an old movie, but she was incredible at her job and nothing but professional. “If it isn’t my favorite client!”
“You say that to everyone,” he pointed out.
“I do,” she admitted, totally unashamed to be caught out. “But it’s only because I love you all equally and could never choose. Anyway, doll, I was just calling because I received that single file you send over to me. The one with that new singer along with you.”
“June Caldwell, yes,” he said, feeling breathless with anticipation.
“Well, honey,” she said, “I have to tell you, I’m not so sure about this as a single.”
Disappointment surged in Levi’s chest, but the heat of determination was stronger.
“Listen, Veronica,” he said, “I know it’s a little rough.
We just recorded in my kitchen, for goodness’ sake, on my laptop.
We barely had any equipment, let alone a real recording booth.
But listen beyond the quality to the song itself.
Listen to her voice. She’s a real talent, and writing with her was a dream, and—”
“No, no, Levi, honey,” Ronnie interrupted, laughter in her tone.
“You’re not understanding me. I want to release a whole album with you two.
Maybe this will end up being our single, but I want to see what else the two of you are capable of before deciding.
Do you think this June of yours would be willing to do more songs together? ”
“I—I would have to ask her,” Levi stammered, caught aback by this sudden turn in the conversation.
“Well, you do that, sweetheart,” Veronica said, sounding amused. “This girl is good, and if somebody else discovers her, I’m going to be mighty displeased.”
Levi hung up, feeling light as air. This was beyond his wildest hopes. Singing with June had been a dream, and the option to do more made him feel as though he had won the lottery.
He glanced at his watch. He had to hurry if he still wanted to talk to June before he met up with the men.
And with news as exciting as this, he didn’t want to wait, not one more moment longer than necessary.
* * *
“Good morning, and welcome to Main Street Diner. I’m June and I’ll be your—oh, hey, guys!”
June cut off her automatic spiel when she realized that her new table at the diner wasn’t full of anonymous customers but rather Eleanor, Garrett, and Jeremy.
“Hi, June,” Eleanor said, while the men gave her nods and waves of recognition. “Good morning.”
“Aren’t you two going on a hike today?” she asked, looking at Garrett and Jeremy. She was certain that Levi’s hike was today…
“We’re just fueling first,” Jeremy said. “After we grab breakfast, we’re abandoning my poor mom to go do manly things in the woods.”
Garrett nodded solemnly, although good humor flashed in his expression. “Yes. Chopping wood. Building fires. Finding meat to bring home to our wives and children.”
“They will be doing literally none of those things,” Eleanor clarified. “Except for the hiking.”
“Setting a fire in these woods would be illegal,” Jeremy admitted. “Also, none of us have a hunting license. So. Yeah. No crimes.”
“Okay, jokesters,” June said, laughing. “What can I get for you?”
Garrett and Jeremy ordered a standard eggs, potatoes, and bacon breakfast, while Eleanor opted for the eggs Florentine that was one of June’s personal favorites. She was just heading back to the kitchen when Levi appeared so suddenly that she fumbled her pen, nearly dropping it.
“Hi,” she said. “I didn’t expect to see you before your hike.”
“Hi,” he said back, sounding breathless.
“I have to talk to you about something. Something good,” he amended.
She must have looked alarmed when he said the words that nobody ever wanted to hear from their partner; she was immediately relieved though, and touched that he read her emotions so clearly.
“Okay,” she said. She passed off her order to one of her colleagues, and followed Levi as he tugged her by the hand out of the diner.
“What on earth is going on?” she asked, laughing, as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms, keeping the chill at bay.
“So,” he said. “I just heard from my rep at the record label.”
June’s nerves flared bright, her stomach instantly churning with butterflies.
“Don’t keep me in suspense!” she said, although the happy look on Levi’s face kept any dread at bay. “What happened?”
“They loved it,” he said, his smile beaming bright. “They want us to record a whole album together.”
“I… what?” June was certain that she couldn’t have heard correctly. “Like… they want me to sing on it?”
He nodded. “I believe my rep’s exact words were that you’re a great talent, and she’ll be mad if anybody else tries to discover you before she can work with you.”
June just blinked for a few seconds as this sunk in. Then she let out a totally undignified shriek and threw her arms around Levi’s neck. He wrapped his arms back around her in return, lifted her off her feet, and spun her around in a circle.
For a long moment, they grinned at one another. Then June’s practical brain interrupted.
“Wait,” she said, alarmed. “Will we have to move? That’s a big thing to do to Benjamin, and maybe it’s too selfish of me to do that to him for a professional opportunity…”
She trailed off, because Levi was smiling and shaking his head.
“Junebug,” he said. “We are not going anywhere. Honestly, I can’t imagine living anywhere else than Magnolia Shore, not any longer.
And one of the things I love most about you is how you’re the kind of mom who would put her son’s happiness ahead of her dreams. But, honey, you can have it all. You deserve it.”
“You really mean it?”
June knew that she was happy, but the happiness she felt was so complete that it was like she couldn’t even feel the full impact of it all at once. Instead, it was trickling into her, then growing and growing, until she felt like her heart might leap right out of her chest.
He nodded. “Yeah, of course. I love our life here. I can’t wait—”
“No, I mean you… really love me?” she clarified.
The tiniest flicker of wariness crossed his expression. “I know it’s a little soon, but… yeah. I love you, June Caldwell.”
June bit her lip. “I love you too,” she admitted. “And maybe it is kind of soon, but it’s also right and true. I love you, Levi.”
“And I love Benjamin,” he told her, cupping her face in his hands. “And I love singing with you. And I love this town. And I want to be where you are, always.”
At that point, June decided, there was nothing left to do but seal things with a kiss.