11. Levi
Levi drained his glass and stood, moving toward the kitchen to rinse it out before he left. Theo and Alexis were deep in conversation about… actually, he didn’t know what they were talking about. He’d zoned out. It wasn’t that he wasn’t interested in what Alexis had to say, he’d just felt extremely awkward and had been counting down the minutes until he could leave without it being impolite. He should be used to the feeling. Whenever he was out with Theo, Levi was always left feeling like the third wheel.
‘I should head off now,’ he said, standing at the sink with his glass in hand.
Theo jumped up from the couch. ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, where are you going?’
‘The wine’s finished,’ Levi said. ‘We should let Alexis get back to her evening.’
Theo disappeared for a moment and then reappeared holding another bottle of wine.
‘Where did you get that?’ Alexis asked, joining them at the kitchen counter.
Theo smirked. ‘I know where my mother keeps the good stuff.’
Alexis looked at the label, and her eyes bulged. ‘Put it back,’ she hissed. ‘I can’t afford to replace it.’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ Theo said, ripping open the tab and exposing the cork. ‘She has a dozen more.’
‘And she probably has an itemised list of all of them.’
But it was too late. Theo was already removing the cork with a deft hand.
‘I’ll replace it,’ Levi said, glaring at Theo.
‘No, it’s fine,’ Alexis replied, twisting her fingers together as she watched Theo pour generously. ‘I will.’
Levi pressed his lips together. He wanted to argue with her. He wanted to smack Theo across the back of the head. But neither of those things seemed particularly prudent. Instead, he sighed and held out his glass to Theo. He would replace the wine whether she wanted him to or not.
‘Why does this feel like we’re high school kids sneaking Mum and Dad’s booze?’ Theo asked as he lifted his glass for a toast.
‘Because we are. Minus the high school part,’ Alexis said. ‘Thank God,’ she mumbled.
Theo grinned. ‘I don’t know. High school was pretty good for me.’
‘Of course it was,’ Levi muttered. He was with Alexis on this. No way did he want to be a teenager again. ‘Speaking of teenagers,’ Levi said to Theo. ‘Chloe knows you’re in town, and she is demanding to see you tomorrow.’
‘Chloe?’ Alexis asked and then smiled conspiratorially. ‘An old flame, perhaps?’
Theo choked on his wine, and Levi grinned as he slapped Theo on the back. Hard. ‘My fifteen-year-old niece.’
‘Ah, Chloe,’ Theo said, recovering from his coughing attack. ‘My OTF.’
‘OTF?’ Alexis asked, and Levi rolled his eyes.
‘My One True Fan,’ Theo replied. ‘One day she’ll be the president of my fan club.’
‘You have a fan club?’ Alexis’ eyes widened.
‘Yup. They’re called Moonlighters.’ He took another swig of his wine.
Alexis looked at Levi for an explanation, and he sighed. ‘The first label Theo modelled for was an Italian fashion brand called Luna, hence his fans named themselves Moonlighters.’
‘Hence? Who says hence?’ Theo asked, swirling the wine in his glass.
‘Anyway,’ Levi drawled. ‘Chloe wants to see you tomorrow.’
‘Cool,’ Theo replied and then looked at Alexis. ‘You should come too.’
‘Me? Why?’
Theo shrugged and smiled at her. It was the smile he’d once joked about insuring. It made Levi’s gut twist, especially with the effect it had on Alexis. She had gone all glassy-eyed, and her cheeks were flushed.
‘I’m sure Alexis has far better things to do than hang around while Chloe moons all over you,’ Levi snapped.
‘I, ah, I ah…’ Alexis swallowed and shook her head. ‘I have to work, actually.’
‘On a Sunday?’ Theo asked.
‘No rest for the wicked and all that,’ she said, scooping up her wineglass and taking a long swallow.
‘Just how wicked are you?’ Theo asked with a salacious wiggle of his eyebrows.
‘Cut it out,’ Levi said, draining his glass. ‘Let’s go. I thought you were desperate to catch up with me? And we’ve taken up enough of Alexis’ Saturday night.’
Levi snatched Theo’s glass out of his hand and dragged him toward the door of the apartment.
‘Thank you for letting us confirm your agreement with Evelyn,’ Levi said.
‘If you need anything,’ Theo said and then winked. ‘And I mean anything, don’t hesitate to give me a call.’
‘Sure,’ Alexis said with a grin.
Theo held out his hand. ‘Give me your phone.’
‘What? Why?’
‘So you can call me, of course,’ he said with a wide grin.
Alexis hesitated before handing it over. Theo typed something into the device and then sent a message to his phone and then to Levi’s. Levi frowned as he pulled it out of his pocket.
‘I gave you his number too,’ Theo said. ‘Since you’re neighbours and all.’
‘Uh… thanks, I guess?’
‘Let’s go,’ Levi said, pushing Theo out the door.
Levi acceptedhis drink from the bartender and took a sip. They were sitting in an underground bar that required a password to enter. It was set up like a 1920s speakeasy with leather tufted chairs and low lighting. Levi had never been there before, but Theo obviously had. But then, if it was cool or trendy, it was a given Theo would have been there at least once. The man in question lounged beside him, looking at him as if he wanted to say something. But in a contradiction to his character, Theo was staying quiet.
‘Just spit it out,’ Levi said finally, unable to take the scrutiny any longer.
‘Spit what out?’ he asked, raising his glass and admiring the amber liquid.
‘Whatever it is you want to say,’ Levi snapped.
Theo leaned forward, lowering his glass to the bar top. Shifting in his seat, he rested his elbow beside his glass and propped his chin on his fist.
‘You like her.’
‘What?’ Levi spluttered, glad he didn’t have a mouthful of very expensive cognac.
‘You do,’ Theo said with delight. ‘I wasn’t sure, but your reaction confirms it.’
‘No,’ Levi said, leaning back in his seat. ‘My reaction is proof that the idea is preposterous.’
Theo sighed. ‘Pity. She’s a good one.’
‘Then you date her,’ Levi said and immediately regretted it.
‘Hm,’ Theo hummed noncommittally. ‘So what else is going on with you? How’s the fam? The biz? Can you squeeze me in for a quick refresh?’
Levi snorted. ‘As if you need any of our services. Your skin is perfect.’
Theo pouted. ‘I’m getting old.’ Then he grinned at Levi. ‘When are you going to bust out of that place?’
‘What?’
‘Come on. I know how much you hate it. Why do you even stay?’
‘What would I do instead?’ Levi asked.
It wasn’t as if he hadn’t thought about leaving, but what could he do? Set up a rival skin clinic? That would be the ultimate betrayal according to his family, and they would excommunicate him for sure.
‘You could work for me,’ Theo said.
Levi gaped at him.
‘You could be my personal doctor.’
Levi shook his head and chuckled. ‘Just how drunk are you?’
Theo grinned. ‘Don’t tell me it doesn’t tempt you. Travelling the world. Being by my side. Not having to deal with the real housewives of Brisbane.’
‘You know why I stay,’ Levi said, slowly turning the cut crystal tumbler in his hands.
‘Jonah is always going to be numero uno, you know that. And Elias will always be the rebel without a cause. Isn’t it about time you decided who you want to be when you grow up instead of trying to be what everyone else wants you to be?’
‘I am who I want to be,’ Levi said, although he was starting to doubt that.
‘What would you do if you could do anything? If there were no money concerns and no family expectations? If you knew you wouldn’t fail, what would you do?’
Levi scanned Theo’s face, hoping to find the answer there. The truth was, he hadn’t considered a life outside of the one he was living, not seriously. The odd daydream didn’t count. Besides, he was the one who was holding everything together. He covered for Jonah’s mistakes and minimised the damage Elias tried to do. Without him, the family would fall apart.
‘There has to be something,’ Theo said.
Levi shook his head. ‘Nope. I’m doing exactly what I want to do.’
‘Bullshit,’ Theo coughed into his hand and then shook his head in resignation. ‘You can lead a horse to water…’
‘Whatever,’ Levi said.
‘So… Alexis,’ Theo said, not looking at Levi. ‘There’s really nothing between you?’
‘Nothing,’ Levi replied, trying to sound completely and utterly unconcerned.
‘So you wouldn’t mind if I…’
Levi gritted his teeth and white-knuckled the glass in his hand. He minded. Very much. But there was no way in hell he would admit that to Theo.
‘Not. At. All,’ Levi replied.
Theo grinned. ‘Nice.’ He lifted his glass to his lips and took a sip.