Chapter 55
* * * *
I’d been staring at the frozen food section in the grocery store for ages, too exhausted to decide what to nuke for dinner. It had been one of those days at work when everything had gone wrong from the minute I’d stepped my foot in the door. By noon I’d contemplated quitting my job. When I finally was let out of the building the thought of bludgeoning everyone to death with the tax code had crossed my mind.
A granola bar was all I’d eaten all day and I’d passed the hangry state somewhere around four. Now, three hours later, I was ready to eat this sad pizza right from the freezer. Box and all. I huffed out a tired sigh. Even warming pathetic, frozen food seemed like too much work, but the only fast food place close to my building made the crappiest Chinese in the history of food. It was a wonder they hadn’t been forced to close down ages ago. Maybe I should just scarf down another granola bar and call it a night?
“Beckett?”
The voice made my stomach jump and the corners of my mouth turn up even though just a moment before I’d been so tired I’d thought I’d never smile again.
“Levi. Hi!” Stubble covered his face and he approached me with a spring in his step and a happy grin that made my heart go pitter-patter. Oh gawd, he was cuter than ever. “What are you doing here?” I asked.
He threw his arm around my neck in a quick, one-armed hug. The heat of his body penetrated my cold soul, but before I had time to hug him back, he let go of me and stepped back. I missed his warmth instantly. I wanted more. I wanted to bury my nose in the crook of his neck and just stay there until this crappy day was gone and forgotten. Feel his hands on my back and his soothing breaths in my ear.
Shit. I swallowed around a lump that appeared in my throat. I had it bad.
“I’m here to get some celebratory ice cream. I finished my project on time, so I thought I’d treat myself.”
“Great job. Congratulations!”
“Thanks!” His eyes sparkled at me. “Are you getting ice cream, too?”
“No. I was trying to figure out what to eat for dinner. I can’t decide what sounds the least disgusting,” I said and picked up two depressing looking boxes. “Lasagna or pepperoni pizza?”
Levi drew his eyebrows together and then took both from me and threw them back into the freezer. “You can’t eat crap like that. It’s no good for you.”
“I know,” I sighed. “But my fridge is empty and I’m too tired to both shop for groceries and cook.”
He looked at me then, swept his gaze from head to toe. “You look exhausted. I’m sorry I didn’t notice earlier.”
“It’s fine.”
With an unconvinced look, he asked, “Are you all right?”
“Yeah. Just tired. I had a terrible day at work.”
“I know all about those.” He sucked his lower lip into his mouth, letting his eyes flick over my face, taking in what I was sure was tired lines around my eyes and a mouth trying its best to smile. “I have an idea,” he said after a few moments. “What if I make you dinner? I’d need to borrow your kitchen of course, but if you feel like a homecooked meal…I’m your guy.”
I drew a breath and held it. Blinked. “Are you serious?” I asked in a whooshing exhale.
“I am.”
“But what about your ice cream celebration?”
“It can wait.”
His kindness coupled with my fatigue choked me up. Half a second from bursting into tears, I asked, “Why?”
“Because you look like you need someone to take care of you.”
I couldn’t help it then. A tear escaped. I turned my face away and squeezed my eyes shut. A part of me wanted to turn and run away, hide my stupid sensitivity from him and not be the guy who cries in the grocery store aisle. But another part knew he could be trusted and even if I broke down completely here, he wouldn’t make fun of me.
“Then yes. Thank you,” I choked out.
Gentle fingers plucked the shopping basket from my grip. His other hand found its way to my nape and caressed me for a second. It was just a brief touch, but it gave me the strength to wipe away the tear and look at him again.
“Let’s go. I know just the thing.”
I trailed after him through the store, like a little kid following his mama, as he took over the shopping. It only took a few minutes to pick up what he wanted, pay, and put the bag in the back of his car.