Page 17 of Glad You're Here

I had almost drifted off to sleep when I heard a key turn in the lock of my front door. Lenny was the only one with a key. I closed my eyes against the late afternoon sun drifting through my bedroom window. Lenny would let herself in and make her way back to my room.

When she appeared in my doorway a few moments later, wearing the gauziest, flowiest pink dress she owned, I croaked out, “Hello, Lenore.”

Lenny rolled her bright green eyes. Mine were like the watered-down version of hers— or maybe the sadder version. “Hi, sweetie.” Knowing I was teasing her, she ignored my faux formality and climbed into bed with me.

For some reason, I found it hilarious to tease her and pretend she was the distant aunt that most people had. The irony tickled me.

Lenny stroked my hair, engulfing me in her comforting cinnamon vanilla scent. She always smelled like Christmas, even in the middle of summer. What a weirdo. “Bad day?” she asked.

“Yep. Hurts like hell.”

“Have you tried—”

“A warm bath? Yoga? Pain killers? Weed? Yes, ma’am, to all of the above.” There was no cure for fibromyalgia, and very few things helped a flare-up when it hit. My choices were to deal with the pain with my head held high or deal with it curled up and crying.

Lenny sighed and rubbed my shoulder while I folded into the fetal position and chose the latter. “Sorry, Thea. I swear Mel used to get these aches when we were kids. I remember her crying in the middle of the night, so I’d get up and rub her legs sometimes. I always thought they went away but maybe she hid them from me. Wouldn’t have been the only thing.”

I loved and hated it when my aunt talked about my mom. I liked having little glimpses of who Melanie Traeger was, but they left a bitter taste in my mouth. She would forever be the woman who brought me into this world only to abandon me.

My phone buzzed again, cutting through the regret we both felt any time we brought up my mom.

“Let me get that for you, sweetie.” Lenny reached over and grabbed my phone from my nightstand. It didn’t bother me in the slightest. Lenny could read all my messages if she wanted. I had nothing to hide from her but the letters in my Google Drive.

“Who’s Levi?” Her eyes lit up with recognition. “Oh, is he that darling boy I saw you with at the bar the other night? He looked so different from the alpha meatheads you usually set your sights on.”

I snorted. “Darling? Don’t get your hopes up, Lenore. He’s a friend.” But she did have a point about the alpha meatheads. It wasn’t so much that I set my sights on them. They were simply more confident and persistent than any other type of guy. Guys like my ex wore me down because I eventually got lonely and needed sex, but I never pursued them. I wrapped my blanket tighter around my shoulders. After waiting a few seconds, I asked, “What does Levi want?”

Not that I gave a shit. Just curious.

Lenny smirked at me and read, “Hey, Thea! Sorry, I know you’re probably busy, but I thought I’d throw this out there: Food and R-rated movies tonight?” Lenny chuckled and looked up at me from my phone. “R-rated movies, huh? How scandalous! Have we gone back in time, and you’re suddenly eleven years old again?”

I smiled and nodded. “He’s an Ex-Mormon who wasn’t allowed to do any of that stuff growing up. So yeah, it’s like going back in time and rewriting his story. It’s kind of fun.” I shrugged.

When I glanced over at Lenny, she was typing into my phone. “Hey!” I snapped and reached for it. “What are you doing? You have permission to read but not to send!”

“Too late!” After the chime indicated she’d sent a message, Lenny handed over my phone. Despite the death glare I aimed her way, she kissed my forehead and then slid out of my bed. “I have to get to the bar tonight, sweetie, but don’t forget brunch on Wednesday! If you’re not feeling well, I’ll bring it over here. Let me know!”

“Yeah, whatever.” I opened my message thread with Levi and groaned out loud as Lenny made her way toward my front door. “You gave him my address?” I shouted after her.

She let out her evil cackle before closing my front door behind her.

Levi replied before I had time to clean up Lenny’s mess.

Awesome! I’ll be there in a few!

I facepalmed and groaned again. Pain burned through my entire body. I looked like a homeless person in my oversized t-shirt and sweatpants. I hadn’t washed my hair or put on any makeup, but for some intangible reason, I didn’t tell Levi not to come. For some highly illogical reason, I dragged my aching body out of bed and stumbled to my bathroom. Like a clinically insane person, I brushed my hair, used a little dry shampoo, and swiped some mascara onto my lashes.

Then, as if there wasn’t enough psycho on this mountainous pile of lunacy, I switched my t-shirt for a fitted tank. I raised my eyebrows at my reflection and whispered, “What the hell are you doing, Thea?”

Before I could thoroughly question my reasons, I heard a knock at my front door. Step by aching step, I went from the bathroom through the kitchen to the living room and pulled open the door.

Levi looked around my porch at the random pieces of junk art I had displayed there, not noticing that I’d answered the door. He leaned closer to examine an angel made of corrugated metal sheets and recycled cans.

“That was fast, Levi.” My voice startled him, and his eyes shot up to meet mine. “Were you sitting in your car waiting for me to answer your text?”

He laughed and nodded. “Yep. I’ve done nothing all day but pace around my hotel room, debating on whether or not I should text you.”

I blinked at him. “You’re not serious.” I’d gotten the feeling before that Levi might want more than friendship from me. No. I didn’t have more than friendship to give. I didn’t know if I even had that much to offer. No. I didn’t. No.

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