I’m fine. You?
Not really, but I’ll tell you later. Have a wonderful day, Levi. Miss you.
He was taken aback by her texting that she wasn’t fine, and she missed him.
Have a good day yourself. Take care.
He waited a few seconds but there was no response. Maybe she just meant she missed talking to him, and he hoped she was alright. Shrugging, he put his phone in his pocket, then headed for the kitchen to get a cup of coffee.
He folded his arms, leaned a hip against the counter as his coffee poured into the cup. He stared down at the cat.
“Don’t look at me, I’m not feeding you,” he said, and chuckled when the cat sat and licked her paw as if dismissing him. He was removing his cup when Kinley entered the kitchen, walked toward him, kissed his lips, then pushed him out of the way with her hip.
“Damn, am I in your way?” he joked.
“Nothing comes between me and my coffee in the mornings. Not even you, cowboy.”
Levi chuckled as he kissed her temple, then lifted his cup to his lips and sipped the hot brew.
Once she got her coffee, she took a sip and sighed. “I need to feed Tootsie, then we can open presents.”
“Alright. I’ll meet you in the living room.” He left the kitchen, walked to the living room, and sat down on the sofa.
“Let’s open presents,” she said as she walked into the living room.
“Okay.” He nodded for her to get hers.
She picked up a few boxes and handed them to him. “Merry Christmas,” she said, then kissed his lips and sat beside him.
“This is too much,” he said.
“It’s not. Don’t argue with me, you’ll lose.”
“No shit,” he muttered, and set the boxes on the coffee table. He put his mug down, stood, walked to the tree and lifted the box, then set it on the floor in front of her. “Open it.”
“You first.” She smiled.
Levi sighed. “Damn, you’re difficult.”
Kinley laughed. “Just do it.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He opened each box of shirts and thanked her. “I did need some new shirts.”
“Open the last one.”
Levi sighed as he ripped the paper off and saw Beckett Boots on the box. He raised his eyebrows.
“You didn’t.”
She shrugged. “You’ll have to look.”
He lifted the lid and stared at the new boots, then looked at her.
“These are too expensive.”
“You needed new ones and don’t say you didn’t. Have you seen your boots?”
“Yes, but—”