Page 65 of Levi

“Well, apparently not you.” Kinley replied as she stepped closer to him. Levi could smell her perfume and couldn’t help but feel eager for their evening together.

When they were on the porch, he took her keys from her hand, locked the door, handed them back, then led her to the truck.

After arriving at the diner, he parked, stepped from the truck, and started around to her side, but she met him at the front of the truck.

“You’re making me look like I lack manners.”

Kinley placed her hand on his cheek. “Anyone who knows you knows better.”

“Thanks, sweetheart. Let’s get inside, I’m getting hungry,” Levi said as he held her hand and led her into the diner. They greeted familiar faces with nods and smiles before finding a booth.

As Kinley started to slide into the bench seat facing the door, Levi shook his head.“Take the other side. I don’t like my back to the door.”

“Oh, okay. Sorry. You never said before.”

“Because I’d stand on that side so you’d have to take the other bench.”

Kinley smiled. “Very tricky.”

Connie came by to set two glasses of water on the table, then she took their orders, promising to be right back.

“What do you want to do after we eat? Go to a movie?” Levi asked.

“Sure, we can do that, but I thought we decided to go back to my place and… relax,” she said with a grin.

Levi smirked. “We could definitely do that.”

“Okay.”

“Is everything alright with you?”

“Of course, it is. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Kinley, anytime we’ve talked this week, you’ve been avoiding the one conversation we need to have.”

“We’ll talk at the house.”

“Now, see? That worries me. To me, that’s like saying, we need to talk, and that never ends well.”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure it’s nothing we can’t handle.”

He stared at her but she wouldn’t meet his eyes and his gut clenched with the fear of hertelling him something he wasn’t going to like.

After finishing their meals, Levi paid Connie, then took Kinley’s hand and led her back to his truck.

Levi wrapped his hands around the steering wheel as he tried to calm himself down. He jerked when she placed her hand on his, then he glanced at her.

“I’m fine,” he said.

“No, you’re not, but trust me, it’s nothing bad. I just have to get something out.”

“Shit, Kinley, that doesn’t help me a damn bit.”

When she didn’t say anything, he knew he wasn’t going to like it one bit. Something was troubling her and he hoped it wasn’t that she changed her mind about having kids. He had no idea what he’d do if that were the case.

****

Kinley unlocked her door, and they entered the house. Levi hung his hat on a hook then looked at her. She smiled.

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