Page 77 of Taken By Storm

Levi frowned, confused. “Too late for what?”

“I said some really awful things to her. Kept getting into trouble around town. I’ve been this person for so long now, I don’t remember how to be…”

Levi squeezed his shoulder again. “Who you used to be?”

Keith nodded.

“I don’t think you’re ever going to be the guy you were before your mom died, but you were never going to be him forever anyway. That’s just a part of growing up. Experiences change you, mold you. It’s up to you how you let the bad times shape you, Keith.”

The kid’s lower lip quivered. “I don’t like this shape.”

“Then change it.”

Keith shook his head. “You don’t know what I said to Kasi. I can’t ask her to forgive me for it. It was…too mean.”

Levi didn’t share that he knew exactly what Keith had said, how he’d blamed her for their mother’s death. “She’s your sister, and she loves you. More than that, shemissesyou. You say you’re sorry to her, and I can guarantee you’ll get a clean slate. That’s how family works.”

Keith fell silent for a moment. “What if I don’t deserve a clean slate?”

Levi smiled. “Your sister is headstrong. If she wants to give it to you, by God, she will. And she won’t rest until you take it.”

Finally, Keith smiled, laughing a little. “You’re right. She will. She got that from Mama.” Then he sighed. “Are you going to tell Kasi about this?” he asked again.

Levi shook his head. “No. I’m not.”

“Thanks. And I’ll try to stop being such a pain in the ass. ’Cause I think she’s got something else going on that’s stressing her out.”

“Like what?” Levi asked, concerned.

“I don’t know. It’s got something to do with the mayor. He keeps stopping by the house and the fruit stand. I think he’s bothering her.”

Levi recalled Scottie shooting him dirty looks at Whiskey Abbey. He’d thought the man’s disdain was due to the Lucy dustup, but now he wondered if it had more to do with Kasi.

“Why is he stopping by?” Levi asked.

Keith shrugged. “I don’t know. I asked Kasi, but I think she lied about the reason.”

“What did she say?”

“Few times, she said he was just drumming up votes for reelection.”

“Sounds plausible to me,” Levi countered.

“The last time, she said Scottie was stopping by to get a recipe for his mom.”

Levi nodded, relieved that it sounded like Keith was making something out of nothing.

Keith narrowed his eyes at Levi’s lack of concern. “Youever seen Mrs. Grover cook anything?”

That comment gave Levi reason to pause. Because Mrs. Grover paid one of the local women to prepare meals for her family and, while Gracemont was typically slow to change, a couple young people had started doing DoorDash deliveries around town because the Grovers ordered out enough to keep them busy.

Keith continued proving his point. “She brought that fancy-ass sushi from that expensive restaurant in Leesburg to the town picnic. Sushi, for God’s sake. And when Mama died, and all the women in Gracemont were dropping off casseroles and other food, Mrs. Grover had a pizza delivered to our house. We’ve been neighbors for nearly twenty years, and she couldn’t even be bothered to come pay her respects in person. Not that I give a shit,” he was quick to add, “but you have to admit that’s cold.”

“It is.”

Uneasiness settled over Levi as he considered what the real reason for Scottie’s visits might be. He supposed Kasi could have been telling her brother the truth. After all, Scottiewasup for reelection. And it was possible his mother had wanted a recipe to pass on to someoneelseto make for her.

But Kasi never mentioned Scottie stopping by to him. Why?

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