Page 110 of Getting Wrapped Up

“So therearesnakes here?” Kate asked. “For sure?”

Tucker glanced over his shoulder. “I’ll take care of all of them for you.”

She glared at Levi. “Why are you trying so hard to make me hate it here?”And not offering to take care of things for me?

His eyes widened. “I’m not trying to get you to hate it here.”

Her eyes were wider. “That oatmeal? Really?”

Levi sighed. He started to step toward her but Tucker moved to block him.

“Move, Bennett.”

“I don’t think so. Forget the oatmeal, you subjected her to Dottie’s coffee. I can’t let you treat a lady like that.”

Levi looked up at the taller man with an expression that was part annoyance and part determination. Kate could imagine that look had influenced a few business opponents over the years.

“Bennett, if you don’t move, I’llbuyDottie’s, and for the rest of your life all you’ll get in there is oatmeal. You’ll never see another fried green tomato as long as you live.”

Tucker groaned.

Kate frowned. “A fried green what?”

Tucker sighed. “You kept her from the muffinsandthe fried green tomatoes? Cruel man.”

But he stepped to the side.

Kate drew herself up straighter as Levi came to stand right in front of her.

“You okay?” Phoebe whispered to her.

She nodded. “But I might need to sleep on your couch tonight.”

“Anytime.”

“You’re not sleeping anywhere but in my bed,” Levi said in the low, firm voice that made her tingle from head to toe. “Ever again.”

She worked to not show her reaction. “You don’t get to say that,” she told him. “You kept the tomatoes from me.”

“You don’t even know that those are.”

“But you do.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t like that you’re keepinganythingfrom me. But clearly you’re settling into your life here, you’re happy, you belong here now. And I’m the visitor, the outsider.” She took a deep breath. “I’m happy you’ve found what you wanted, Levi.”

And she was. She loved him. No matter how hurt she was, how sad she was aboutnotfinding her place here, she loved him and wanted him to be happy.

“I did find what I wanted,” he said with a nod. “And now she’s trying to run away to California without me.”

“I’m trying to leave you alone.”

“I don’t want you to leave me alone, Kate.”

“But you haven’t…told me about the calves. Or the snow blower. Or the weird food you eat here. I don’t know anything about your projects with Hailey. I didn’t know about the auction—”

“Because I didn’t want you to know about my life here.”

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