Page 97 of Getting Wrapped Up

Oh crap. He’d slipped. He’d gotten so into what he was saying—and picturing what he was saying—that he’d slipped about the lonely thing.

He didn’t mind her knowing he missed her and was lonely without her, but he didn’t want her thinking he was going to be driving that road alone much longer. When he visited Sapphire Falls in the future, he planned to have her with him.

She was breathing a little fast from what he’d said, but her eyes were soft when she looked up at him and put a hand on his cheek. “I miss you too. Every day. During the most normal, mundane things.”

He swallowed and nodded. That was good. That was a step toward her asking him to move. She didn’t even have to ask him to moveinwith her. Living together would be extra fast. But she knew he had the money to buy a place out there near her.

And hell, he intended to askherto move in withhimwhen it was time. He was going to be buying a place that was big enough for both of them…and then some.

His heart sped up with that thought, but it felt warm at the same time. A family. That was what he wanted. And what he wanted to give to Kate—a family that would be there for both of them, that would be solid and secure, that would be normal.

Of all the things that he and Kate had in common, that was probably the most significant—they both wanted a place to belong, a place that they were a part of.

In a town like Sapphire Falls, it seemed to happen easily and more naturally. The town seemed to reach out and absorb people, it gave them a place to belong, a place to contribute. In the city it was a little tougher to find a specific space to occupy and matter. But in a family unit—they couldcreatetheir place to belong and contribute.

“I want to be with you every day, Kate,” he said carefully. He still sensed that if he just flat out saidI’m moving to San Francisco, she might balk. But he wanted her to know he was thinking these things.

“I do too,” she said sincerely.

He held his breath, waiting for her to add to that. When she didn’t, there was another jab of disappointment. This one he appreciated though—this one was okay to be disappointed about. Missing football season in Sapphire Falls, not so much.

“Let’s go sledding.”

He blinked at her. “Huh?”

“Sledding,” she said with a grin. “I’ve never been and that seems like…such a normal thing to do here.”

He assumed she was right. Not that he knew anything about sledding in Sapphire Falls. Or anywhere else.

But her smile sucked him in and he found himself nodding and saying “Okay, let’s do it.”

“Do you have a sled?” she asked.

That was a little like asking if he had a rocket ship. He had no plans to go to Mars anytime soon, so why would he have a rocket ship? Same with sledding.

“Uh, no.” He laughed. “But we can find one. I’m sure of it.”

Her face brightened and Levi laughed again and shook his head. “Look at me like that and you can have anything you want from me.”

Kate went up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “I can already have anything I want from you.” Then she got up in his truck.

She was right.

There was no point denying it. Levi went around to the driver’s side.

“Is there a store that sells sleds here?” Kate asked as he started the truck and eased it out of the parking spot.

There probably was, but he didn’t know where. “There is one thing that is as true in Sapphire Falls as it is in Las Vegas,” he told her, pulling his phone out and handing it to her. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Joe is speed dial number two.”

She was number one.

She pushed the button and lifted the phone to her ear. Joe must have answered right away because she said, “Hi Joe, it’s Kate,” after only a second.

“Good.” She looked at Levi. “Really good.” She paused. “Definitely. I’m looking forward to it.”

Okay, that had to be about the party tonight.

“We just had breakfast,” she said. Pause. “Dottie’s.” Another pause. “The…oatmeal, actually.”

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