Page 24 of Code of Heart
Levi had never seen a room so bright and yet so warm. While the colors weren’t something he would have ever chosen for himself, he found it wonderfully comfortable and inviting.
“My research has proven that punctuality is a very attractive quality in a partner.” Estrella extended her delicate hand ingreeting, her mouth lifting in a playful half-smile. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lockwood.”
Levi smiled widely and eagerly shook her hand. “I’m at the mercy of your expertise and appreciate the expedited appointment.”
That earned him a full smile from Estrella.
She turned and beckoned him to follow through the large opening in the direction of what looked like a kitchen. There was also a set of stairs, confirming that she lived in the house that lay on the other side of the entryway. “While appreciated, there is no need for such formalities here, Levi. I’m in the business of getting to know the real you, and that begins now.”
Estrella continued into the kitchen, offering the option of a warm beverage. Hands in his pockets, Levi gratefully accepted a cup of coffee as he absentmindedly observed the space.
The same color scheme from the sitting room continued into this area. Natural wood tones were used throughout the counters and furniture, punctuated by a deep white farmhouse sink sitting atop coral colored cabinetry. Light wood open shelving displayed colorful dishes, cookware, and jars of dried ingredients and spices. The air held the scent of freshly baked apple pie that had his mouth watering.
This is what a home smells like, he thought, his eyes widening with the sudden realization. He had never lived anywhere that truly felt like a home, even as a child. The closest thing was when he was at Owen’s house growing up, or at Grace and Isaac’s house hanging out. Frowning, he made a mental note to visit Owen’s mom. It wasn’t only his friends he had been neglecting lately.
Yet deep down, he knew—this confirmed why he hated going home after work.
A low familiar ache in his chest decided to rear its ugly head again. Brushing it aside, he glanced at the farmhouse tablenestled in front of a large wall of windows overlooking the colorful backyard.
The words came tumbling out of his mouth without warning. “I love your home.”
He could hear her smile, rather than see it, from the other side of the kitchen. Estrella poured two steaming cups of coffee from a French press as promised. “I’m in the business of uniting two souls so they can build a home and life together. A stuffy office makes it so unnecessarily clinical.” She carefully walked the two mugs over to the table. “I will give you the option of having our consultation here or in my office.”
Levi didn’t hesitate. “Let's stay in here. I honestly love this room.” He was surprised that he liked the coral cabinets. They were bright and warm, which gave the space an added layer of calm…something he desperately needed at that moment.
“It’s my favorite room too.” She settled into a cushioned seat at the end of the table and motioned for Levi to do the same. As he sat down, he placed his notebook and documents on the table ensuring he was as prepared as possible.
Estrella turned her sharp gaze to his folder; her attention focused on the multiple colors of sticky notes layered within it, but she said nothing.
Levi followed her gaze, his cheeks heating a little.He wasn’t sure what to expect from their meeting, so he did his best to be ready.
He went through the documents for today and marked pages with critical items to discuss. The color-coding system made sense to him, helping him to find a particular section quickly without spending too much time skimming through the text. “I like to be very prepared when going into unknown situations that could stress me out,” he admitted with a nervous laugh, fingertips anxiously tapping on the table.
Those eyes—a whirlpool in the depths of a blue lagoon—bore into him again, rendering him still.
“I've been in contact with your attorney, Mitchell, so don’t worry about paperwork during this appointment. The signed service agreement can wait until the end, so you have all the information to make an informed decision. No need to spend our time together reading when one can learn a great deal from talking and listening,” she assured him with a secret smile.
He released the breath he had been holding. It was as if she knew what a struggle reading could be for him—though he supposed the heavily notated file probably was a clue. Regardless, he still appreciated this small mercy and let his shoulders relax a bit. “You may regret that once you find out how boring I can be,” he teased.
She didn’t so much as react to his joke aside from a slight head tilt. “What brings you to my doorstep? I spoke with your friend Ivy, and she shared quite a bit of detail about you and your situation, but I want to hear it directly from you.” Her tone was serious, and her eyes continued to change hues. It was borderline distracting.
Levi felt like every pore on his body was being analyzed by a panel of overly judgmental church ladies. It was uncomfortable, exaggerated, and left him feeling like his flaws were the main attraction.This was exactly the kind of situation he actively avoided regularly.
“I’m not sure what Ivy told you specifically, but this whole thing came about because I was an idiot during a Board meeting and let one of our most abrasive members get under my skin.” Levi could feel the anger bubbling up again, but clenched his teeth as he fought to tamp it down.
Once he had his emotions under control, he recounted the events of the meeting, including the derogatory comments Tylerhad made. She didn’t say a word, but her irises kept swirling as she listened.
If he was going to fully commit to this process, then he had to jump into the deep end of this pool—and try to ignore her unsettling eyes. Which meant opening up about himself, no matter how uncomfortable it was.
He took a calming breath.
“I’ll start with why that Board member’s comments bothered me so much. You’ve noticed how prepared I came today, and it’s because I have dyslexia. Growing up with it was a nightmare, not because of how much I struggled in school, but because of how my peers and adults treated me.”
This was going to be much harder than Levi thought. It was one thing to say the words aloud, but it was quite another to try to explain what dyslexia is and how it affects everyday life.
“The stereotypes—It's not just about letters being jumbled or backwards like many people think…it comes in so many different forms and affects every person differently. For me, the words are not static, meaning they don’t stay still and seem to move around when I read, so following a linear sentence takes me significantly longer to get through than the average person.”
This was why Tyler’s words had cut Levi so deeply. He wasn’t the first person in Levi’s life to question or mock his ability to read. It reopened a deep wound that had never fully healed.
