Page 55 of Levi Bailey has Butterflies

He waves away my politeness. “You’re twenty-three. You don’t have to tell me when you’ll be home.”

“Fine. I’ll get here when I get here.” I tell him, waiting for his reaction.

He nods, long and dramatic. “You’ve got a key.” Though he won’t lock it while I’m out.

“Bye, Bob,” I say with a chuckle.

We walk through the door and out into the clear spring day. Levi snatches me by the elbow. “Your uncle isAllenFinch?”

“He is.”

He stares forward, his eyes wide. “I’m pretty sure he’s putting me in his next book. If he kills me off does that mean he doesn’t like me?”

A tickle forms in my stomach and comes out in the form of a laugh. I can’t stop it. “I don’t know.”

“I read his last book.The Closed Door. Owen gave it to me for Christmas and I devoured it. That dude lives in Coeur d’Alene?”

“He doesn’t go out much. And he has a pseudonym for a reason.”

“Yeah?” he says. I can’t decide if his expression is star-struck or fear-laden. He stares ahead, dazed.

“Yes. So crazies, like you, don’t find out where he lives.”

“His home is so modest. He looks so…normal.” His head bobs from side to side. “If I’m being honest, he looked a little less than normal.”

I set my hand on Levi’s upper arm. “He is less than normal. That’s what I love about him.” I’m pretty sure a lot of people would think my uncle strange. Strange for the way he lives, for the publicity he chooses not to have, strange that he’d give his only niece a seven-figure inheritance long before he died.

But I love him for every single one of those things. And not the money—but the fact that he was willing to help me change.

The garage is already open. I can see Levi’s bike on the sidewalk out front, so I leave his side and grab my bike from Uncle Bob’s cluster-filled garage.

Levi leads and I ride after him, loving the breeze in my face and the chill of the cool air on my arms. When we get to the corner of Magnolia Street, I know we’re headed to my favorite park, where just yesterday I climbed a tree. It has a large field between the walking paths, it’s probably a great place to play football. And it’s starting to feel like my homeland for “list” experiences.

Levi pulls up next to a tall pine tree and that’s when I see his family, standing in the field. There’s little Alice! And pregnant Coco with her husband Jude—who I’ve met once. Then Miles and two more men. Owen and possibly Cooper. Both men look too much like Levi and Miles to not be related, even with their blond hair.

Nerves bubble in my stomach. I’m excited and I’m skittish. It’s confusing. And strange—and something I will be asking Uncle Bob about later.

I park my bike next to Levi’s, and we start side by side for the middle of the field.

Coco has a huge smile and wave for me. Her workout shirt is tight around her basketball of a belly, and her yoga pants don’t quite reach high enough to hide all of her skin. There is a midriff of baby bump showing between her black pants and purple shirt.

Alice spins in the middle of the field. I’m not sure she even knows that Levi and I are here. And with that sweet little twirl, I’m guessing she does not know we’re here to playfootball.

The first person to speak is Levi. “You,” he says, his voice gruff, “aren’t playing.” He points to his sister.

“Settle down, mother hen. I’m not planning to play. Not this time.”

“She’s been having a few pains today,” Jude says. “I brought her a chair.” He points to a camp chair beneath the tree where we just parked our bikes, all folded up and tucked in its bag.

“Pains?” Levi says, a crease forming between his brows.

“Just Braxton Hicks.” Coco smacks her husband’s shoulder. “So, everyone calm down.”

And when I peer about our group, all the men have that worry wrinkle. It’s something that says they love her, they’re protective of her. And while Coco is kind, she’s holding her own. She’s going to do what she wants to.

“I’m fine, and Jude needs to keep quiet.” She kisses his cheek, contrasting the smack she just gave him. “Now, stop being rude.” She turns her blue eyes on me. “Meredith! I’m so excited for you to meet the rest of our family. Mer,” she says, calling me by my Levi-given nickname and linking her arm through mine, “this is our brother Owen.” She yanks on the man with blond hair and blue eyes. He’s a good two inches shorter than Levi and younger. But he’s handsome. And his smile has to be the most energetic thing about him. “And guess what? He’s twenty-three.”

“Hey, me too,” I say, hand to my chest.

---