LEVI RARELY HAD shitty days, much less several in a row, but by Wednesday evening he was fit to be tied. He’d made enough stupid mistakes to piss off one client, two employees, and himself. He needed to get his head on straight and stop thinking about Tara. The situation was beyond frustrating. While she was putting her wheels in motion toward building a future and eventually having a family, he was trying to imagine his and Joey’s life without her as entrenched in it as she’d always been.
He couldn’t picture it, and he sure as hell didn’t want to.
He’d barely gotten to speak to her Sunday when she’d stopped by his parents’ house to give Joey an Easter basket, and he’d picked up the phone a dozen times since then to text her, only to put it back down without doing a damn thing.
He wasn’t a pussy. If she were anyone else, he’d text or pick up the phone and call. Hell, he’d have said something Saturday night or taken the kiss he’d wanted and let their bodies figure out the rest. But she wasn’t anyone else, and he couldn’t afford to say or do the wrong thing. The trouble was, no part of him wanted to do the right thing, which made it impossible to concentrate on anything else, including his sunshiny girl sitting across the table at Hooligan’s yapping his ear off about the kids at school and the dance he’d agreed to chaperone this weekend.
“And then Chelsea told Billy that Sara liked him, and now Sara and Billy are going to the dance together, and she said she wants to marry him.” Joey threw her hands up. “I don’t know why Sara likes Billy. He can’t even skateboard. The only boy I’ve ever wanted to marry was Maverick, but now he’s married to Chloe, so I’m done with boys…”
His buddy, Justin “Maverick” Wicked, was a Dark Knight from the Bayside chapter, and Joey had crushed on him for more than a year, telling anyone who would listen that she was going to marry him. Including Chloe when she and Maverick were dating. Joey’s friends had been crushing on boys for the past few months, and he was ruing the day she’d confess to another crush.
There were certain stages of his daughter’s life that had thrown him for a loop, like the first time he’d dropped her off at a friend’s house and hadn’t stayed for the playdate. That had been like leaving a piece of himself behind. When she’d insisted on riding the school bus, he’d followed it all the way to school, and her first slumber party away from home had been excruciating. What if she’d woken up scared or the other kids weren’t nice to her? He’d called twice that night and first thing the next morning to check on her. He was that annoying, overprotective father, and he didn’t give a damn who knew.
But Joey had come through each of those events unscathed.
It was the dangers that had been lurking in plain sight that he’d never seen coming that had turned his brave, strong little girl into a blubbering mess. When the girls at school had made fun of her for playing sports and had stopped calling for playdates, Joey had been heartbroken, and he’d been like a grizzly wanting to tear someone apart. That was only one of the many nights he’d turned to Tara for advice. He didn’t know when it had happened, but somewhere over the years he’d started looking to her for help with Joey before his mother or sisters. Tara was level-headed and always seemed to know just what to do. That was how he knew that when Joey eventually confessed her first crush, it might be to Tara and not him. And if it was to him, Tara would be his first call, because he was pretty sure threatening a little boy would land him in jail.
“Dad,” Joey said exasperatedly, startling him from his thoughts. “Your phone is ringing.”
“Sorry. Thanks, peanut.” He pulled it out of his pocket, seeing Tara’s name on the screen, and like a freaking schoolboy, his heart tripped up as he answered it. “Hey, Tara, miss me already?”
“It’s Tara?” Joey bounced on her seat, eyes shimmering with delight. “I want to talk!”
Levi held up a finger and mouthed, In a minute.
“Yes, terribly,” Tara said cheerily. “How’d you know?”
Her sweet voice unraveled the tightness in his chest, but it also brought rise to more of the conflicting emotions he’d been battling for days. He tried to ignore them. “I felt it in my bones.”
“Such a charmer,” she teased. “Did you miss me?”
“More than you can imagine, T” came out so honestly and raw, he worried she or Joey might pick up on the difference from his normal tone and quickly added, “Have you gotten leads on any more houses?”
Joey leaned over the table with her hand outstretched. “I want to talk to her.”
He held up his finger again.
“Not yet,” Tara said. “But I’m sure there will be more soon. Where are you? It’s so loud.”
“We’re at Hooligan’s, having dinner.”
“Dad! Please?” Joey pleaded.
“Oh my gosh, it’s dinnertime,” Tara said. “I’m sorry. I just finished a shoot and thought I’d catch up with you guys. I didn’t even look at the time. Tell Joey I’ll call her later.”
“And deprive you of speaking to the coolest eight-year-old around? No way.” He winked at Joey. He didn’t want to stop talking to Tara, but Joey looked like she was going to jump out of her skin if she didn’t get to speak to her soon. I feel your pain, sweetheart. “She’s right here. Hang on.”
Joey snagged the phone, excitedly repeating the latest gossip about her friends and the dance to Tara. “And Dad is chaperoning…”
Levi sat back, an idea forming in his mind as Jesse stopped by their table. His tattooed, bearded cousin was in his midthirties, with thick dark hair that brushed his collar. Like Levi, he wore his black leather vest over a T-shirt. When Levi had first come to Harborside, Jesse had suggested he prospect the Dark Knights, and it had been the second-best decision he’d ever made. The first being raising Joey.
“Hey, Jesse. I didn’t know you were working tonight.”
“I’ve got to take care of a few things in the office.” He glanced at Joey, who was still chatting happily with her aunt, and looked amused. “Has she ditched you for the cool kids already?”
“Nah. It’s Tara.”
Jesse smirked. “Sorry, cuz, but I’d ditch you for Tara, too.”
“Back off, old man. She’s far too young for you.”
“Hold on, Tara.” Joey bounced onto her knees on the chair. “Hi, Uncle Jesse!” She hugged him. “Guess what! Tara’s coming Sunday for two whole weeks.”
“That’s awesome. Save me some of her cookies this time, will ya?” Jesse ruffled Joey’s hair, and she giggled.
“Dad, Tara wants to talk to you, and look, Emily is here.” Joey pointed across the restaurant at her classmate. “Can I go say hi?”
Emily was waving from a table where she sat with her younger sister, Annie, and their mother, Lauren. Lauren tilted her head, smiling flirtatiously. The curvy brunette could make a career out of hitting on him. He was used to it from her and a few other single moms in their mid-to-late thirties, including Joey’s teacher, a gorgeous redhead. There had been a time when Levi had been attracted to women who aggressively pursued him. It had fed his teenage ego, but Amelia had turned that attraction into inherent distaste, and he’d never gotten over it. He lifted his chin in acknowledgment to Lauren and realized that was another reason he was so attracted to Tara. She’d never once come onto him. The way his feelings had rushed in, he wondered if she’d had his attention all along, and he’d just been suppressing those feelings.
“Sure, peanut. Give me the phone, and don’t stay at her table too long.” He reached across the table. Joey gave him the phone and made a beeline for her friend.
As Jesse lowered himself to the chair she’d vacated, Levi put the phone to his ear. “Hey, blondie.”
“She’s so excited about the dance. I’m glad we found that dress for her last month.” Joey didn’t love wearing dresses, but she’d wanted one for the dance that she could wear with her skateboarding sneakers. Tara had taken her shopping while Levi was at work, and they’d found a cute dress that had a sleeveless denim top with sparkly embellishments on the collar and a fluffy, colorful jagged-edged skirt that went perfectly with her sneakers. “But we’d better keep our eyes and ears open where boys are concerned. It sounds like peer pressure is nipping at her heels.”
“I’m trying not to think about that.”
“I figured as much, but don’t worry. She’s got a good head on her shoulders, and she talks to us. That’s what’s important.”
Us. They used that term often when talking about Joey, but it hit differently tonight. Just like his need to see Tara’s beautiful face and every other thing where she was concerned. “I was thinking, are you busy Friday night?”
Jesse arched a brow curiously.
“Not really. Why?” Tara asked.
“Want to be my date for the school dance?”
Jesse chuckled, shaking his head. Levi glowered at him.
“Your date?” Tara asked.
“Yeah. You know how the single moms are always after me. You can help me fend them off.” I sound ridiculous.
“You want me to be your chick repellant?” she asked with sheer disbelief.
No. I can fend for myself, but I want you by my side. He needed to feel out the situation before he could put those cards on the table. “Something like that. What do you say? I’m sure I can get them to play Taylor Swift for you.”
“You’re serious?” she asked softly.
“Hell yes. You know we’ll have fun, and don’t even try to pretend that you have a better offer than going to an elementary school dance with the hottest guy in Harborside and your favorite niece.” There was no shame in his game.
“Well, if you put it that way, how can I say no?”
“Yes!” His overzealous exclamation earned another head shake from Jesse.
“Those women must be really pushy for you to be that happy,” Tara said.
He was so excited, he’d already forgotten the ruse. “They are. You’d better stay close to me at the dance.”
She was quiet for a second, and he wished he knew what she was thinking. “I just realized that I have an early-morning shoot Saturday.”
Is that an excuse to blow me off? “I promise to get you to the ferry right after the dance, and I know a certain little girl who will be psyched to hear you’re joining us.”
“Great. Now I just have to find a dress.”
“Short and sexy for the win.” Levi could practically hear her eyes roll, and he freaking loved it. They talked for another minute, and he ended the call feeling like he’d won the lottery.
“Dude, I had no idea you were into Tara,” Jesse said.
“What makes you think I am?”
“That goofy grin you’re sporting. But that’s your move? Asking her to your kid’s dance?”
“It’s complicated.” He scrubbed a hand down his face, but the stupid grin was plastered there.
Joey returned to the table with Emily and Annie. “Dad, can I play pinball with them in the game room if their mom comes with us?”
Lauren was heading to his table, openly devouring Levi.
“Sure, baby.” He dug a couple of dollars out of his pocket and gave them to Joey. “You know the rules.”
“Stay together, don’t go to the bathroom alone, and don’t talk to any strangers,” she recited dutifully.
“Hi, Levi. Care to join us?” Lauren asked without acknowledging Jesse.
“Thanks, but my cousin and I are having an important discussion. Maybe another time.”
“I’m holding you to it,” Lauren said, then followed the girls toward the game room.
“Isn’t that the woman who tried to get you to go out with her after the winter festival?” Jesse asked.
“Yeah, that’s her.”
Jesse clasped his hands behind his head and sat back. “Things are starting to make sense.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Women hit on you all the time. I’ve been wondering why you haven’t been into them. Now I know. You’ve been bullshitting me about not being into Tara. So, how long has this thing been going on?”
“There’s nothing going on, and I never bullshitted you.”
Jesse cleared his throat. “Then what am I missing? If there’s nothing going on with you and Tara, why are you turning down beautiful women?”
“I’m not into aggressive women.”
“And Tara?”
His jaw clenched as he briefly debated denying his feelings, but they’d already become too big for that. “She has no idea I’m into her, which is good for now, because of Joey and Amelia.” And her family and probably a hundred other reasons I haven’t thought of yet. Levi told him about Archer’s comments and the domino effect they’d caused.
“Ah, she’s your forbidden fruit.”
“That’s not what this is.” He’d been picking apart his feelings for days, and they were far deeper than wanting what he couldn’t have.
“Sure it is,” Jesse said. “Everyone has that one person they’re dying to get their hands on, but they convince themself otherwise and do such a great job of it, they forget they’re doing it. But when that switch is flicked, there’s no turning it off, because in here”—he patted his chest over his heart—“and in here”—he tapped his temple—“they’ve been comparing every other man or woman to that person. How long they’ve been doing it is different for everyone, but I think it’s been at least a few years for you and Tara.”
Levi had come to the same conclusion.
“But it wouldn’t matter if it’s been only a month or a week. The bottom line is always the same,” Jesse said. “No one else will ever do.”
Levi chewed on that for a minute, taking a swig of his beer. “What makes you such an expert?”
“I’ve seen it happen a million times.”
Levi studied his cousin, mentally paging through his women friends and ex-girlfriends. Jesse had a few crazy-ass exes, and he was wicked close to Brooke Baker. Brooke owned Brooke’s Bytes, an internet café on the boardwalk, and she co-owned a party-planning and catering business with their friend Cassidy Lowell, a photographer. But Jesse was close to a lot of women. He was a great listener, and that drew them like flies. “Who’s your forbidden friend?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” He grinned, but his expression turned serious again. “So, what’s the dilemma? Amelia’s barely in Joey’s life, and your history together was nothing more than one night, right?”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t matter. She’s still Joey’s mother, and Tara’s still Amelia’s sister and Joey’s best buddy…who I just asked to a freaking elementary school dance just so I could see her face.” He sat back, shaking his head. “Jesus, I’m pathetic.”
“You’re into a gorgeous blonde who looks at you like you’ve hung the moon and loves your kid. Yeah, man, real pathetic,” Jesse said sarcastically.
“You think she looks at me like that?”
“Like all the other women do? Like you’ve got a golden dick?”
Levi shook his head. “Just answer the question. I need to find out if this is one-sided and all in my head before I lose my mind, but asking her if she’s into me will open up a can of worms that could ruin our relationship and her relationship with Joey.”
“Then it’s a good thing you’ve got a golden rod, because when you’re around, I’m pretty sure you and Joey are all she sees. Don’t you notice the way she looks at you?”
“Lately I think I do, but I’m so into her, I don’t trust my judgment.”
“Either you’ve been out of the game too long, or you’re being humble, and we both know you’re not that humble. Yes, she looks at you like that. What’s your plan once you get her to the dance? Ask her if she wants to go steady and sneak her into a janitor’s closet to feel her up?”
Levi would never live down being caught in the janitor’s closet with Iris Simmons, the lucky recipient of his first sloppy kiss and nervous, sweaty hands. Luckily, it hadn’t taken him long to master the art of making out. “That’s about how ridiculous I feel. Like I’m back in seventh grade, with all these feelings and no clue how to handle them.”
“Hey, seventh-grade Levi was the hottest bad boy around. If you could tap into him again, you might have a chance.”
Levi thought back to that awkward year when he’d been into boy bands and had wanted to dye his hair blond. Archer and Jock had offered to do it for him. Little did Levi know his helpful older brothers had planned on pranking him. They’d dyed his hair pink and, unbeknownst to him, had shaved a penis into the back of his head and somehow managed to keep him away from everyone until he’d gone to school the next day. It would have been an epic prank, if not for his mother saving his reputation by shaving his head after he was sent home from school. The girls had gone crazy for his new look, calling him a rebel and a bad boy. He’d gone from feeling like an awkward kid to the toughest guy in school with nothing more than a new haircut and bolstered confidence. He’d eaten up the attention of his instant harem, and that had been the start of Levi Steele figuring out who he was and where he fit in. He’d asked for a leather jacket for Christmas and had never looked back.
“Seriously, man,” Jesse said. “What’s your plan with Tara?”
“I don’t have a clue. There’s a lot at risk. I guess I’ll figure it out when I see her.”
Jesse smirked. “If all else fails, there’s always the janitor’s closet.”