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Travis laughed. “Okay, the money doesn’t hurt but it’s not the main reason.”
Levi knew that but he appreciated hearing Travis say it. “Call it a loan or let me buy it as an investment. I’ll talk to my accountant and you can see what Laurel thinks.” Zack’s wife Laurel was also the accountant for the airport.
“I asked Laurel already and she said it depends on whether we want Levi to have the investment or all three of us.”
“I think a loan will be better,” Levi said. “If it’s going to be airport land then there’s no reason not to buy it now instead of buying it from me later.”
They decided on a mutually agreeable interest rate and left Zack to communicate the plan to both accountants.
Levi escaped before they could razz him any more about Dana.
*
Dana tried to convince herself that she could keep her libido under control. But being around Levi all the time tested her to the limit. For God’s sake, they’d almost kissed the other day. What a mistake that would have been. She was 99 percent sure that once they kissed they’d be back in bed together in no time.
It didn’t matter, though. She couldn’t say no. Not to helping a wounded warrior. The fact that this particular vet was Levi’s brother shouldn’t matter.
Tonight, though, she was taking a much-needed break. Every Thursday night was girls’ night out among the women of Whiskey River. Most of the women around her age were invited but usually the same group of women showed up week after week, with a few variations depending on kids, work or other factors. In fact, Dana had missed the week before, busy with the plans for remodeling. Once she moved to town Dana had slid right into the group, even though technically she was not a permanent resident. She’d been living in Whiskey River for eight months and she suspected she’d be there for quite a while longer. Particularly since she had another job now that the airport was wrapping up. At least for the present. For all she knew they might decide to do further work on the airport.
Dana walked across the Square to Tips, Tops & Toes Nail and Beauty Salon. Rosario Rodriguez owned it, and was also one of the group. Dana recognized a few of the cars but you never could tell who would be there until you went inside. Some people walked or came with others. She pushed open the door and was immediately assailed with the smell of nail polish remover, lotions, potions and other assorted smells common to beauty salons.
But she also smelled cookies. Which meant Rachel Lane must have brought cookies from her shop.
“Hi, everyone.” Dana went to the table set up with snacks, wine and soft drinks and poured herself a glass of white wine, along with grabbing some cookies. “Am I late? I was hoping to get in on the first wave.”
“Sorry, Dana,” Avery Burton said. “You’ll have to wait for the next group.” She waved at the row of chairs filled with women in varying stages of pedicure. “But I’m almost finished and I think Rachel is too.”
“I guess I’ll just grab a chair and eat and drink while I wait.”
“How about bringing a poor pregnant woman a bottle of water?” Laurel Bannister asked. She was several months pregnant with twins, as her large belly proclaimed.
“I’ll get it,” Zee Mahan said. “I need a refill anyway.”
Before too long two chairs opened up beside each other. Dana took one and Siobhan Murphy took the other. Rosario said she’d take care of both of them. After picking out the type of pedicure they wanted as well as polish, Dana said, “I need to come by for a drink soon. I’m in need of a bartender talk.” Siobhan, a feisty redhead who bartended at Booze’s, laughed. Everyone teased her about all the secrets she must keep, but they all talked to her. Hello, bartender? And she was perfect at it.
“I noticed you hadn’t been in to Booze’s for over a week. You usually stop by for some curly fries if nothing else.”
“I’ve got a new job on top of the airport. It’s keeping me busy.”
“What is it?”
“Levi Chapman wants me to remodel his house to be accessible. His brother’s a wounded veteran and he’s coming to live with Levi when he’s discharged from the hospital.”
“Levi, huh? I guess you know him from the airport.”
“Not exactly.” Siobhan was easy to talk to and other than Rosario, who knew how to keep her mouth shut, no one was listening to their conversation. Besides, Rosario and Siobhan were both friends. Dana simply didn’t want to announce her relationship—or non-relationship as the case might be—with Levi to the entire population of Whiskey River. Maybe she could open up, though, just a little, to these two. “Levi and I knew each other several years ago.”
“Knew each other as in dated?”
“As in, not only dated but we also lived together for a while.”
Siobhan’s eyebrows rose and she turned excitedly in her chair. “You’re it, then! You’re the one.”
“Excuse me?”
“If you don’t stop squirming around, Siobhan,” Rosario said, “I’m going to stab you. Accidentally, of course.”
“Did you hear her? She’s the one. It’s got to be Dana.”
