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“We’re going to have a meeting about this.”
“Can’t wait,” he replies, cool as ever.
She spins on her heel and walks off.
“I’m sorry,” I start again, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “Fifi ate the flyer.”
“She alright?” Levi asks.
Concern pulls faintly between his brows. For a second, I just stare at him.
Because that was his first thought. Not that I messed up his bake sale. Not the inconvenience.
Fifi.
Something inside me gives way. For too many years I was with a man who would have cared only about the optics. Maverick wouldn’t have even considered Fifi.
“Yes,” I say, softer than I mean to. “She’s fine. Mostly chewed it up and spat it out, from the looks of it.”
“Good.” Then, because he’s still Levi, he adds, “Death by bake-sale flyer would’ve been embarrassing, even for her.”
I just smile at him.
Kids are starting to notice the new containers and look our way.
“Why don’t you go sit down?” Levi says. “I’ll take care of this, then we can get out of here.”
I glance at the athleisure women clustered near the sugar-free cupcakes. They’re staring at me like I’ve personally endangered the next generation.
I nod and retreat to the bleachers at the back of the gymnasium, where I can watch the table without being right in the line of fire.
Levi takes over like he’s been selling contraband brownies at school functions his whole life. He isn’t warm, exactly. He doesn’t beam at the kids or make polite small talk with the parents. He simply stands behind the table, broad and immovable, taking money, handing out cookies, and occasionally telling a child to “pick one, not seven” in a tone that somehow makes them grin instead of cry.
I keep scanning for Theo, but I haven’t spotted him yet. The gymnasium is loud with echoing voices, squeaking shoes, and adults pretending almond flour is enjoyable. Across the room, the athleisure women are still huddled together, their sleek ponytails bristling as more children swarm Levi’s table. Every now and then, one of them glances my way with a tight little smile that makes me want to disappear under the bleachers.
A dark-haired woman sits a couple of seats down from me, phone pressed to her ear. At first I only catch fragments of her conversation—monk fruit sweetener, almond flour, Jean taking something personally. I tune her out until her voice rises with sudden excitement.
“…and you won’t believe what happened,” she says. “You know that new boy, Theo? His dad brought full-sugar brownies.”
His dad.
I open my mouth to correct her, then close it again. She isn’t talking to me. And really, it’s an easy mistake to make. Levi and Theo look enough alike, and the age gap fits if you don’t know the truth.
The woman laughs at something the person on the other end says. “They’re delicious, actually. Completely against the rules, obviously, but delicious. And get this—his dad is so hot. Like, think of the hottest man you’ve ever seen and double it.”
I go very still.
“Oh, he’s single, I think,” she continues, lowering her voice even though I can still hear every word. “Stephanie’s done about three laps past the table, but he hasn’t picked up on it. Lara tried too. If I wasn’t married…”
She trails off with another laugh, then stands and heads straight for Levi’s line.
I sit there watching as she joins the growing cluster of women who have suddenly developed an intense interest in full-sugar baked goods. Levi doesn’t seem to notice. Or if he does, he doesn’t care. He barely looks up as the dark-haired woman says something to him—just takes her money, hands over a cookie, and turns to the next person.
I should not find that satisfying.
I do.
Theo comes barreling into the gymnasium a few minutes later and crashes straight into Levi’s side. Levi barely moves, just catches the back of his shirt with one hand to steady him. He says something I can’t hear, and Theo beams up at him.
