Luring Levi (Tarnished Saints Series Book 2) (20 page)

“Why not try?” she said. “You never know.”

Then she looked over and saw little Eli sitting atop the fence that encircled their two horses. Sam was sitting in front of him and painting a picture
in watercolors.

“What are you painting Sam?” She walked up behind him and looked over his shoulder. He had painted
a picture of Eli sitting atop the fence with the horses in the background. “Wow, that is really good. Are you going to enter that in the fair too?”

“Yes,” he said. “They already have
a whole wall of paintings that are going to be judged tomorrow as well.”

“Would you like me to help you frame it before you enter it?” she asked.

“I would,” he said, blowing on the paint to help it dry. “But I don’t have any money to buy a frame.”

“Well, do you have any old wood around here or a broken piece of glass? We can make a frame you know, it’s not hard.”

“You know how to make a frame?” he asked.

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” she answered. “Why do you sound so surprised?”

“Because you’re a girl,” said Eli from the top of the fence.

“Yes, that I am,” she said. “
Thanks for noticing.”

Just then a honking horn got her attention and Angel pulled up in the SUV. The doors opened and Gabby and Candace’s kids rushed out to greet her.

“You’re home early,” she said, running to them. Her kids each grabbed on to her and hugged her so tight she thought she wasn’t going to be able to breathe.

“We missed you mom,” said Valentine, surprising her by
not calling her mother instead. She rather liked it.

“I didn’t swear once,” said Vance holding his head high.

“They were angels the entire time,” said Angel getting out of the truck.

“We had a fun time,” said Gabby walking over and putting her arms around her two new friends.

“Well, I’m glad it all worked out,” Candace said with a smile.

“Hey, come see Sam’s painting,”
said Josh waving them over. The kids all took off at a run toward the fence.

“So. How’d it go?” asked Angel. “What did Levi say when you told him he was a father?”

“Well,” said Candace. “It didn’t really go as planned.”

“You did tell him, didn’t you?”

“Eli beat me to it.”

“Oh, no,” she said. “I am so sorry, I guess he did hear us the other day after all.”

“It’s ok,” Candace told her. “Levi seems to be fine with the idea. We’re going to tell the kids tonight as soon as he gets back from the fair.”

“Oh, good,” she said. “And I hope everything goes smoothly.”

“I’m sure it will,” she said. “My kids already seem to like him and he adores them. I just wish I could say the same for Levi and his brother Judas.”

“Judas is
here?” Angel’s eyes opened wide in surprise.

“As well as Zeb. They’re up at your house now. But I warn you, it hasn’t been pretty.”

Before she could answer, Eli ran up with Valentine and Vance.

“Want to go inside and jump on the bed?” asked Eli.

“What did I hear you say, young man?” asked Angel. “You know your father does not allow that kind of behavior.”

“But Vance and Valentine’s pa let me do it.”

Candace was so shocked she just stood there with her mouth opened and didn’t say a word.

“Our Pa is dead,” said Vance.

“No, he isn’t,” said Eli. “Your Pa is my Uncle Levi.”

“Eli,” go help your father in the barn right now,” scolded Angel.

“He won’t let me help with the cars.”

“Just go!”

He ran off and left them.

“Mom, what did he mean Levi is our father?” asked Valentine.

“I think I’ll go see what Thomas is doing,” said Angel.

“No!” she said and held out a hand to stop her. “Please stay.”

“All right,” she said with a nod but stayed silent.

“Vance, Valentine,” Candace said
. “We were going to wait and tell you tonight when Levi returned from the fair, but yes, it is true. Levi is your father.”

She squeezed her eyes closed and held her breath not knowing what they were going to say. She was scared and only wished Levi was there with her
right now.

“Cool,” said Vance. “He’s a lot of fun.”

“So you are alright with the idea?” she asked cautiously.

“I like having a father and Levi i
s the best!”

She gave him a hug,
happy that he’d accepted Levi so easily.

“Can I go play now?” he asked.

“Yes, go.” She watched him run off happily and only wished adults could accept things so easily.

“What about you, Valentine?” she asked. “Do you like the id
ea of Levi being your father?”

“My father is dead!” she screamed. “That’s what you t
old me. Levi is not my father.”

With that she stormed away, and Candace’s heart sank. Maybe it was better that Levi wasn’t here because this reaction, she was sure, would have really hurt him.

“Come on in the house and I’ll make you some iced tea,” said Angel, leading her to the cabin.

Suddenly Candace felt like she knew exactly how Levi had been feeling. Iced tea wasn’t going to do the trick. She felt like she needed something a little stronger.

* * *

It was well past midnight by the time Levi got to the cabin, and he felt terrible because he had promised Candy they would tell the kids
their news together as soon as he returned.

He
got out of the car and headed for the porch, stopping abruptly when he heard a voice from the dark.

“Where were you so long?”

He looked over to see Candy sitting on the wooden porch swing and went over and settled himself next to her.

“I’m sorry, but Judas showed up at the fair and started causing trouble by telling everyone he was the new sheriff. He had on his uniform and everything, you should have seen it.”

“So what was the problem? After all, he is the sheriff.”

“The problem is that he didn’t belong there. I had to stay until the fair closed just to make sure he didn’t do anything I didn’t approve of.”

“You are the mayor, not the local authorities. Let him do his job and you do yours. And your job tonight was as a father. We were supposed to tell the kids about you together.”

“Well, I’m ready,” he said, feeling a little cold by t
he frigid tone to her voice.

“It’s too late now, Levi. They’re already in bed.”

“Already?” he asked, knowing how stupid that just sounded, but not knowing how to answer. He had stalled purposely, not knowing if he could take the rejection if the kids didn’t like the idea he was their father.

“They are six years old and it is midnight. Of course they are already in bed, what did you think?”

“I’m sorry, Candy, really I am. But we’ll tell them first thing tomorrow.” He realized now that he should have been there like he’d planned and just faced the circumstances no matter what they may be.

“Don’t worry about it, you’re off the hook because Eli already told them.”

“Shit! Not again,” he said, just shaking his head, never expecting this to happen.

“Yes, again. But he is a child
, so you expect him not to keep a secret.”

“Eli can keep a secret better than anyone, don’t fool yourself. Well, how did they take it?” he asked, holding his breath hoping the results were good.

“Vance loved the idea,” she said. “If only you and Judas could be as accepting of each other as he was of you.”

“Great!
And how about little Valentine? Did she like the idea I am her father as well?”

“That, you are going to have to work on,” she said. “She can’t accept you since I’ve told her that her father is dead.”

“Well, tell her I’m alive now.”

“Levi, please. She knows that. Now I am tired and I’m going to bed.”

“Me too,” he said, following her to the door.

“What are you doing?” she asked, turning around to look at him.

“Going to bed,” he said.

“Not here, you’re not.”

“Why not? After all, I am their father.”

“We’re not married, or have you forgotten?”

“I won’t be a problem, I’ll just sleep on the couch,” he told her.

“I can’t let you do that.
Valentine already is having a hard time with this, and I don’t want her to find you on the couch in the morning. I think you need to get a little closer to her first. Good night,” she said, giving him a quick peck on the lips. Then she closed the door and left him standing there alone.

Having doors slammed in his face was nothing new to Levi in more than one aspect of his life. But he didn’t like it one bit, and needed to do something to change all that. Because if God didn’t open a window soon, he was going to break one and climb out already
by himself.

“When is life going to get any easier?” he asked, turning around and heading down the stairs.

Chapter 16

Candace woke up before the kids and took a quick shower, wanting to look her best when Levi came by this morning to see the kids. She knew she was a little bitchy to him last night, but he deserved it coming in so late when they’d had a plan. Sh
e’d waited for hours for him before finally giving up and putting her kids to bed.

She walked out of the bathroom fully dressed and drying h
er hair in a towel. Something out the window got her attention and when she opened the door to investigate she realized Levi was laying on the swing sleeping, his head cocked to one side and his feet hanging off at an odd angle over the other end. His mouth was wide open and he was snoring.

“Wake up, sleepy head,” she said, purposely dropping her wet towel on top of his mouth. He made a guttural sound and starting choking and she pulled it off quickly. “
Oh, I’m sorry,” she said with a laugh. “Are you all right?”

He jumped up to a
sitting position, his feet getting tangled in the chain from the swing in the process.

“I didn’t miss them, did I? Where are they? Where are the kids?”

“Take it easy,” she said, patting him on the shoulder. “They’re not up yet. Now tell me, did you sleep here all night?”

“I did,” he admitted, rubbing his neck and making a face. He let out a small moan. “I didn’t want to screw up again and miss them. You know h
ow good I am at getting places on time.”

“Why don’t you get a watch or even an alarm clock?” she asked, sitting next to him and rubbing her wet hair with the towel.

“Don’t believe in them, never did,” he said, once again trying to stretch the kink out of his neck.

“I suppose you don’t hav
e a cell phone either since you didn’t text me last night?”

“That’s right.”

“Don’t believe in those either?”

“No, that’s my old-fashioned big brother
, Thomas who chooses to live like a cave man. I may live like one too, but I assure you it isn’t by choice. I believe in cell phones, just don’t have the money to buy one right now.”

“Let me see that neck,” said Candace, reaching around his shoulders and massaging him.

“Ohhh, that feels so good,” he said. “Keep that up and you’re going to find out what else we can do on a swing.”

“Promises, promises,” she said with a laugh.

Just then the door burst open and out ran Vance, jumping up and landing on Thomas’s lap.

“Whoa, there partner,” Levi said with a start, reaching out and grabbing
him so he wouldn’t fall.

“Hi ya
, Pa!” he said, using the name Thomas’s boys used for their father.

“Hi
, Vance. And you can call me Dad instead of Pa. I think I like that better.”

“Ok, Dad,” he said. “So what are we going to do today?”

“Well, I don’t know. What do you want to do?”

“I
want to go swimming in the lake with the other boys,” he said.

“All right,” he agreed.
“We’ll get Thomas’s kids to come with. And maybe your sister would like to come too.”

“I don’t like the seaweed,” said Valentine popping her head out the door.

“Well, if you go out far enough, there is no seaweed,” he told her. “Or at least none that will touch your feet, anyway.”

“Levi, my kids don’t really know how to swim,” Candace told him.

“What do you mean? All the Taylor boys learned to swim before we could even walk. My father took us to the end of the pier and threw us off when we were not much more than babies. He said God created the water as well as the land and any son of his was not going to be afraid of swimming.”