Pretending Hearts (16 page)

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. “Anyway, when is your band playing again? I had a good time the other night.”

“Not for another couple of weeks. Rain works for a salon and weekends can be a little crazy for her when she’s booked with hair and makeup appointments. I’ll text you our next show details if you’d like to come,” he offered.

“That would be great,” I answered quickly. I was used to playing coy, but the dynamic between Levi and me was very different. From the first night we met, I hadn’t played games with him. He knew about my family and I hadn’t shied away from telling him exactly how I felt.

“I have a friend who wants to come along. Her name’s Casey and she’s very
interested
in meeting your brothers,” I said.

Last week, Autumn and Casey had stayed for hours at the apartment following the game. After Blake’s injury, I figured Autumn could use a distraction. Blake was out for the rest of the game and we didn’t want to watch replays of his injury broadcasted again and again. He had suffered a separated shoulder and if I knew my brother, he would be back in the game in no time. Later that night when I showed Casey and Autumn the Trojan Jedi website, Casey had developed an instant crush on Cole and Evan.

Levi laughed. “I won’t tell them because they don’t need anymore female admiration to get to their heads.”

I studied him for several seconds. “You’re nothing like your brothers.” I cleared my throat. “I mean I see the physical similarities, but your personalities are very… different.”

Levi’s laugh was uncomfortable. “Well, Cole and Evan weren’t always like that. After my dad died three years ago, they went a little wild. Cole was in college at the time on a baseball scholarship, but he ended up dropping out.”

I made a surprised gasp. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea your dad passed away.”

Levi didn’t reply and I didn’t push the topic. Although I was all for over-sharing with my new friend, I wouldn’t press him to do the same. I figured when he was ready, he could tell me more about his dad.

“So, you didn’t go wild?”

“Cole and Evan are two years older than me so I was a senior in high school at the time and the only one living at home. I felt like it was my responsibility to take care of my mom,” he said.

“And you still feel responsible. That’s the reason you’re hesitant about moving out,” I guessed.

Levi gave a reluctant nod. “I have enough money saved up to get my own place, but I feel like she’ll think I’m deserting her. She doesn’t work or have much of a social life. When I ask her what the best part of her day is, she tells me it’s making me dinner.”

I released a giggle. “Your mom is
good
.”

He sighed. “She’s playing me, isn’t she?”

“Probably,” I said. “But I understand why you feel the way you do. But I’m sure once you’re out of the house, she’ll realize you need to have a life of your own.” I was hoping my mother was hanging up her master’s degree in manipulation and willing to let me finally live.

“Maybe,” he hedged. “But since I’m helping you move, you’ll have to do the same for me.”

“It’s a date,” I said. I backpedaled. “Not a date, of course. But I’ll help out. Because you’re helping me and that’s only fair.”

Levi appeared amused over how flustered I’d become. “Don’t worry, Delia. I don’t have any expectations—”

“What do you mean?”

His shoulders hunched down. “I know you’re not ready to date. Bad breakups take a while to get over.”

“Oh no,” I proclaimed. “I had a good breakup—the best possible breakup ever. I should throw a party in honor of being dumped.”

“Delia, although the relationship wasn’t working, you can still be sad about it being over,” he said softly.

“That’s a contradictory statement. And for the record, I’m not sad. I would say I’m annoyed more than anything. I’m annoyed that once again I put my faith in the wrong people.” After he didn’t respond, I added, “I’ve dated other Wyatts in the past and I should’ve paid better attention to the signs early on. As soon as people found out about my dad, I was the dirty little secret no one wanted to be connected to.”

“Well, I don’t get that at all. You’re not defined by the mistakes of your family.” I didn’t know if I was projecting, but something in his voice hinted he might not have been speaking rhetorically, but more from personal experience. “I’d like to get to know
you
better.” I liked how he put the emphasis on you. I couldn’t see Levi being spellbound over my brother’s celebrity—or worse yet, scared off by father’s notoriety.

“I’d like that,” I said softly. I dropped the shirt I was holding to the ground and faced him directly. I tilted forward until I was less than an inch from being pressed against him. I was tall, but I liked that I still had to look up to stare in his eyes. I was hoping getting to know each other included kissing because Levi’s lips looked soft and inviting.

Before I could make a move, he said in a warm voice, “I want us to be friends first.”

My heart fell out of my chest. Levi labeling me as a friend killed all hope I had of being kissed by him. I turned my back on him, not wanting him to notice my embarrassment. “I’m good with being friends,” I managed. Honestly, I was new to the idea of a guy wanting to get to know me on a friendship basis. Most of my relationships consisted of hooking up and then figuring out the semantics later.

“Okay, then as your friend, I say let’s get your stuff packed and get out of here so you don’t have to see your crazy roommate again,” he said with forced levity.

His strained voice gave me hope. Because I had a feeling Levi didn’t only want to be friends. Maybe he thought friends would be safest for both of us. I didn’t know much of Levi’s past, but maybe he was harboring secrets that made him seek out stability over casual flings. I had a feeling I wasn’t the only one in the room scared of suffering more heartache.

“The food is disgusting here, isn’t it?” Levi complained as he stirred the gelatinous gravy pooled around a slab of mystery meat.

“Yes, but I think you’re spoiled by your mom’s cooking,” I countered.

“If you’re trying to call me a momma’s boy, I might be offended,” he said.

“I don’t like the food here either, but I’m still glad I get to see you before work.”

“It’s the uniform,” he teased, pulling at the fabric of his work shirt. He had no idea how gorgeous he looked. His good looks were effortless and he didn’t even seem to notice the appreciative stares he garnered. I liked that he wasn’t in love with himself. “I get a lot of play because of the uniform.”

“It’s simply the pleasure of your company,” I said. I lowered my voice. “I’m feeling a little lost right now and I’m glad you’ve been here for me.”

Levi was as solid as they came. If I was having an off day and felt like the world was conspiring against me, he stayed on the phone as I vented. His advice was smart. I was stubborn and had a tendency to resist his opinions, but in the end, he made me see how living in the past was ensuring a toxic future.

Levi sucked in his lower lip. “Has the press been bothering you?”

I shook my head. “No, but I still feel like everyone at this college treats me like I’m contagious. My lab partner for bio asked the professor to switch.”

“Why do you care?”

“What?”

“If someone’s an asshole, why do you care what they think of you? You’re better off not having them in your life.” He leaned against the seat of the cafe booth.

“So what if everyone’s an asshole? Am I just supposed to go through life with no friends?”

He held a hand over his heart. “I guess I don’t make the list of your friends.”

I blew out a frustrated breath through my teeth. “Of course you’re my friend. But four years of college is going to suck if I’m treated like a disease because of Autumn Dorey.” Blaming Autumn was a tired, knee-jerk reaction and the words sounded hollow to my ears when I said them aloud.

Levi tapped the table in front of him. “I think you know that’s not true.”

“Okay, maybe it’s my brother’s fault as well. And my parents'. I could keep listing names if you’d like,” I said snidely.

“If you really blamed Autumn, you wouldn’t have called her to pick you up the night we met,” he said. “I think you just need to look deeper if you want to find better friends than the set you had.”

“How so?”

“Because although you complain about your mom, I think she’s played a part in the way you deal with people.”

“No way.”

“Hear me out,” he said. “Do you think it’s a coincidence you started dating Wyatt as quickly as you did? Or worked so hard trying to impress Georgie?” He didn’t wait for a reply to the rhetorical questions. “Your mom told you to come to college not for yourself, but for a rich husband. That had to mess with your head a little bit.”

“But that’s not who I am.”

“I know it’s not,” he insisted. “But I really think you should start thinking about what you want instead of what everyone else wants for you.”

“I am,” I said, my voice rising with insistence. “That’s why I came to Cook. My mom wanted me to go into modeling and I knew that wasn’t for me.”

“But don’t you think sometimes people go to college just because they are taught that is the obvious next step?”

I gave the question consideration. “Because I don’t have a major, you think college isn’t for me.”

“I didn’t say that. But I do see how animated you get when you talk about photography. I’m just saying you may want to think about getting into a technical program since Cook doesn’t have a photography major.”

“You’re a nutcracker, Levi Caldwell,” I said with awe in my voice.

“Come again?” His hazel eyes twinkled with mischief.

“I always thought I was the tough nut,” I said and laughed uncomfortably. “But you’re slowly finding ways to crack my hard shell.”

His eyes were probing as he said, “I’ve never seen you that way.”

My reply got lost as I spotted the last two people on earth I wanted to run into: Wyatt and Georgie. Did the two of them having a homing beacon alerting them the second I was beginning to move on? I shrunk down lower in my seat, waiting for them to pass by me without incident. But that wasn’t Georgie. Georgie lived for drama and I saw a malicious smile erupt on her face as she noticed Levi and me from across the room. She took Wyatt by the hand and dragged him in our direction as if she had collared an errant puppy. Wyatt wouldn’t meet my eyes as they walked up.

“I’ve alerted the housing office about you. I won’t have you breaking into my room again while I’m not there,” she sneered.

“Hello to you too, Georgie,” I said with a sickeningly sweet smile plastered on my face.

Her large, round eyes looked as though they could pop out of their sockets at any given moment. “Do you think this is a joke? I’ve been sleeping with a chair wedged under the door handle out of fear you or your father could show up at any given second.”

“What’s your problem?” Levi demanded. “She went to get
her stuff
from
her room
.”

Georgie gave him the onceover and seemed to take her time examining his uniform. “Who are you anyway? Weren’t you the guy called to clean up my coffee when I spilled it in the library?” Georgie laughed. She looked back and forth between Levi and me. “This is rich. Are the two of you
together
?”

“Can we get out of here, Georgia?” Wyatt asked while still not looking my way. He had been passing the time by staring at the tops of his sneakers. “I’m sure Delia is smart enough to stay away.”

“Always the politician, Wyatt,” I said and shook my head.

“I rather be called that than share the labels you’ve been slapped with,” he said and lifted his head to finally face me.

“Get out of here,” Levi commanded. “And stay away from Delia.”

“Or what?” Wyatt chuckled. “I can make one phone call and have you fired.”

I rolled my eyes as Levi’s brow wrinkled. “Are you serious?” Levi asked with disbelief. “What else could you do? Blacklist me from all the maintenance jobs in town? I’m truly terrified of this impressive power you wield.”

I laughed and the sound caused Georgie’s cheeks to flame. “Just don’t come back to the dorms. If you left something behind, email me first.”

I waved her off and she stormed away. Wyatt followed at her heels and I shook my head at their departing forms. “I dated him,” I said with disbelief.

“You did,” Levi acknowledged.

“Not even like one date. I dated him for
weeks
.”

“
Forgive but don't forget, girl keep your head up. And when he tells you you ain't nothin', don't believe him
,” Levi rapped before adding, “That’s Tupac in case you were wondering. And I think you should take his advice.”

“You are something else. You know that? How come you’re single?” I marveled.

“Why hasn’t the janitor been snatched up? It’s a wonder, right?” I opened my mouth to protest his characterization, but he didn’t let me finish. “I’m kidding. I’m fine with who I am and I don’t care if the Georgies of the world think I’ve only been put on this planet to clean up their messes.”