and that Tom so quickly assured him that we were just friends.
It wasn’t like guys weren’t ever interested in me, after all. Strangers asked me out fairly often, so I figured I must be somewhat attractive. All my life, I’d scared men off, though. They thought I was loud, overly opinionated, and stubborn. Just like Levi did.
It would have been nice if Levi wasn’t so surprised that a man might want to take me out.
It also would have been nice if he weren’t so incredibly obnoxious all the time.
And it would have been nice if Gina hadn’t come to join us at the table, making it very clear that whatever Tom and I were doing wasn’t really a date.
But there she was. She’d come over to say hello, and I could hardly be rude and tell her to go away. Then she’d sat at the table and started flirting with Tom.
She’d always been crazy about Gavin. I mean, crazy about him. Gavin once told me she wanted to get married, but he’d just never been that serious about her. So it was doubly annoying to me now that she was making a play for Tom.
One, I was supposed to be on a date with him. And, two, it just felt wrong to me—that Gavin was dead and even Gina had evidently moved on.
With Levi being obnoxious and Gina being annoying, I was in no mood to extend dinner, so I was relieved when Tom made noises like he was ready to go.
I said goodbye to Tom on the sidewalk outside the tavern. He and Gina were parked in the opposite direction, so they walked off together.
For all I knew, they might spend the night together.
I walked alone back to my car. It wasn’t late, and there were plenty of people around. I was only a few blocks away.
But still…I felt kind of lonely and droopy as I made my way back to my car.
Levi had been with his friends from his old unit. They’d been Gavin’s friends too.
They looked close. Levi had looked like he’d trusted them, not as wary and on guard as he normally was. They’d teased each other and had fun like they’d known each other forever.
As I walked, I wondered what it was like for him to transition back to civilian life. He’d grown up always assuming he would pursue a military career, so maybe he was kind of lost now that it hadn’t happened that way. Maybe that was why he couldn’t let this thing with my tires and the letter out from between his teeth.
He needed an outlet. A purpose. A battle to fight. He’d always been that way, and he wasn’t going to happy without it.
I tried to think of a job he could do now—one that would actually make him happy and fulfilled.
“Harper!”
The familiar male voice seemed to be summoned out of my musings, so at first I actually thought I imagined it.
I paused automatically, though. It’s what you do when someone calls out your name.
“Harper!” the voice came again, this time clearly from behind me.
I turned around and saw Levi approaching with long, fast strides. I gulped at how handsome and masculine he looked in his jeans and t-shirt, his face and dark hair illumined only by the streetlights and moonlight.
I’d just seen him a few minute ago. I’d been annoyed by his behavior. I definitely shouldn’t want to now grab him and sink my teeth into his broad shoulders or rippling bicep.
I cleared my throat and managed to mostly pull myself together by the time he approached. My cheeks were burning, but there wasn’t anything I could do about that.
“What are you doing out here by yourself?”
I gaped up at him. “What are you talking about?”
“Didn’t Tom have the decency to walk you to your car?”
“He was parked in the other direction. It’s not even ten yet, and there are plenty of people around. I think I’ll be okay.” I shook my head and turned back in the direction of my car.
Levi fell in step with me.
“You’re actually walking me back? What, are you my bodyguard now or something?” I sounded snippy and bad-tempered, partly because he annoyed me but also because I couldn’t help but be
It wasn’t like guys weren’t ever interested in me, after all. Strangers asked me out fairly often, so I figured I must be somewhat attractive. All my life, I’d scared men off, though. They thought I was loud, overly opinionated, and stubborn. Just like Levi did.
It would have been nice if Levi wasn’t so surprised that a man might want to take me out.
It also would have been nice if he weren’t so incredibly obnoxious all the time.
And it would have been nice if Gina hadn’t come to join us at the table, making it very clear that whatever Tom and I were doing wasn’t really a date.
But there she was. She’d come over to say hello, and I could hardly be rude and tell her to go away. Then she’d sat at the table and started flirting with Tom.
She’d always been crazy about Gavin. I mean, crazy about him. Gavin once told me she wanted to get married, but he’d just never been that serious about her. So it was doubly annoying to me now that she was making a play for Tom.
One, I was supposed to be on a date with him. And, two, it just felt wrong to me—that Gavin was dead and even Gina had evidently moved on.
With Levi being obnoxious and Gina being annoying, I was in no mood to extend dinner, so I was relieved when Tom made noises like he was ready to go.
I said goodbye to Tom on the sidewalk outside the tavern. He and Gina were parked in the opposite direction, so they walked off together.
For all I knew, they might spend the night together.
I walked alone back to my car. It wasn’t late, and there were plenty of people around. I was only a few blocks away.
But still…I felt kind of lonely and droopy as I made my way back to my car.
Levi had been with his friends from his old unit. They’d been Gavin’s friends too.
They looked close. Levi had looked like he’d trusted them, not as wary and on guard as he normally was. They’d teased each other and had fun like they’d known each other forever.
As I walked, I wondered what it was like for him to transition back to civilian life. He’d grown up always assuming he would pursue a military career, so maybe he was kind of lost now that it hadn’t happened that way. Maybe that was why he couldn’t let this thing with my tires and the letter out from between his teeth.
He needed an outlet. A purpose. A battle to fight. He’d always been that way, and he wasn’t going to happy without it.
I tried to think of a job he could do now—one that would actually make him happy and fulfilled.
“Harper!”
The familiar male voice seemed to be summoned out of my musings, so at first I actually thought I imagined it.
I paused automatically, though. It’s what you do when someone calls out your name.
“Harper!” the voice came again, this time clearly from behind me.
I turned around and saw Levi approaching with long, fast strides. I gulped at how handsome and masculine he looked in his jeans and t-shirt, his face and dark hair illumined only by the streetlights and moonlight.
I’d just seen him a few minute ago. I’d been annoyed by his behavior. I definitely shouldn’t want to now grab him and sink my teeth into his broad shoulders or rippling bicep.
I cleared my throat and managed to mostly pull myself together by the time he approached. My cheeks were burning, but there wasn’t anything I could do about that.
“What are you doing out here by yourself?”
I gaped up at him. “What are you talking about?”
“Didn’t Tom have the decency to walk you to your car?”
“He was parked in the other direction. It’s not even ten yet, and there are plenty of people around. I think I’ll be okay.” I shook my head and turned back in the direction of my car.
Levi fell in step with me.
“You’re actually walking me back? What, are you my bodyguard now or something?” I sounded snippy and bad-tempered, partly because he annoyed me but also because I couldn’t help but be