I'm Your Santa by Dianne Castell Page A

Talking with Levi had always been easy. Enjoyable. Somehow…comforting.
    That insight was a little too profound, because it made Beth consider the possibility that she’d always had hidden feelings for him.
    And the possibility that she’d been oblivious to his feelings.
    â€œI’m fine,” Beth finally told him. “The hot water felt so good after this nasty frigid weather that I just hung in there for a while. I hope you didn’t really mind?”
    â€œCourse not.”
    Beth could hear him shifting on the bed. She cleared her throat. “I’m pretty tired tonight. Do you think we could just talk more in the morning?”
    â€œSure.”
    She found the edge of the little cot and eased down. “Thanks for clearing up our food mess.”
    â€œI stacked everything. Tomorrow morning the maid can grab it.”
    â€œThat works.” The new awkwardness was crushing. A little chilled now that she’d left the steam of the bathroom, Beth tucked under the covers. “Good night, Levi.”
    At first, she didn’t think he would respond. Then he asked, “Remember that time you were upset and we talked for hours?”
    By necessity, Levi had opened her cot at the end of the queen-sized bed. The dimensions of the room didn’t allow for any other positioning, not if they hoped to be able to move around without bumping their shins.
    Beth turned her head and stared toward Levi’s voice in the darkness. “Yes.”
    â€œYou were thinking of buying a new car because a few of Brandon’s associates had teased you about driving an older model sedan with primer on the fender.”
    â€œMy old faithful transportation. That car got me through college.” She averted her gaze toward the ceiling. “Brandon agreed with them. He said as his fiancée, he wanted me to look classier.”
    The bed springs squeaked as Levi sat up. “I didn’t know that.”
    A reluctant smile tugged at her lips. “You were already lecturing me for caring about what others thought, so I saw no reason to tell you that I cared what Brandon thought, too.”
    â€œAs I remember it, you got mad at me for lecturing you.” And then: “Brandon actually agreed with those idiots?”
    Shadows shifted with the wind outside the window. Beth went back in time, to the first and, other than recent events, only conflict she’d ever had with Levi. “I wasn’t really mad at you.”
    â€œNo?”
    â€œIt’s just that I knew you were right. What they thought didn’t matter, not even a little. I was too old to give in to peer pressure or to start feeling inadequate about anything as superficial as the appearance of my car.” She shifted onto her side. “And yes, Brandon agreed with them.”
    â€œYou stayed for three and a half hours that night.” Levi’s voice was low and even, and she could hear the smile in his tone. “We ordered Chinese takeout and watched a back-to-back Jeopardy marathon.”
    Beth remembered every second of that night, but it surprised her that Levi recalled so much.
    â€œI suppose if you weren’t mad at me,” Levi questioned aloud, “then you must have been mad at yourself?”
    â€œYup. For letting those judgmental snobs get to me.”
    Levi laughed.
    â€œThat was almost a year ago, wasn’t it?” The winter storm stirred the air outside, sending sleet to peck gently against the window. The wind moaned and a chill pervaded the room.
    But in the dark, talking with Levi, Beth felt warm and cozy and strangely at peace. “What made you think of it?”
    â€œEarlier, when I made you mad. You acted the same way you did that night. You deliberately reined in your anger. It’s amazing to see. And cute.” Before she could get too riled over that, Levi said, “I’m sorry that I upset you.”
    He was such a macho guy, yet he didn’t hesitate to