Page 125 of Wilde Ride

He seemed a million miles away, so I quickly got to work making sundaes. We’d bought paper bowls and plastic spoons at the store, since Levi didn’t have any dishes.

“I can’t believe you figured out it was Caroline taking the photos.”

“When I saw her car, I realized I’d seen it before. I simply put two and two together. I’m just surprised she admitted it.”

He looked tired. I slid the bowl over to him, and he took it absentmindedly, starting to eat.

I set my spoon down and walked around the kitchen island, putting my finger on Levi’s chin and forcing him to look at me.

“You know what I think we should do?”

“Finish our ice cream?”

“No,” I whispered as I shook my head. “I think we should blow up that fancy mattress, take a shower, and get some sleep.”

He closed his eyes. “That sounds like heaven.”

I took his bowl, along with mine, and tossed them in the trash. Levi stood, took my hand, and led us to his bedroom, which was on the other side of the house. While he blew up the mattress, I unpacked some towels and soap that Levi’s mother, Sam, bought. By the time I walked back into the bedroom—I stopped when I saw Levi passed out sleeping on the blowup. He’d managed to get a sheet on it, and that was it.

I kicked off my sneakers, pulled off my jeans, and grabbed a blanket. Crawling onto the bed, I snuggled in next to him. He didn’t even wake up.

I covered us up and watched Levi’s chest rise and fall until my eyes slowly began to close, and I drifted off to sleep.

Levi

Rhett opened the door to my truck and climbed up into the back seat, tossing his backpack to the side.

“Well? How was your first day of first grade?”

Giving me the biggest smile I’d ever seen, Rhett replied, “It was the bestest day ever, Daddy!”

“I’m so glad it was. Buckle up, buddy.”

He quickly buckled into his booster seat as he talked. “Ms. Kennedy said me and Timmy can sit at the same table! And I had three other friends in my class! Jimmy and Katie, and Luke.”

“Timmy and I.”

“You? You’re too old to be in first grade!”

I laughed. “No, the proper way to say that is ‘Timmy and I.’”

When he scrunched up his nose in confusion, I decided to leave it. “Did you learn anything today?”

“The rules of the class. And we got to pick our reading spots. Me and Timmy picked the spot by Ms. Kennedy’s desk.”

“How fun.”

“It was lots of fun!”

“Well, the fun isn’t over. I’ve got a surprise for you.”

“Really? What is it?”

“You’ll have to wait and see.”

“Where’s the surprise?”

“It’s at home.”