Page 31 of Sunset Catchers

Levi had also gotten around to painting the bathroom in his cottage. I’d chosen the blue I said was the same color as his eyes. When he’d pointed it out, I scoffed out a lie about not remembering it.

It was just a really pretty shade of blue, and I thought these four walls deserved to be covered in it, that was all.

Every evening, I ate my dinner in Levi’s cottage, sitting at his table from six o’clock to not a minute after eight. We mostly talked about work and went over the details of planning a trip to go to a vintage market two weeks from now.

And now, it was Saturday, and I was planning on spending most of my day relaxing and reading after this quick errand. The sun was shining bright today, veering on warm, and after a few days of rain, I wanted to make the most out of it.

I slow down as I approach Kit’s home and park against the curb a few houses over, the street busier from the weekend crowd. Kit had agreed enthusiastically to make cute, frilly pillow cases out of the few meters of a bright, floral fabric I found at a thrift store.

Fabric in tow, I make my way to the yellow front door, but I am interrupted by an apparition before my knuckles collide with it.

“Win?”

I turn around to see Levi. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here for brunch. It’s Saturday,” he explains, as if that’s supposed to make obvious sense to me. I mean, it is his grandmother’s home; I’m the one who’s intruding. He comes to stand next to me on the front stoop.

“Cool. I was just dropping off some fabric for Kit. So here, you can give it to her.”

He eyes the fabric, but doesn’t grab it from me.

“Do you want to come in? There’s probably fresh coffee and pastries.”

“Oh, no. That’s okay. I don’t want to impose.”

“You wouldn’t. Brunch at Kit is an open invitation. Everyone is welcome, always.”

“That’s nice, but still, no. I can’t.”

It’s just that barging in on his family brunch is threatening to give me hives. I’m, like, so unprepared. Not physically; I am wearing my midi burgundy striped skirt and a pink cropped cardigan. A very cute brunch outfit.

Mentally wise, I would need flash cards with prepared answers to the most commonly asked questions when one attends brunch at their coworker’s grandmother’s house, who also happens to be their boss.

I can’t just go in.

“Do you have other plans?” he inquires.

“Yes, there’s this book I’ve been wanting to read. Hey, Levi, what are you doing? Stop that!”

Levi has decided he isn’t going to take no as an answer, and is gently crowding me at my back, leaving me no choice but to walk further inside Kit’s home after he let us in or to find myself plastered to his front like a bug on a windshield.

“Levi, I can’t!” I whisper shout. He ignores me.

We follow the voices that are talking happily and the smell of freshly baked goods all the way to the kitchen. Kit and Louise are seated by the twelve-foot island, where they are busy exchanging gossip and news. I throw one last glare at Levi before they notice my presence. I clutch my bag.

“Winnie and Levi! We were just talking about you.”

“Good morning, ladies. I was just dropping the fabric for the pillows,” I say, explaining my intrusion while putting said fabric on the dining table. I love how Kit’s dress is vibrantly colored, while Louise’s is on the plain side. It reminds me of Junie and me.

“Come sit!” Kit orders. So I do, taking place on one of the rattan stools, eying the plates filled with fresh muffins and scones.

Levi, after dropping a peck on Kit’s cheek, busies himself by the coffee machine, on the other side of the island, while he makes his greetings to Louise.

“Hi, Lou. Everything good with the family?”

“Everything is great. In fact, I’m going to be a great-grandmother again. Avery is pregnant.”

A huge smile pulls up on his face.