Page 82 of Sunset Catchers

I was right. It hurts because it’s exactly what I’ve always wanted for myself.

“What’s your favorite tradition?”

“The first evening we get here, we all huddle in cars and go pick out a Christmas tree. Kit will make her famous secret punch recipe that leaves us all a bit drunk while we decorate the tree. Every year, we can bring a new ornament to add to our family’s collection. My siblings and I have a bet going on to see who can find the ugliest one. I swear Win, some of them are an insult to the ornament industry.”

Then he proceeds to describe to me with vivid details, the worst of them all. My insides still hurt, but this time, it’s from laughing too much.

My heart might not have grown three sizes too big, but I think it might be starting to outgrow my chest cavity, and it might be because of the guy sitting right next to me.

20

I’ve turned into a big blob of jelly.

It’s a wonder I can still use my legs to walk around. That line I drew on the white board; it has been completely erased. My resolve to keep it surface-level with Levi is nowhere to be found. I’ve told him more about myself than I’ve ever told anyone, except Junie. I don’t even regret sharing these parts of myself with him.

In fact, I am glad.

I mean, how could I not be when Levi responds with pretty words that have my heart wanting to swoop out of my chest to land on his lap, where I’m sure he would wrap it into a warm blanket and cradle it against his chest for safe keeping.

I don’t know why or when I decided to trust him implicitly, but it feels right. It feels good to unburden myself. I’m shattering the boulder that’s been sitting heavily in me, dropping pieces of it every time I confess something to Levi.

I’ve decided that I’m going to overthink this thing blooming between us. For once, I just want to stop and smell the flowers, even while knowing they are bound to wilt when the end of my contract comes. I’m leaving in a few weeks—Levi and I will go back to our regular, separate lives, and we’ll never see each other again.

I’m trying really hard to be okay with that.

“Didn’t we already listen to this song?”

My attention snaps back to Levi and our present situation; sitting in the cab of Ben’s truck, already an hour into our road trip for our weekend of thrifting and antiquing.

“Yes,” I answer with my most dazzling grin. “And I’m warning you, Cowboy, this isn’t the last time either.”

“Are you really going to stick to the Cowboy bit the whole three days?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know, Cowboy?”

“Yeah, Win,” he says with a sigh, “I really would.”

“I don’t nickname and tell, sorry.”

“Fine, then what should I call you?” I am partial to Levi calling me pretty girl, but I’m not about to confess that. “Be the Cowgirl to my Cowboy?”

Thoughts of riding Levi with much less clothing perk my core up. I probably shouldn’t lust over him, but I’m a weak woman, and he is a sight to be seen, especially when he is wielding tools around the cottages that make his very normal biceps bulge in the most outrageous way.

I peeked at him from the corner of my eye to take in his dark blue, faded sweatshirt that made his eyes pop. The slice of white t-shirt poking at the neckline that flusters me for what reason, I don’t know! The warm spring day has him wearing a pair of black, sporty shorts that exposed the tattoos on his thighs. The scruff on his jaw is freshly trimmed.

Levi is so unfairly good-looking.

Gosh, what would it do to me if I ever saw him naked? Give me a heart attack?

His handsomeness might be a threat to my lifespan.

As if sensing my gaze on him, he glances at me. I quickly train my attention forward, embarrassed at being caught checking him out. I catch the curving of his mouth.

Pff! As if he didn’t do the same thing to me when he came to pick me up at my cottage this morning. It made me wonder if a girl in a high ponytail wearing a pink sweater and jeans is Levi’s kink.

Since then, our gazes have been playing with each other.

Something has changed between us, our relationship shifting again, to more.