Page 62 of Fear Me Not

I can’t help the smile touching my lips. “I know, Levi.”

“Good, ’cause I wouldn’t want you to think I’m catching feelings for you or anything.”

I shake my head, a little mock frown on my brow. “I’d never think that.”

Remembering something, I bat his shoulder with my palm. “Oh, I left the picture frame in the hallway.”

“I’ll get it for you. Which drawing are you planning to gift him?”

“You want to see?”

“I wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t.”

I’m still a little anxious about everything related to my art. I go to my sketch pad and flip it open until I reach the correct page. The picture itself isn’t huge, but once it’s been mounted properly, it’ll fit the frame.

“This one.” I hold it out for Levi to see.

Levi stares at it, and I’m unable to read his expression. My stomach swirls with nerves. Is he going to laugh at me? Tell me his father will hate it.

“It’s perfect,” he says instead.

I glow at his praise.

He leans in and kisses me on the mouth. “I’ll go and get that frame now.”

34

ASPEN

Thanksgiving arrives on an overcast day, the heavy clouds threatening snow.

For once, I don’t mind that there’s no bright blue sky, because it means Dov will hopefully be able to join us instead of hiding himself away in a darkened room. It’s occurred to me that we could just block up the windows, but they’re all tall and large, and there’s a lot of them across the hotel. Besides, I don’t think it would be good for the rest of our mental health to be living in darkness, and that matters, too.

I’m excited about the day. So often, it feels like we’re all living independently from one another in this huge building, but today we’re going to spend it together.

Like a real family.

I dress in my coziest clothes of an oversized sweater, leggings and my fake Uggs, and then make my way downstairs with Blake’s gift clutched in my arms. I’ve wrapped the picture in some tissue paper I found in with the rest of the Christmas stuff. I hope he’ll like it and the other two won’t feel left out. I didn’t make them anything.

I pause at the drawing room, where the decorated tree and lights twinkle. Light in the darkness. Joviality in the lingering fear that hovers over us.

As the time has passed, I’ve understood the reason for Blake wanting me here. I have brought them together. I shouldn’t be here to fix their issues, especially when I have plenty of my own, but a small part of me feels good that they need me.

I pass the dining room and glance in.

The formal table has been laid with a huge white tablecloth, table mats, and expensive silvery cutlery. Candles and foliage decorate the center. It looks beautiful. There are tall wine glasses, and I notice how Blake has brought several bottles of the expensive wine that I’d commented on up from the basement.

As I’d expected, the men are all gathered in the kitchen. They’ve always been early risers and I’ve definitely slept in, so it’s later than I’d intended.

“We were about to send out a search party,” Blake says upon seeing me.

I poke out my tongue. “Very funny. I just need my beauty sleep.” I beam around at them all. “Happy Thanksgiving.”

The scent of meat roasting fills my senses, combined with the sweetness of sweet potato pie. I know none of them would have gone to all this effort without me, and that they’ve embraced something I’d been dreaming of—a big family Thanksgiving—warms my soul.

“You’ve been busy,” I tell Levi with a smile.

“He’s been up since the crack of dawning, cooking for us,” Blake says.