Pursued (14 page)

“I’m Martha.” She spoke with a twinkle in her eye.

“Is this your house?”

“Why, yes it is.”

“Do you have toys?” Javan asked with a serious tone. My blush warmed my cheeks at his question but, judging by Martha’s quick laugh, his inquiry was welcome.

“I think I do. Would you like to come with me and find out?”

“Oh yes! May I, Mom?” Javan glanced up imploring me.

“Of course, baby.” I nodded.

Javan began to pull Martha into her home.

“Hold on, sweetheart, I need to meet your mom.” She spoke gently and Javan stopped. “Hi, Abby, I’m Martha and I’m very pleased you could come today.”

Her words were so heartfelt and sincere that I was immediately at ease. I held out my hand, but she pulled me into a tight hug. “We were so happy to hear that Levi had found you, you have no idea.” She whispered into my ear before releasing me. Levi must have heard because he blushed a deep rose color. I’d have to ask him about it later.

“Come in, come in!”

The house smelled like rosemary, chicken, and apple pie. My stomach growled in response, earning me a grin from Levi. I elbowed him in the ribs. Martha left to take Javan to the toy box in the other room and then came and helped make introductions. Levi’s father was the first to come up an
d shake my hand. Henry looked like a character from
Leave it to Beaver,
with his pipe sticking out of his mouth and the sweet scent of tobacco surrounding him. Martha and Henry took turns introducing their other children who were able to make it. Quite a f
ew were out of town, but Martha showed me their pictures on the wall. Shortly after the introductions, Martha informed me that I was the reason for the gathering. I shot Levi a glare. He had some explaining to do later. He returned my glare with a wide smile.

Dinner was delicious, and Chase and Javan were thrilled with all the older children who wanted to play with them. Soon after dinner, only Levi, Martha, Henry, and I stayed around the table to talk.

“We were so thrilled to hear all about you from Levi!” Martha gushed as she took a sip of her coffee.

“Well, I’m thrilled to meet you. Levi has told me so many stories, it’s nice to put faces with names.” I replied honestly.

“Your children are darling. It’s so great to have little ones around here again. My youngest is fourteen, and I miss the baby and toddler stage.”

“It’s a special time, but I’m also looking forward to when I can sit down with them and play games and that sort of thing.”

“Each stage has its delights and drawbacks.” Martha rolled her eyes with a grin as she set her cup down.

“So tell me about your family, Abby.” Henry spoke up, puffing his pipe.

He was the tall silent type, but he readily smiled, which wasn’t what I expected from his austere demeanor. His warm personality put me at ease as I spoke about my family.

We discussed how Levi and I met, where I went to school, the boys, and various other topics. I kept waiting for them to ask about Jack or the divorce. Surely they were curious…

As I was helping clear the table, I heard a squeal and the door slam shut.

“Anthony!” Martha gasped, and I placed the dishes in the sink before poking my head out to see what had caused the commotion.

“Hi’ya, Ma.” A blonder version of Levi hugged Martha and grinned at Henry.

“It’s good to see you, son! We didn’t know you’d be here!” Henry wrapped his arms around both his wife and son, holding them close. The moment was intimate, so I gave them privacy and went to find Levi. He was helping Javan pick up the toys. How much deeper could I fall for that man?

“Hi.” I beamed, leaning against the door jamb and watching the men work.

“Hi.” Levi chuckled.

“Hi, Mom,” Javan spoke without looking up, his focus was on picking up.

“Someone just got here, his name is Anthony?”

“Tony’s here?” Levi’s eyes were wide, and his expression broke into a large smile.

“I guess. He looks like a blond version of you?” I offered.

“No way! This is great! C’mon.” Levi grabbed Javan and pulled me out to the front room where Tony was sitting on the sofa surrounded by his family.

“Tony! Man! I didn’t think you’d make it!” Levi set Javan down and hugged Tony, slapping him on the back, hard. Tony did the same and grinned back, their faces so similar yet distinctly different.

“Let me introduce you to Abby.” Levi gestured to me and I walked forward, holding out my hand.

“It’s great to meet the woman behind taming my big brother. Way to go, Abby.” He passed my hand and pulled me into a tight hug. The air whooshed out of my lungs, and I tentatively patted his back before he released me, grinning hugely.

“Where are the kids? Javan and Chase right?” Tony was looking around before he saw Chase on Martha’s lap and Javan hiding behind Levi. As soon as Tony bent down to say ‘hi,’ Javan walked around and shook his hand. Chase kept his fingers in his mouth for the introduction, but he grinned over them.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t be able to make it!”

“Well, I wasn’t, but I got off early. My last appointment canceled, so I was able to drop in. I gotta leave in the morning, I have an early jump but I’ll make it.”

“Jump?” I asked, curious.

“Oh yeah, my brother here is a skydiving instructor.”

“Really?” Hmm… the wheels in my head spun quickly. Willi would melt. She had always dreamt of skydiving. She already had bungee jumped a dozen times. A guy who jumped for a living? Be still her beating heart…

“Yeah, I love it. My mom here thinks I’m going out to my death each time, but I keep comin’ back.” He winked at his mom, and I could tell Martha was amused but not entirely. There was truth behind his words. But what mother would want her son to do something dangerous?

We left soon after because Chase began to fall asleep on Martha’s lap. She didn’t want to let him go, but knew it was for the best. The goodbyes included promises to come back again soon, and I hoped we would. As we drove back, both Chase and Javan fell asleep, leaving Levi and me in peace and quiet. Levi reached over and grasped my hand, interlacing his fingers within my own.

“Thank you for tonight. It was amazing. My parents loved you, and my mom will now cheerfully kill me if I screw this up.” He grinned in the darkness, the green light of the dashboard illuminating his features.

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” I teased back. “I was happy to meet them, although…” I twisted in my seat so that I was facing him fully. “I would have liked to have known that the whole get-together was all because of me.”

“So it wouldn’t have freaked you out?” Levi asked with amusement.

“Well, of course it would have, but—“

“That’s why I didn’t tell you. I knew you’d be fine and that you’d love them, they’d love you, and I’d leave with a death threat from my parents. We’re good.”

I giggled at his dramatic take on things.

“Thank you, Levi, it was a great night.”

“I think my mom wants to steal Chase and Javan.”

“She sure fell in love with them, didn’t she?”

“I knew she would. She’s been praying for grandchildren for a while now.”

“She’ll make a wonderful grandma someday.”

“Yes, she will.”

The warming spring air surrounded us as we each carried a sleeping boy into the house. Levi left me with a lingering kiss and a promise to call in the morning. The dusty pickup thundered to life, and I waved goodbye, already missing him. It was hard to imagine I hadn’t known about him more than two months ago. I had forgotten how great love could really be.

The phone rang, waking me out of a deep sleep. Chase had decided to wake up the neighborhood during the night with savage wailing, keeping me awake walking him till three a.m. Teething was not for the faint of heart, for the mom or child.

“Hello?” My voice was gravelly, and I desperately hoped it was my mom, or sister, even a random stranger.

“Hello, beautiful, rough night?” Levi’s voice rumbled through the receiver, and I wanted to melt into the covers. A girl could get used to hearing his voice first thing in the morning.

“Um, yeah.” I managed before I yawned.

“Well hop into your bunny slippers and open the door. I‘ve got something that will cheer you up.”

“You’re here?” Immediately I was up, throwing on a sweatshirt and wrapping my medusa-hair into a messy bun at the back of my head. As I walked to the door, I wiped under my eyes to remove any lingering mascara streaks and paused. My mouth tasted nasty, so I backtracked to the bathroom and tore open the tube of toothpaste and squirted a dab onto my tongue. I winced at the powerful mint taste but knew it would be a vast improvement over my morning breath. Levi was leaning against the doorjamb looking fresh, awake, and gorgeous; everything I was not. Yet as he took in my undoubtedly sleepy expression and tossed together sweats, he grinned and kissed my forehead, using one arm to pull me into a hug.

“Here.” Levi handed me a cup that smelled like vanilla heaven.

“I love you.” I spoke reverently as I inhaled the steam. “And you’re not so bad either.” I quipped, glancing at Levi with a sleepy grin before I took a sip.
Best wake up ever.

Levi chucked and rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, thanks.”

“You’re very welcome. Come in.” I motioned inside.

“Where are the boys?” Levi asked, looking around.

“Oh, they’re not awake yet.” A giggle echoed and I grinned. “Well they weren’t…” I added, walking toward their room, Levi chuckling behind me.

“Weevi!”

Javan shouted as he bounded out of bed. The child never did anything halfway; he was either sound asleep or running at full speed. Javan hurled himself at Levi and was tossed in the air and caught. His laughter warmed my heart. Chase shouted impatiently from his room, and I went to get him as well. He was standing up in his crib, bouncing and waving his hands.

“Need a jail break?” I grinned, pulling him into a warm hug. Too warm. I groaned as a wet sensation soaked through my sweatshirt. After changing Chase’s soaked diaper and putting him into warm clothes, I placed him on the floor and he ran to Levi. The dark, wet spot on my sweatshirt was sticking to my stomach, so I excused myself to change. As I passed the door a movement caught my attention through the window.
No way. Seriously?

Jack was walking toward the house and glaring at Levi’s pickup. Chase’s belly laughs jolted me from my frozen state.
What do I do?

“Levi?” I rushed into the living room, my tone alerting him that something wasn’t right. He stood up quickly from his wrestling position on the floor. The boys quieted their laughter with an abrupt halt and waited, their large eyes riveted on me.

“Jack is here, I don’t know why but I just saw him—“ My words were cut short by a loud knock on the back door.

Levi glanced behind me for a moment before closing his eyes. A second later he jumped into action.

“Abby? Why don’t you change your shirt? He can wait for a second, and I’ll put a movie on for the boys. We’ll answer the door in a few seconds, okay?”

I rushed to my room, threw on a new sweatshirt, met Levi in the kitchen, and we walked to the back door. Jack was waiting with a scowl on his face that turned into a sneer after seeing Levi. Without a hello, he pushed past me and strode into the kitchen and sat down. Levi seemed calm, but his eyes had turned into blue ice, and I prayed for self-control for both of us.

The air was thick with tension, and I didn’t know how to proceed. Did I tell him to leave? Did I try to ‘kill him with kindness,’ or did I just hope he ticked off Levi enough to get himself beaten to a pulp? The last thought made my face twist into a small smile I tried to hide, but Levi saw and gave me a curious glance.
Here we go.

“Jack? I wasn’t expecting you. Is there something you need?” My voice held a calm I didn’t feel.

His eyes were hard as he glanced from Levi, to me, and back to Levi.

“What I have to say to you doesn’t involve him.” Jack jerked his chin in Levi’s direction.

“I doubt that.” Levi spoke with quiet authority. Jack glared at him.

“What do you want, Jack?” I spoke carefully.

“Is this the reason you won’t let me see my boys? Is this the reason you won’t take me back, Abby?” Jack stood up and threw his hands up in the air. He paced a moment then paused, his gaze riveted on Levi. “I don’t know what she’s told you man, but it’s not the truth. I don’t want this. I love my children, I love my wife.”

At that, tears began to stream down Jack’s face. All I could do was watch in silent horror. What was he doing?

“She kicked me out, saying she wanted something, someone else. She sucked you into her lies, now you’re just as fooled as I was. I thought I was just giving her time to figure things out. Not that she was screwing you behind my back.” Jack shouted and then crumpled to the floor.

If I didn’t know the truth,
I
would have believed him. His tears
, his story, and the conviction by which he spoke were compelling. Fearful, I glanced at Levi, who evaluated Jack with a curious gaze.

“I see.” Levi nodded, working his jaw.

My heart stuttered in my chest and a sinking feeling stole my breath. Surely Levi didn’t believe Jack? The seconds ticked, and I couldn’t find my voice. Levi stood there silently, still evaluating Jack. After a moment, Jack stood up and nodded. He held his hands out to his side and turned to me.

“Abby, I’m a broken man, I never wanted what we had to end—“

“So why did Frank tell me something different?” Levi spoke quietly, leaning back on his boot and tilting his head.

“Frank?” Jack gave Levi a wary glance.

“Yeah, I know Frank and Samantha pretty well. In fact, they introduced Abby and me a few months ago.” Levi moved behind me and pulled me against his solid chest, wrapping his hands around my waist.