him in the balls from time to time, I never worry about wearing a bra around him, makeup is wasted in his presence, I don't care that I've bawled my eyes out watching Old Yeller, or that I got rip-roaring drunk on the fourth anniversary of getting sick, then puked all over his bathroom in front of him kind of love.
"Jealous, Abernathy?"
I'm telling you I could not have stopped the eye roll if there had been a gun to my head. "Yes. Terribly." I tried to pull my chair back, but his grip tightened. "Buchanan, if you make me late for my first shift, I'll never forgive you."
"Relax. You still have ten minutes." There was something in those sun-changed amber eyes that made me twitchy. He was about to ask me something I didn't want to be asked. "Why are you taking this job again? Didn't Sylvia say her friend would be back in like four months?"
"My classes are done for the summer, and as much as I adore you," I said, reaching up to pat his face harder than necessary, "I can't just hang out in your man cave every day. I'll go insane."
How could I explain to him that the more free time I found myself with, the more I searched for something to do. I didn't do boredom well.
Hence, the reason I started baking in the first place.
When all you did was sit (because no matter how many exercises you did or sports you participated in, you're still sitting), all you could do was sit and it got really freaking old after a while. I loved working out, something Levi and I had in common, and I was starting with a new physical therapist to continue working on my leg strength so I could have intermittent use of a walker or arm braces. Intermittent being the key word.
I'd still always spend most of my time with my ass firmly planted in the chair.
Sitting around, no pun intended, made me want to gouge my eyes out.
I barely tolerated watching TV, and only the occasional movie held my interest. Audiobooks were about the only reading I could handle.
Even now, sitting still while he searched my face for an answer made my fingers tangle together, just to give them something to do.
"I need more in my life than what I have," was all I was willing to concede at the moment. "Plus, I make a kick-ass cheesecake. I might as well make some extra cash doing it."
His soon-to-be sister-in-law was the one who told me about the opening at Donner Bakery. A friend of hers was taking an extended maternity leave, and they needed an extra set of hands.
That was something I could provide. Yes, I came with a set of wheels too, but that hadn't been an issue in my interview. Once the manager tasted my strawberry lemonade cupcake, the job was mine.
His grin was slow, but I could tell he believed me. After five years, we could read each other pretty damn well. Occasionally, it was annoying, but it was also one of the constants in my life that I genuinely didn't think I could live without.
"Fair enough." Levi released my chair, and I spun to face the bakery. His hands landed on my shoulders and squeezed before he released me. "Go get 'em."
I took a deep breath.
"And be friendly, Sonic. It won't kill ya," he added.
My hands lifted and dropped in an exasperated heap. "Now why the hell did you have to say that? I'm friendly."
His eyebrow raised slowly.
"I'm sort of friendly," I muttered. Then I pointed an accusatory finger at him. "This is why I prefer to bring Nero with me instead of you. People love dogs, and they're less likely to notice when I don't smile at them."
His chin tilted skyward as he burst out laughing. "That dog looks like he'd rip your face off on a good day. You take him places so people won't talk to you."
At that, I grinned a little. My four-year-old Doberman did look like he would rip someone's face off, which was why Levi told me I had to complete one full shift without him waiting for me outside the bakery.
"Sonic," he said quietly.
"I hate that nickname."
"No, you don't. There's nothing more appropriate for you than a prickly little hedgehog who wheels around like a bat out of hell."
Pointedly, I glanced at my watch.
"You're not going to be late." Levi shoved at my shoulder. "Smile at them. Ask questions.