His eyebrows sailed upward. “You left the party not long after we got there. Did something happen?”
“You mean, other than your twin brother hassling us and making things super awkward?”
Levi’s expression grew stormy. Savannah was taken aback. Was that anger in his eyes directed at Jasper? Did they often fight like this? She couldn’t remember them disagreeing much in high school. Maybe they’d put up a united front back then.
“I spoke to Jasper about that.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to have a problem with the way he behaved. But I do. It wasn’t right, and I’m so sorry I even put you in that position.”
“I could have stayed home. It’s not like you coerced me.”
“But it was my idea. Even though this probably sounds petty—to be honest, I really wanted to make Tori jealous.”
“I think it worked,” Savannah said softly.
He released a short laugh. “Not a chance. She doesn’t care one bit anymore.”
“That can’t be true. I mean, you were engaged, right? Surely she still has feelings for you.”
“Engaged doesn’t mean anything if a person can’t be honest about their hopes and dreams,” Levi said bitterly.
Oh no. Her stomach twisted as guilt slithered in. “Levi, I...”
She trailed off when he reached out and took her hand. “Thank you for going along with my stupid plan. If you want out now, I won’t blame you.”
Savannah looked into his eyes, seeing the pain and vulnerability lurking beneath the surface. She squeezed his hand tightly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Chapter Five
Savannah needed to come up with something for the parade float. Quickly. Only he hadn’t given her much to work with. Now that he’d seen her pirate-ship sketch, he felt guilty for roping her into helping them. She was capable of producing something spectacular, but he knew Dad and Jasper weren’t receptive to splurging on supplies. He’d gently introduced the idea at the store yesterday afternoon, and they’d both shut him down. Funny how they wanted a great float that attracted customers and generated more business but didn’t want to spend much money to make it happen.
“Come on, Wren. This way.” With Wren’s sticky hand clasped in his, Levi led the way across the field on his grandparents’ property.
“What is this place?” Wren asked, using her other hand to shove her hair out of her eyes.
Her cheeks had red sticky stuff on them, evidence of the lollipop he’d let her enjoy on the ride over from the store. She’d been a real trouper about going to Vacation Bible School. When he’d picked her up at the church that afternoon, she’d begged him to take her to the park instead of back to the store. He already hated disappointing her. Thankfully, the promise of coming here and seeing Savannah had cheered her up. Still, he hadn’t been able to tell her no when she’d asked for the lollipop from the candy section near the store’s cash register.
“This is my grandparents’ backyard,” Levi said. “Savannah is working on a special project for a parade. We’re keeping everything she needs in the old barn.”
Although, it wasn’t a barn at all. More like a shed to store his grandfather’s vintage classic pickup truck. That and the trailer were the only two things he could say for sure would work for the parade float.
“Big yard,” Wren said.
Levi chuckled. “Yeah, it is pretty big. Jasper and my sister and I have had a lot of fun back here over the years.”
A pair of swallows chirped as they flitted past, and the familiar loamy scent of the soil in his grandparents’ garden nearby greeted him. Grandma loved growing produce she could display at the state fair in Palmer later in the summer. She’d been known to bring home the prize for the biggest cabbage a time or two.
“What do you play here?” Wren stumbled over the uneven ground. Levi squeezed her hand to keep her upright, then slowed his steps. He eyed the neglected fort in the trees on the other side of the barn and the three huge tires Grandpa had probably salvaged from a piece of heavy equipment ages ago. Levi and Jasper had hidden in those and played their own made-up version of hide-and-seek countless times with the neighbor kids who lived across the road. His heart pinched at all the good memories.
Could he and Jasper ever get back to that place in their relationship? Where they had fun, made memories and didn’t care about one-upping each other?
“Lee-by?” Wren stared up at him, pulling him back to the present. “What games are here?”
“Oh, we played tag, hide-and-seek, kick the can...”
Wren giggled. “Kick the can? What’s that?”
Despite his melancholy thoughts, Levi couldn’t help but smile at Wren’s infectious laughter. “We’ll have to teach you sometime. It’s like tag, hide-and-seek and capture the flag all mixed together.”
She eyed him as if he’d spoken a foreign language.
“Let’s unlock this door. Savannah will be here in a few minutes.” He stopped in front of the barn, let go of Wren’s hand and pulled the key from his pocket.
Wren’s brow furrowed. She tentatively reached out and touched the two-by-four-foot wood slab blocking the barn’s door. “What’s this?”
“We keep a lock on the door and also that piece of wood to keep it shut in case the wind blows extra hard or an animal tries to get inside.” Levi slid the key into the padlock. The metal bar sprang open after an easy twist.
“No animals allowed?”
He removed the lock and the piece of wood, then carefully slid the broad door open. “My grandparents have two dogs and three cats. Mostly, they live outside. Only the truck, the trailer and some tools stay here.”
Dust particles floating in the air caught the late-afternoon sunlight. Wren’s face wrinkled; then she sneezed.
“Bless you.” Levi pocketed his key and gestured toward the red truck. “See? My grandfather’s truck and trailer.”
“Can we ride now?”
“Not today. We have to help Savannah get ready for the parade.”
She tilted her head to one side. “What’s a parade?”
