Candace stepped into their path, the skirt of the pastel pink cover-up she’d donned over her swimsuit swirling around her legs.
Levi stifled a groan. The absolute last person he wanted to see right now.
“Oh no,” Savvy grumbled.
Candace glared at Savannah as she spoke, her voice filled with disbelief. “Congrats on creating the most creative parade float, Savvy.”
Savannah beamed with pride at Candace’s congratulations. “You have to admit, it was pretty impressive.”
“Yeah, you’ve been unstoppable lately. First, you catch the game-winning fly ball in softball, and now you’ve topped it off with the Most Creative Float of the Parade award. It almost makes me think that all your dreams are coming true.” Candace’s voice had a sharp edge to it as she continued. “Then there’s your new boyfriend. A perfect triple crown of successes for our quirky little artist—or so it seems.”
Levi slipped his arm around Savannah’s shoulders and drew her close. “Come on, Candace. There’s no need for you to be so negative.”
But Candace wasn’t backing down. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh, please, Levi, lighten up. Do you really think anyone believes this story you two have concocted?”
The air hung heavy between them until Levi responded. “You can think whatever you want. We know the truth.”
Pressing up on her tiptoes, Savannah craned her neck to see around Candace. “By the way, your kid is about to put his fist through that cake over there.”
“What? No—” Candace turned just in time to see her child slam his pudgy little hand into the middle of a gorgeous German chocolate cake that had been donated for the Key Club’s cakewalk.
Savannah and Levi, relieved by the distraction, shared a quiet laugh. As Candace yelled at her son, they slipped away unnoticed.
“Perfect timing, kid. Perfect timing,” Savannah said. “By the way, where’s Wren?”
“The last time I saw her, your sisters were taking her to get her face painted. You don’t think Candace saw through our act?” Levi asked skeptically.
Savannah bit her lip and shook her head. “What could she have seen that made her so suspicious?”
Levi stopped walking and tucked one of Savannah’s stray strands of hair behind her ear. His expression softened as he cupped both hands around her face. “Maybe we haven’t been putting enough of our feelings on display for everyone to see.”
He leaned in closer and brushed his lips against hers ever so softly, drawing out the moment until she kissed him back. Time stood still as their mouths melded together. She tasted sweet, and when her hand closed around a fistful of his T-shirt, he longed to deepen the kiss. Reluctantly, he pulled away and looked into her now-gleaming eyes.
“This feels pretty real to me,” she breathed out.
A slow smile spread across Levi’s face despite the conflicting thoughts racing through his mind. He laced his fingers with hers. “Let’s go find Wren.”
Tori stepped into view, and Levi felt the familiar urge to look away when their eyes met. But this time, he held his gaze, squeezing Savannah’s hand in reassurance. They moved toward the face-painting booth, where Wren proudly showed off the flower that now adorned her cheek.
“Wow,” Levi said, admiring the bright yellow circle surrounded by pink petals outlined in light black lines. “You look amazing.”
“That’s so cool, Wren.” Savannah looked at her sisters, who were standing beside the artist. “Good call, ladies.”
They got cold drinks and a large tray of nachos, then wandered around until Wren got tired and asked to go home. Candace’s hawk-eyed gaze had made its rounds, and he could feel the weight of her judgment every time she saw his and Savannah’s fingers twined together. Part of him still wanted to stay and give the nosy woman a show. Wanted her and everyone else in Opportunity to know that he was grateful for Wren and Savannah, but he’d also learned not to push Wren beyond her limit.
Wren dropped her water bottle, and it splashed on the pavement, then rolled under a parked car. The little girl started to sob. As the tears slid down her cheeks and smudged her beloved painted flower, a hollow ache filled his chest.
So much for knowing when to call it quits.
Had he been too selfish? For all his griping about Jasper’s impulsiveness, maybe his own need to control outcomes and pursue his perfect idea of a happy life had been equally problematic.
He stole a glance at Savannah as she scooped Wren into her arms and quietly reassured her that they’d get more water. Levi halted his steps. To make things ten times worse, he’d gone and dragged sweet Savvy into his convoluted scheme, stealing kisses and persuading her to be his plus-one. An ominous feeling danced along his spine. What if this had all been a huge mistake? What if neither of them escaped this class reunion with their hearts intact?
“‘This feels pretty real to me’?” Savannah shook her head in disbelief. “Why did I say that?”
“Maybe because it’s the truth.” Hayley swung her legs over the hot tub’s edge, then slid into the water. “It’s tough to fake a good kiss, don’t you think?”
“You tell us,” Juliet said from her perch in the opposite corner. “Who’ve you been kissing?”
“No one, lately.” Hayley blushed. “How about we turn on the jets?”
She pushed a button on the control panel, and steam filled the air as their parents’ hot tub motor churned up frothy bubbles.
“That’s better,” Juliet said. “My muscles are killing me.”
“Same,” Savannah said. This had been the longest Fourth of July ever. The faint scent of chlorine wafted toward Savannah’s nostrils. She turned to Grace, her childhood bestie, who’d arrived from California yesterday. “I’m so glad this worked out for you to come over. We haven’t seen each other since I visited you in California for New Year’s Eve.”
“Right.” Grace’s round face brightened with her flawless smile. “Can’t believe it’s been two years already. So, tell me everything. What have I missed?”
“I’ve applied for the art teacher position since Mr. Golden retired,” Savannah said.
Grace’s chocolate brown eyes grew wide. She paused, her plastic cup filled with strawberry lemonade halfway to her lips. “Hold up. You want to teach here? And what does that have to do with fake kisses? Because, by the way, I saw that kiss, and it was the opposite of fake.”
“Oh, Grace.” Hayley grinned. “We’ve missed you around here. You’re not going to let Savvy get away with anything, are you?”
“Tell her, Savvy.” Juliet twisted her hair into a bun on top of her head. “The whole complicated tale, from the beginning.”
Savannah hesitated, fiddling with the straps on her one-piece swimsuit. Adrenaline hummed through her veins. The whole complicated tale? She wasn’t quite ready to go there. Not until she had a job offer and a signed contract. There weren’t three people she trusted more in the world than these women right here. But that didn’t mean they needed to know everything.
