Page 87 of Every Single Broken Piece
“Tomorrow morning.” I walk toward the kitchen. “So tonight I’m making dinner as a way to say thank you for letting me invade your space the past three weeks.”
“Can you still make those crispy roasted potatoes the way Mom showed you?” Jordan gets up and comes to sit at the island where he can talk to me and still keep an eye on Brady.
My heart clenches as I answer, “I can try to make them, but I don’t promise they’ll be as good.”
I grab two knives and the bag of potatoes, and while we peel them, Jordan glances at me. “Which way are you leaning? Break up or try again?”
I keep my gaze trained on the potato skins. “Would I be an idiot to give him another chance?”
“No.” Jordan leans to the side to get me to look at him, and when I do, he says, “You do what’s right for you, Kelcie. You’ve suffered so much the past year and a half. If being with Levi makes you happy, then try to see if you can forgive him. Maybe start from scratch.” He sucks in a deep breath before he adds, “Levi never meant you any harm, and he’s not responsible for what his half brother did. As for him not tellingyou his true reasons for being in Verona? I can understand why he hid it from you. Neither of us would’ve given him the time of day if he had walked up to us and introduced himself as Porter’s brother.”
“I had that same thought,” I admit, letting out a sigh. “We’ll see what happens when I talk to Levi again.”
Jordan sets down his knife and gets up from the stool.
“Hey, where are you going? We’re still peeling potatoes,” I say.
“Nope. You’re peeling potatoes.” He shoots me a playful grin. “I’m going to lie down on the couch and watch an episode ofStorage Hunters.”
The corner of my mouth lifts, but as I continue to get everything ready for dinner, the worry that’s been my constant companion the past three weeks slithers through my mind.
What if this is something Levi and I can’t come back from, and things are really over between us?
When the cab I took from the bus station pulls up to my place, I immediately look toward Levi’s house. Seeing a realtor’s sign with the wordSoldin big, bold red letters across it, shock shudders through me.
No. Levi sold his house?
I’ve only been gone three weeks! How did he sell so fast?
After settling my cab fare, I hurry to climb out of the car and haul my luggage out of the back seat. Leaving the bag in my driveway, I quickly jog to Levi’s front door.
I had hoped to take a shower so I could wash off the grimy feel of sitting on a bus for five and a half hours before going over to talk to Levi.
TheSoldsign has me feeling completely rattled as I ring the doorbell. I listen closely for Lick’s bark, but when I don’t hear anything and Levi doesn’t open, I try knocking.
“Kelcie.” Hearing Jill call me, I glance in her direction. “You’re back.” She rushes toward me and hugs me hard. “My God, I heard about what happened. Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I just took some time away from Verona to process everything.”
Jill looks at Levi’s front door, then says, “Levi left the same day as you, and no one has seen him since. A few days later, theFor Salesign went up, and it sold for next to nothing last week. Even I was tempted to buy it, but I’m not ready for that kind of commitment. Yesterday, a moving truck came, and they emptied out the house.” She pauses to take a breath before adding, “I think a newly married couple bought the place.”
“No one’s seen Levi in town?” I ask to make sure I heard right.
“No. He probably moved to a new place where no one knows who he is.” She glares at the Adamses’ house, and we see the drapes move.
“Mrs. Adams is probably being nosy and watching us,” Jill mutters. “Let’s go inside.”
As we walk to where my luggage is standing, I’m still a little in shock. I shouldn’t be surprised Levi decided to move, but the fact that he didn’t even mention it to me during our call two weeks ago makes me worry even more.
“Ahh ...” I take hold of my bag’s handle and give Jill a rueful smile. “I’ve just spent the past five and a half hours on the road. Can we catch up another day?”
“Oh yeah. Of course.”
I dig my house keys out of my bag, and while I walk to the front door and unlock it, I wonder if Levi went back to Grand Rapids.
God, Levi probably couldn’t get away from Verona quickly enough. I don’t blame him. This town hasn’t been kind to him.
After I shut the door behind me, I glance over the living room and kitchen. The place feels empty.
