Page 25 of Love Unbound
The sun was beginning to set on the horizon, painting the sky brilliant shades of vermillion and blood orange, extending into the opposite direction where it darkened into violet and indigo. Crossing the wide wooden porch, Free motioned to an empty chair beside his friend. “This seat taken?”
“Doesn’t look like it,” Levi drawled, though he grinned as he took a sip of the whisky.
Free lowered himself into the chair and sighed, rocking back and forth a few times, running his hands over the soft, worn wooden arms. Taking off the cowboy hat that sat on his head, he crossed one ankle over the other knee, at the same time dropping the hat to the floor beside him. His visit several days before had been brief, only stopping in long enough to say hello. The two old friends sat in silence for a few moments, each staring out over the open field that extended a quarter mile from the front of the house to the road that passed by. Every few minutes, a vehicle would pass in the distance.
The front door opened and Serenity stepped out, the screeneddoor slapping shut behind her. A thin dish towel was tucked into one of the belt loops of her jeans, and she was drying her hands as she walked toward the two men, a smile on her face. “I thought I heard someone drive up,” she said and extended a hand, squeezing Free’s shoulder in hello before stepping around him to lean down and peck a kiss to Levi’s bewhiskered cheek. “Free, would you like a drink?”
“I would love one, but I can get it,” Free said and made to stand, but Serenity shushed him gently.
“Nonsense, I’ll be right back. What would you like?” she asked, heading back toward the door.
“Whatever Levi is sipping on looks fantastic,” Free chuckled, resettling back into the chair. “Thank you.”
“You know she’s going to come back out with a plate of food for you,” Levi rumbled beneath his breath as Serenity walked back into the house. “She’s always thought you were too skinny.”
Free chuckled again and shook his head, patting his stomach. “I’d love to say I agree, getting old has put on some pounds though.”
Levi guffawed, throwing his head back and laughing heartily. Patting his own stomach, he chuckled, “I’d love to say this is old age, but it’s all Seren’s cooking that’s made this old man soft.”
Free laughed, eyeing the older man’s impressive physique with a sidelong glance. “You look like you’re in the same shape as when I left, old man.”
Silver hairs threaded through the older man’s dark hair and beard, a testament to how much time had passed since Free had been home last. At almost fifty, Levi Kendall was still a handsome man, and built like a brick house. Laugh lines crinkled the corners of Levi’s cobalt blue eyes, his smile broad, revealing straight white teeth. Free watched his friend in profile as he took another sip of the whisky.
Serenity came back out, bringing Free a glass highball ofwhisky and a plate full of beef roast, potatoes, and carrots slathered in a brown gravy, a giant slice of buttered bread on the side. Levi winked at Free as he took the plate with a hearty thank you.
Seren smiled, her baby blue eyes sparkling. Her dark hair was pulled into a high topknot, soft tendrils framing her face. Stepping to Levi’s side, Levi shifted his weight, moving his leg and allowing Seren to sit on his knee. She wrapped one arm around Levi’s broad shoulders and leaned back into the corner of the chair, her fingers finding the hair at the nape of her husband’s neck.
Free’s mouth tilted up into a small smile as he watched the two. Free had once had a crush on Serenity Kendall, when he first came to Blue Haven as a teen. He’d envied his friend and mentor the love that his wife gave him. Now, Free loved Seren as a friend, sister, and mother all rolled into one.
As Free finished the plate of food, he said, “That was delicious, Seren, thank you.”
Seren smiled and leaned down to press a kiss to Levi’s mouth before standing and reaching for Free’s empty plate. Grasping one of his hands with her empty one, she squeezed it tightly. “You’re welcome, Free. I’m just glad that you’re back. We missed you around here. You weren’t here long enough the other night when you stopped by.”
“I know,” Free said softly, squeezing her hand back gently. “I missed you all, too. I wish I could stay.”
Levi harrumphed in his seat, grumbling, “You always have a job here or with the company, if you ever decide to come back.”
Free nodded, but fell quiet as Seren went back into the house. He still wasn’t sure what he was going to do. He’d made a life in Texas in the last seven years, but the thought of leaving Michigan again now that he was back was painful. He didn’t want to think of leaving Jodi again, either.
Free motioned to Levi’s almost empty glass with his own. “Want another?”
Levi nodded. “Bottle is in the den, thank you.”
Free stood and stretched, walking to the front door and letting himself inside the familiar house. He made his way to the wet-bar in Levi’s den, picking up the bottle of whisky before heading back through the hallway toward the kitchen. Seren met him there.
“It’s good to see you here,” she said again, her soft voice like a soothing balm on his tired soul. He’d missed them more than they knew. “It hasn’t been the same without you.”
Free set the bottle of whisky on the kitchen counter, then leaned his hips back against it, crossing his arms over his chest. He watched Seren as she moved around the kitchen, putting away the roast she’d gotten out to make his plate. She wore a pair of faded, light wash blue jeans, and a white v neck blouse that had a row of buttons down the front, the edges tied together at her waist. Free smiled, thinking how much Jodi looked like her.
Turning and wiping her hands on the towel still tucked into the belt loop of her jeans, she tilted her head to the side slightly. “So, how long are you actually here for?”
Free shrugged again. “Not sure. Originally, I just came home for Shane’s wedding.”
“And now?” Seren asked, perceptive as ever. He could never keep secrets from Serenity Kendall.
Free swallowed hard, dropping his eyes to the floor, studying the pattern in the tile. “I think you know.”
Seren walked over and leaned her hips against the counter next to Free, crossing her arms over her middle and bumping her shoulder into his gently.
