Love Me Dear (Love Me Book 3)

Chapter 24

When Trinty awoke later that day, Levi was gone. She looked at the clock and noticed that it was after five. Reaching for her phone, she noticed there were no messages, and she was about to get up to track Levi down and make sure he was alright when the bedroom door opened.

When she saw Levi poke his head around the door, she smiled at the sight of him. "I was wondering where you had gone off to," she said with a stretch.

He entered the room and closed the door before joining her on the bed. "How are you feeling?" he asked, pushing her hair off her shoulder with his good hand.

"That's what I should be asking you. Why did you let me sleep so long?"

"You needed it, and I needed time to talk to Josiah, just the two of us."

Trinity nodded. "What did I miss while I slept the day away?" She asked, standing up. It gave her a thrill when she noticed Levi's eyes tracing the outline of her body.

"Your brother and his wife are on their way. Josiah went to pick them up at the airport. They should be here in half an hour." Levi calmly said as if he was delivering the weather report.

Trinity's eyes grew wide. "Why are they coming here, and how do you feel about it?"

"I'm alright with it. They are worried about you, at least that's what Ben said in his phone message." Levi stood.

Trinity shook her head. "I'm sure Ben is worried, and that's why he is coming, but I'm also sure Lia wants to get a good look at you."

"Really, why?" Levi frowned.

"You know that saying, 'curiosity killed the cat'? That was written about Lia. She is sweet and kind, and oh so curious. Sometimes she is so curious that the boundaries get blurred." Trinity had to shower and change. "Where is my suitcase?" she asked.

"Across the hall." Levi watched Trinity's face fall at his words.

"Not because I want you over there, I just wasn't sure where you would want to be when your brother got here. Plus, the bathroom over there is larger."

Trinity nodded and walked past him, throwing open the door and charging across the hallway. She grabbed her suitcase and charged back. "I'm in here with you." Her chin was held high in defiance.

"Works for me, Sugar," he said with a wink, watching her blush at the nickname. "Will you be O.K. if I invite them to stay here with us?" he asked, watching as she threw the suitcase on the chair and opened it.

"I would like that," she said, looking over her shoulder at him with a smile.

Levi nodded and looked as if he wanted to say more. "We'll talk more, later?" he finally said.

Trinity nodded as she clutched her clothes close to her. "I'm not going anywhere," she promised.

He nodded and turned to leave her to get dressed. She did it in the nick of time to, she had just joined Levi in the kitchen when the backdoor opened, and Josiah entered with Lia and Ben in tow.

"Trinity!" Lia said, rushing to give her a hug. "We were worried about you." Trinity noticed Lia's eyes zero in on Levi right away. "You should be in a hospital." She told him.

"So I've been told, but I'll heal quicker here." Levi nodded to Ben in greeting. He couldn't hold out his hand due to his injury.

"Lia, this is Levi, and you've met Josiah," Trinity introduced.

"Hmmm, yes," Lia said with a grin. "I expected Dad to look similar." She looked at Levi, noting his blond hair and blue eyes.

"Josiah is adopted," Trinity supplied. Some people might feel embarrassed by the faux pax, but not Lia. She charged right ahead, making light chit-chat for a few minutes, carrying the conversation all by herself and eyeing Levi while she did.

"May I use the restroom?" She asked sweetly a few minutes later. It was a little too sweet, and Ben and Trinity eyed her.

"What! I have to powder my nose. Trinity can show me where." Lia linked her arm through Trinity's with a big smile.

"It's right behind you," Levi said with an amused quirk to his lip.

They all knew what she was doing, but Levi's sense of humor was roused, and he wanted to see how far Lia would take it.

Lia's eyes narrowed as she looked at him, recognizing a dare when she heard it.

"Like waving a red cape in front of a bull," Ben said as he shook his head.

"I have to pee, and I don't want you all listening to me while I do it. Now, if you all want to sing while I'm in there, that will be fine, but if not, I need Trinity to show me somewhere a little more private."

"I know a few show tunes," Josiah contributed. "How about Oklahoma or Memories from Cats?"

"I now Oklahoma," Ben nodded.

Lia huffed. "I want to talk to Trinity about Joaish and Levi without them hearing!" Lia said in a warning voice to Ben."

"There are four charming bathrooms upstairs. Take your pick," Levi relented with a grin.

"Good, and Trinity will show me the way!" Lia started to pull Trinity across the dining room. "Ben, feel free to question Levi about his intentions towards Trinity!" she called over her shoulder.

"I can't divulge my intentions in polite company!" Levi called back.

"Who said Ben was polite?" Lia yelled as they reached the stairs. "I like him!" she said in a softer voice.

"I do too," Trinity agreed, leading the way to one of the guestrooms on the other side of the landing. 

"He's not at all what I was expecting, he's rather large, isn't he?" Lia said, entering the room and looking around.

"His job requires him to be physical, so he's well...developed." Trinity smiled.

"That's one way to put it. What does he do that's so physically demanding. I thought he ran Shaw Holdings? I must say I pictured him as this tall, dark willowy man, not skinny but not fat, unassuming." Lia walked over to the window and looked out at the mountains beyond.

"Why is that?" Trinity asked as she sat on the bed.

"I don't know. I guess I thought after everything you went through with Christopher that you would want someone less threatening." Lia shrugged.

"Levi is one of the gentlest men I know, and in answer to your other question, he's a cowboy. He owns this ranch, and that's his other fulltime job." Trinity watched Lia drop the curtain.

"It's beautiful here, and if it matters, I do like Levi."

"You only met him a few minutes ago." Trinity shook her head.

"I'm a good judge of character, remember. I knew that everything that was said about your brother was all lies as soon as I met him." Lia grinned. "Aren't you glad, now you have me in your life forever!"

Trinity laughed. "I'm glad. The restroom is right through that door behind you."

"Right!" Lia walked towards it. "You need to sing, Trinity!"

"Nope, not gonna happen. I'll go wait downstairs with the others." Trinity shut the door loudly behind her.

It was good to have Ben and Lia here. She was excited for them to get to know Josiah and Levi. It was what she needed. She needed to see her old life meeting her new life.