"How do I look?" Norene asked Greta who smiled at the pretty woman. "You look stunning Norene. Ms. Lily will be pleased you put effort into your look for tonight."
Norene stared at herself in the mirror and grinned. "Not half bad Huh?" She spoke to herself before giving a twirl. Relax Norene, nothing special just dinner with Ms. Lily.
Norene calmed down and smoothed her dress down before giving herself one more pat down for the hair. "Okay good." She mumbled to herself. Greta snorted. "What Greta?" Norene crossed her arms.
Greta smirked. "You are putting in a lot of effort for tonight... any particular reason?" She lifted a brow. Norene scowled. "If you think this is for Levi you are wrong. I still don't like him."
Greta rolled her eyes. "Mhmm. You both are having a hard time pretending to despise each other as of late." Norene scoffed in utter offense. "Greta get your head out of the romance novels you read."
The other woman simply laughed at her distress before exiting her room. Norene grumbled to herself out of the door too. She passed Levi's room but he happened to already be downstairs. She slowly took her steps down the staircase and made her way to the dining area where Levi and Lily were waiting for her.
"Oh Nori you look fantastic! I remember when I was a cute little thing like you!" Lily-Anne gushed.
Norene smiled in her direction before slightly glancing at Levi. His expression gave nothing away. No impressed features, no admiration, no disgust or dislike...simply nothing. She decided not to think too hard about it and went to sit.
Levi stood up and pulled the chair out for her making her give a quiet nod of thanks. She took her seat and looked around expectantly to say grace.
"Hold hands everyone!" Lily chirped excitedly. Norene took Lily's eager hand first before accepting the hand Levi held out for her. His hand was very large and he held her hand with a comforting firmness.
His thumb began to trace little circles just like he had when she burnt herself on the stove. Norene was starting to take Greta's previous words serious. Was Mr. Brooks trying to seduce her? Norene asked the Lord for forgiveness as she interrupted her concentration for prayer and looked up at the man who was already staring at her.
She was so thankful she was a dark skinned woman, she blushed so easily when she was embarrassed. Many confused her for being flustered but she was sure she was just embarrassed. Especially now, Levi could not fluster her.
He didn't fluster her no way.
His eyes were such a beautiful shade of jade green. They paired nice with his dark chestnut brown hair. Norene wasn't even too bothered with the fact that she was looking right back at him at this moment. It was like they were communicating in their heads.
Norene didn't know what the conversation was but it definitely caused her to cross and uncross her legs a few times.
"Amen!"
Norene snapped her head back into Lily's direction in shock. Good heavens she was a sinner. Father I am so sorry please forgive me and please get me out of the trance of this white man!
"Well let's eat." Lily smiled. The food was good, Georgia must have made it. Norene had yet to see Georgia since what happened this morning.
"Nothing like your cooking Norene but dinner is pretty good." Lily grinned as she took a bite. "Thank you Ms. Lily."
"You are going to make an excellent wife one day. How has a handsome man not swept you up yet?" Lily playfully slapped her arm. "I am not too focused on settling down right now Ms. Lily. I am sure one day I will be ready." Norene assured her as she played with her food. Levi's stare was still very penetrating.
"I can respect that. But don't close the door... you never know when he's coming." She winked knowingly as she whispered it to Norene.
Norene cleared her throat before drinking some more wine. "So you're not looking?" Levi's voice was the one who spoke up. Norene sassily cocked her head at him. "No Mr. Brooks. I haven't been outside the house yet to meet some good black men."
She watched him smirk back at her. "Well don't confine yourself." Levi added with a little a**hole laugh. He was f*cking with her again.
Lily nodded. "I'm sure all men of all the races would like a lady like you Nori!"
Dinner was for the most part simple. Not too much discomfort for Norene. Levi wasn't too chatty but he listened attentively. "Lee your father called for you the other day." Lily-Anne nodded in her son's direction.
Norene swore she saw a glimpse of anger in his eyes but his face went right back to being expressionless. "Oh. What did he need?" He spun his glass of whiskey. "To talk." Lily didn't say more. But based on Levi's reaction, Norene could tell talking to his father was the last thing he wanted.
"Ms. Lily are you from Texas?" Norene changed the topic quickly. "Oh no honey, I'm from Louisiana." Lily smiled with pride. "How is it over there? It seems lively."
Lily went off on a whole tangent about Baton Rouge her home town before she got into the joys of New Orleans. Levi looked for to Norene who caught eyes with him and gave her a very small and very quick smile of appreciation.
Norene responded with one of her own. Poor Ms. Lily was in her own world she was not paying attention to the stolen glances between the two adults. Norene knew she was definitely slightly flirting with him and she was condemning herself for it.
She was such a traitor entertaining a white man like this! She knew better, she was raised better. She had to remind herself that as long as she didn't participate in anything with him fully that she was okay. A harmless flirt wasn't going to be her demise.
So while their occasional eye glances and banter was entertaining, she knew that she could only allow it for so long. She didn't want to step any further and get herself into trouble. Besides he was very childish in how he regarded her in the beginning.
Good girl Norene, stay away from the Caucasian.
"Do y'all want some dessert? I am a little tired so I think I am going to head up." Lily yawned. "Oh no Ms. Lily I am all set too." Norene stood to her feet as the other help came to clear their plates. Fiona brushed past Norene with a slight look on her face but said nothing.
Norene helped carry some dishes to the back before making her way to the stairs.
"Retiring already?" Levi's voice came from behind her. Norene turned spun around. "It's getting late." She reasoned. Levi just looked at her causing her to roll her eyes.
"You clean up nice...you look lovely." He admitted making Norene's face heat up. She looked down at her feet and then the side wall to avoid his face. "Um thank you."
"It ain't polite not to look at someone when they talk to you Norene. You northerners do that a lot." He teased her. The jerk knew he had flustered her.
"Now I already said thank you! You constantly do too much Levi." She retorted. She poked his broad chest with her finger and looked at him mischievously. "This. Is. Why. I. Don't. Like. You." She emphasized with more pokes.
He didn't seem annoyed by it. In fact Levi on the other hand thoroughly enjoyed being touched by Norene. She had a soft touch. She was the perfect woman for his tastes, he just knew her innocence has to be a façade.
"The more you keep saying you don't like me the less I believe you." He challenged her gripping her wrist and pulling her a little closer. Norene chuckled gently pulling away from his seduction. "Well what have you really done to get me to like you?"
Levi stopped and thought for a minute. She had definitely stumped him there. He held his hand out and took his hat off. "Come take a walk with me darlin' just around the garden."
Norene skeptically looked at his out stretched hand. "You're not going to send me to the Clan are you?" Levi's expression looked slightly offended. "Now why the hell would I do that."
"Because you don't like me either." She still had some hesitance in her tone. Levi inhaled closing his eyes and exhaled to open them. "I don't mess around with Klan men, they are an embarrassment and I wouldn't do that to you." He spoke so genuine that Norene actually kind of believed him.
She slowly put her hand in his and let him lead her away. As soon as they opened the door he was expecting to see the evening sky but instead he was met with the face of his sister Sarah-Grace and his ex-wife Evangeline.
"Now Lee what the hell is going on here!"
Thoughts...?