Well Played by Vi Keeland
CHAPTER 7
Levi
I’d just gone to the kitchen to grab some coffee the next morning when I heard Presley on the phone with her mother.
“I was wondering if you could watch Alex tonight, early evening.”
Great. I bet my suspicions were correct—the coach had asked her out yesterday. She was probably planning for her little date with the dude who wanted to give her his pipe rather than help her fix them.
“Oh, shoot. I forgot you had that,” she said after a moment. “No biggie. I’ll figure something out or change my plans.”
She wrapped things up with her mother and hung up before she noticed me. “Oh…hey.”
“Hey,” I said, stirring some sugar into my coffee. “I can watch Alex if you need me to.”
Presley looked surprised as she picked out a mug for herself. “Oh. I wouldn’t have thought to bother you.”
I arched my brow. “Why?”
“I guess I just assumed you might have plans.”
“I’m free tonight, if you need me.”
She paused. “Actually, that would be great.”
I used this as an opportunity. “Where are you headed?”
She looked over her shoulder and whispered, “I’m having drinks with Coach Jeremy, actually.”
Shocker. “I should’ve known after he pulled you aside yesterday. I was wondering if he was going in for the kill.”
“You make it sound so…aggressive,” she said as she poured her coffee.
“Isn’t it, though? Making a move on one of your camp kids’ mothers?”
“I didn’t realize there was a rule against that. Did you make it up?” Her tone was sarcastic.
“I hope you see now that his offer to help you was officially bullshit.”
“He can be both helpful and want to take me out. That doesn’t make him a bad person.”
“Alright. I didn’t take you for gullible.” I took a long sip of coffee that nearly burned my throat.
“Gullible? Because I choose not to see the worst in everyone?” She set her mug down hard on the table. “Anyway, let’s suppose he was simply making a play for me when he offered help—who really cares? It’s not a crime.”
“I’m sure Alex will care.”
“Why is that?”
“You’re dating his coach. The other kids will give him shit for that when they find out.”
“First of all, I’m not dating him. Second, Alex won’t know where I’m going tonight. I’m telling him I’m meeting a friend.”
“Well, don’t worry. Your dirty little secret is safe with me.”
“Dirty?”
“There’s nothing clean about his intentions. I hope you know that.”
“I still don’t understand how you’re so sure of that.”
“I’m a guy. I know how we look at women we want to bang. That’s exactly how he was looking at you yesterday.”
“Well, luckily, this is none of your concern. So you can stay out of it.”
“My nephew is, though.”
Fuck. I’d been completely inappropriate playing the Alex card. I’d gone too far, but it was too late to take it back. She looked at me with daggers in her eyes and decided to hit me where it hurt.
“Since when do you take responsibility for your nephew? You never came to visit him once in New York, even when you played there, and suddenly he’s your concern?”
“I’m trying to change.”
“Look, I’ll have you know… Jeremy Brickson could have all of these bad intentions you’re warning me about. But I bet I’d still be safer with him than I ever was with your brother.”
She’s probably right. I sighed. “I’m not saying my brother was the right man for you, either. You probably dodged a bullet there.” My tone softened. “Listen, I’m sorry. Alright? I’m just…stressed about a few things today. I shouldn’t be giving you shit. Go have a good time.”
Presley sighed. “Well, I appreciate you offering to watch Alex. I think he’ll be excited about that.”
I sucked it up. “What time are you leaving?”
“Jeremy told me to let him know. But I’m flexible. You tell me what works for you.”
“Anytime is fine.”
“Okay, I’m gonna tell him five. That way it’s early enough that if I’m not feeling it, we don’t have to do dinner. I can make up a story that I have to prepare something for Alex.”
“And if it’s working, you’re gonna stay out late?”
“I don’t know. I guess it depends.”
I swallowed. “Okay, well…I have all night anyway.”
“Thank you. Again, I really appreciate it.”
Presley put her cup in the dishwasher and walked out of the room. My eyes might have lingered a little too long on her tight, round backend.
What is wrong with me?
“Sucks, doesn’t it?”
For a second, I thought my damn conscience was talking to me.
But it wasn’t. It was Fern.
I blinked. “What?”
“Watching her pretty ass go out with someone,” she clarified. “It sucks.”
Apparently, she’d been listening to our conversation.
“What are you getting at?” I snapped.
“Presley and you. Don’t think I don’t see that y’all secretly want to…explore each other. Why else would you be buttin’ heads all the time? Two attractive people don’t get that heated with each other on the regular unless they be wantin’ something more.”
My face heated as I dismissed her. “You’re nuts, old woman.”
“Am I, now?” She cackled. “Why are you so invested in her going out with a decent man? Not like her son’s coach is some guy she picked up in a bar. You’re manipulatin’ her by pushin’ guilt cuz you know you want a piece yourself.”
This woman is going to drive me crazy.
“Fern, who the hell made you the expert on what’s going on inside my head?”
“Your gramps, actually. You’re just like him. Wouldn’t know a good woman if she smacked her titties in your face. How do you think he and I got together?”
“Well, I hope it had nothing to do with you smacking your titties in his face. But please spare me the details.”
“You remember his friend Roland?” she asked.
“Yeah, of course.”
“You know Roland and I used to be together. We were a thing.”
“I didn’t know that, actually.”
“Yeah. Roland kicked me to the curb to go back with his ex-wife, and it took your gramps two years before he grew the balls to ask me out. He was too afraid of what Roland would think, even though Roland and I weren’t with each other anymore. I know that’s what’s going on here. You like Miss Presley, but she’s your brother’s ex girl. So you’re not making a move. You’re just taking your frustration out on her.”
“You know what I think? That you’re making shit up right now.” I shook my head. “You are right about one thing, Fern. I wouldn’t be pursuing any ex of my brother’s—but especially not Presley.”
“Why?”
“I don’t have to list the reasons. Plus, I don’t trust your big mouth—with all due respect.”
She flashed a mischievous smile. “How much are you gonna give me if I’m wrong, rich boy?”
I squinted. “Wrong about what, exactly?”
“About you two hooking up someday?”
“That’s a losing bet for you.”
“Ten grand,” she demanded.
This woman is out of her damn mind. “I don’t place bets.”
“Liar. You got one goin’ right now with Presley about whether she can book up this place.”
“That’s my one exception.” I scratched my head. “Anyway, what the hell would I get out of this?”
“Maybe I’ll consider leaving this place quietly so you don’t have to kick me out.”
“Now you’re tempting me.” I laughed. “Anyway, ten grand? You’re not asking for much, are you?”
“I know you’re good for it. Many times over.”
“I’m not gonna end up giving you shit, except maybe a few months’ rent after I have to kick your ass out when we sell this place,” I teased.
“If you’re so sure of yourself, why are you scared to bet me?”
She was starting to piss me off. Mainly because her challenge made me feel so on edge.
“You know what? You got it, Fern. Ten freaking grand. That’s how confident I am that you’re smoking crack right now.”
***
That afternoon, I brought over a realtor who’d been recommended to me to look at The Palm Inn. Even though Presley seemed determined to make a go of the bed and breakfast, I still needed to prepare for when she inevitably couldn’t since the Franklin Construction offer wouldn’t last forever.
I texted Presley to let her know Harry Germaine would be coming by around two that afternoon.
After I greeted him at the door, I let him in and began showing him around The Palm.
I suddenly heard loud music coming from the kitchen.
What the fuck?
I made my way over there, and Harry followed.
Fern and Presley were dancing—fucking dancing. And Fern was drumming a spoon against a pot. There was an ancient-looking tape recorder on the counter playing the music. After a few minutes, I realized what it was. The voice was all too familiar.
“Is that Gramps singing?” I asked.
Fern smiled wide as she banged on the pot. “Sure is.”
My grandfather used to play the banjo out front and sing along to old country songs. The neighbors would sit on the lawn and listen with their beers in hand. Those were some of the best memories. I never realized we had any of his performances recorded. I closed my eyes and took a few moments to transport myself back to that time.
“He kept a stash of himself singing on tape. Loved to listen to himself, that man,” Fern said.
“Just another wonderful memory here at The Palm Inn.” Presley smiled at me exaggeratedly.
“I know what you’re doing.” I groaned. “Don’t think I’m stupid.”
“Oh, I’m not even trying to pretend. My intentions are no secret, Miller.”
She winked at me, and I got the strangest urge to bend her over the counter and slap her beautiful ass. I definitely would be keeping that to myself.
Harry and I left the kitchen, and the music faded as we made our way around the house. I noticed Fern had left bras hanging to dry in several of the rooms. More than usual.
Harry cleared his throat. “I’m sensing a common theme here.”
“Not sure why she needs to do that. We have a damn clothesline out back.”
Actually, I knew why she’d spread them all around today. She was trying to mess with me.
“Well, hopefully once we start showing the place, you can clear them out,” he said.
I eagerly changed the subject. “So, what do you think in terms of a listing price?”
“I think we can go even higher than previously estimated, actually. Not to mention, now is a really good time to sell, given the market. I would highly suggest getting the ball rolling.”
That was excellent news, but somehow I felt a pang of guilt. Those two had gotten to me.
After we finished the tour, I walked Harry to the door. We stepped out front together.
I shook his hand. “I appreciate you coming out.”
“I’m just a phone call away whenever you’re ready to pull the trigger.”
Back inside, I found Presley and Fern in the kitchen.
“So did we scare him away?” Fern laughed.
“Hardly. He thinks we can get even more for The Palm Inn than Franklin wanted to pay. We really need to have another serious discussion, Presley.”
“Yeah, well, that won’t be happening tonight,” she said. “I have to get ready to go.”
After Presley exited the room, I looked over at Fern, who smirked at me.
“Already planning how I’m gonna spend that 10K.”
Determined not to dignify her comment with a response, I simply rolled my eyes before going in search of Alex.
I found him in his room. “Do you know what you want to do tonight?” I asked. “I get you all to myself.”
“I know. Mom’s going out. I love it when she goes out because I get to have takeout.”
“What’s wrong with your mom’s cooking? I like that better than takeout.”
“You’ll eat anything, Uncle Levi.”
“I guess that’s true.”
“I think my mom is going out on a date,” he suddenly announced.
I played dumb. “What makes you say that? I thought she was just meeting a friend.”
“I saw her putting on makeup and a pretty dress. It’s what girls do in the movies when they’re going out on a date.”
“Well, I think your mom deserves a night out whether it’s a date or not, right? She works hard to make sure you’re happy every day. She deserves some happiness, too.”
I stopped to take in my own words, which were a reminder that I really needed to stay out of Presley’s business. I regretted my conversation with her this morning. I should’ve never tried to make her feel guilty about going out with this dude just because he was Alex’s coach. That was a sad excuse to interfere. Why was I even doing it? It was messed up that I had a vested interest in whether or not she dated this guy.
I snapped myself out of my thoughts. “So what do you want to order tonight?”
“Is Iggy’s still around?” he asked.
“Yeah. How do you know about Iggy’s?”
“My dad told me about it the last time I saw him. He said he used to go there when he was my age. I haven’t asked Mom to take me there because I didn’t want to make her sad if I told her why I wanted to go.”
“Your mom can handle that. Just because your parents aren’t together anymore doesn’t mean they make each other sad.”
“I know. But I thought maybe it would make her mad. So I didn’t say anything.”
“Your dad and I both used to love Iggy’s, you know. They have the best fried chicken and biscuits—even better than the chicken your mom made the other night, which was really good, by the way.”
“Yeah. That’s what Dad said, that they have the best chicken. I wanna try it.”
“Iggy’s it is, then. I haven’t been there in ages.”
“Can we eat there?”
This town wasn’t very big. Without knowing where exactly Presley might end up tonight, I didn’t want to commit to taking Alex out where he could potentially spot her with the coach, so I made up a story.
“I was kind of looking forward to a night in. Is it okay if we just pick it up and bring it back here?”
He shrugged. “Yeah, okay.”
Presley interrupted us as she entered the room. “I just wanted to hug you before I leave, baby. I shouldn’t be gone too long.”
I felt my eyes widen. She wore a tiny black dress and high heels. She’d even put a flower barrette in her hair. It was a damn sexy look, and it made me all kinds of messed up inside to think of the message she’d be sending that guy.
“It’s no rush,” I managed to tell her. “We’re gonna have an early dinner and maybe watch a movie or something. Stay out all night if you want.”
“It shouldn’t be that late,” she said.
“Like I said, doesn’t matter if it is.”
She wrapped her hands around Alex’s. “Be a good boy for your uncle, okay?”
“Okay, Mom. Have a good time.”
“I will, baby. Thank you.”
Soon after she left, Alex and I drove to Iggy’s. He came inside with me as we fetched the paper bags filled with fried chicken, French fries, and biscuits. I told him about the time his father won a chicken-eating contest right out front and reminisced about the times we’d gone to Iggy’s with the whole family on a Friday night after our dad got off work. Friday nights were the only time we ever ate out. My mother always said she deserved a night off once a week, so we’d visit a different local place for dinner. In those days, I’d had no idea that my parents’ marriage was on the rocks. They divorced when we were much older. I got to at least enjoy my parents together for a while—unlike my nephew, who can’t remember his ever getting along, thanks to Tanner.
Back home, Alex and I set up a table out in the yard. It made me happy to see him scarfing down the Iggy’s food. There was something cool about watching another generation discover the things you’d enjoyed. I couldn’t figure out how it was fair that I was the one here enjoying this moment and not his father. But it was Tanner’s loss.
Taking a bite of my chicken, I decided to probe him a little. “Are you happy to be in Beaufort?”
He nodded. “I love it here. I just wish we weren’t so far from my dad.”
His answer was a little heartbreaking.
“Yeah. I know. I can imagine how hard that is.”
“We didn’t see him much in New York, but if he wants to come see me now, it’s even harder.”
“I’m sorry, Alex. You deserve better. But you know, I grew up with your dad, so you might say I know him better than a lot of people do. I know who he truly is. And I do think one day he’s going to wake up and realize he’s not been the dad he should have been. And he’ll make it up to you.”
Did I just make a promise on my brother’s behalf that I wouldn’t necessarily be able to keep? I had no proof Tanner would ever make things right, but I wanted to give his son some damn hope.
“And one thing I can definitely promise is that I’m gonna be a better uncle to you. I want you to count on me. There aren’t all that many Miller men left anymore. It’s just the three of us. We need to stick together. You got it?”
“Got it,” he said as he ripped a big piece of chicken off the bone with his teeth.
“You know what we used to do after we’d come home from Iggy’s on Friday nights when I was a kid?”
“What?” he asked with his mouth full of chicken.
“We’d have ice cream for dessert. I picked up a couple of different kinds earlier. Want some?”
He jumped in his seat. “Yeah!”
It was getting a little chilly out anyway, so after we finished eating, we moved our party into the kitchen.
Fern, who seemed to be everywhere I was lately, was also in the kitchen.
As I prepared two bowls of Rocky Road for Alex and me, I turned to her. “Care to join us for some ice cream, Fern?”
She smiled. “Sure. Don’t mind if I do.” She looked at the container. “Rocky Road. Sounds like the path a certain someone is going to be on if he keeps pushing to sell this place.”
“Very funny.”
The three of us sat at the table, and we were able to have a relatively jab-free few minutes enjoying our ice cream—until my phone chimed.
Fern reached her hand toward my phone on the table. “Presley’s textin’!”
I went to grab it so fast that I hit my damn injured knee on the leg of the table.
“Fuck.” I quickly turned to Alex. “You didn’t hear that.”
He giggled.
“Are you okay?” Fern asked. “Seems like something got you a little excited there.”
I glared at her and looked down to read the text.
Presley: We’re gonna do dinner after all. Hope that’s okay.
My stomach churned. Why did it upset me that things were apparently going well? I knew I should’ve been happy for her, but I couldn’t be.
I’d pretend, though.
Levi: Cool. Yup. We’re all good here.
Presley: What did you end up doing?
Levi: Took him to Iggy’s but we ate it here. Told him some old stories. Having ice cream now. Nice night.
After about a minute, she texted back.
Presley: Aw, nice. Okay. Thanks again.
Levi: Anytime.
I turned to Alex. “That was your mom. She’s having a good time, so she’s heading out to dinner now. I told her we were all good here.”
Fern stirred the pot. “Dinner and hopefully some dessert.”
She was enjoying this way too much. But since she seemed to see my weird, territorial feelings toward Presley, I had to ignore her and not engage. The last thing I needed was for her to say something Alex picked up on. He was sharper than she realized.
After I cleaned up our bowls, Alex and I turned on a movie in the living room. He fell asleep before the ending, so after the credits rolled, I carried him to his room and tucked him in.
I took a few moments to look down at his sleeping face, once again marveling at how much he looked like me. The fact that he’d wanted to go to Iggy’s really had touched me. And our conversations tonight only added to that. It had been an emotional evening. I just wished one of the emotions wasn’t anxiousness over the fact that Presley still wasn’t home.
Finally, the door opened around 10PM.
I was watching TV in the living room when she walked in. I started to chastise her about how late she’d stayed out, but then stopped myself. “How was it?” I asked instead.
She threw her purse down on a chair. “It was…nice.”
I gritted my teeth. “Just nice?”
“Yeah. You know, about what I expected.”
As she sat across from me, I felt a sharp jolt of pain in my bad knee. I started to massage it.
She looked at it. “Is your knee still hurting you?”
“I reinjured it tonight.”
Her mouth dropped. “How?”
“I banged it against the damn leg of the table.”
“Seriously? That’s crazy. At least I can’t take credit for it this time.”
“Actually, it was kind of your fault.”
Presley’s nose wrinkled. “What?”
“When you texted me, nosy-ass Fern was looking at my phone and tried to grab it. I jumped to take it from her, and that’s when I hit my knee.”
“That’s my fault?”
“No. I’m teasing. It was my fault. I was on edge about you being out, so I overreacted.” Why did I just admit that? “But tell me about tonight.”
She looked a bit confused before she answered. “Jeremy is really nice. Like really, really nice. And smart and funny…”
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I said, “Okay…”
“But honestly, after I texted and you told me what you guys had done tonight—going to Iggy’s and reminiscing—I sort of lost focus. All I wanted was to be home. Which is weird, you know? That shouldn’t have happened so easily.”
My heart began to beat faster. “I wished you were with us too,” I admitted.
She rubbed her palms together. “So, you said you were on edge tonight…because of me?”
I nodded, but it took several seconds before I could respond. “I can’t properly explain it. But yeah.” I shook my head, not wanting to elaborate. “Anyway, I apologize for trying to make you feel guilty about things this morning.”
Her mouth spread into a smile. “There are worse things in the world than having a handsome football star acting all protective over you. I appreciate you looking out for me.”
“It wasn’t exactly as noble as that. But I will look out for you from now on, Presley. You and I, we didn’t know each other all that well before. But I feel like after I leave in a couple of months, things will be different. I don’t plan to lose touch with you guys.”
“I’m kind of getting used to having you around, Levi. It’s gonna suck when you leave.”
I hadn’t realized I was still rubbing my knee until Presley moved from her seat and positioned herself next to me. She placed her hand on it and began to gently massage. My body stirred.
“Does that feel okay?” she whispered.
“Yeah. It does. More than okay.”
I bent my head back, swearing at myself for enjoying her damn touch more than I’d enjoyed…well, hell, the last time I’d had sex. What the fuck was wrong with me? Getting off on Alex’s mother?
But I saw her as so much more than that now, didn’t I? And it was starting to become a problem.
