Page 10 of Anything (Mayberry University #1)

CHAPTER NINE

“Bone-in wings are buy one, get one.”

As if Sophie needs a restaurant deal to plan an outing—we already know her better than that.

I appreciate it though. Money is tight, and I mean a child’s piggy bank could hold my life’s savings in quarters.

My parents taught me to stretch a dollar, so I can partake responsibly.

I’ll order the minimum and a water. Five bucks plus tip.

I love all things spicy, so this is worth it.

“I’m down.” I grab a jacket from the closet. What am I thinking? I hang it back.

“Yeah, it’s barely September,” Ayumi says, a San Antonio native. “You won’t be needing that for a few months still.”

Sheesh, Texas. “No wings?” I ask.

“I’m happy here. Thanks.”

She’s missing out on the full college experience, skipping almost every invitation we send her way. To each her own, I guess .

Sophie’s still in the doorway, bouncing more than usual. “Mia and the others are meeting us at the parking lot. Ready?”

I wonder which other girls are coming along, but Sophie leads the way across the field to the Albert Hall parking lot rather than to our own.

There’s Mia, but she’s standing with a group of guys.

Oh, and Levi. There hasn’t even been a full day for my weird freakout to blow over.

And he keeps glancing at me as we approach. I pretend I don’t notice.

Does he pay for a stylist with his fancy trust fund or does he just ooze with fashion sense like he does confidence and charm? Pretend I don’t notice.

Chino pants and a T-shirt never looked so sophisticated. Like Harvey Specter on a day off. Pretend I don’t notice!

I have to get a grip. I’ve been dodging my own thoughts for the past twenty-four hours, but if I can’t trust myself to make good decisions, I’ll wade through the sludge again. Even if it pulls me under.

Haymitch snaps me back to reality with a slap on Levi’s arm. “Jeeves can fit eight in his rollin’ mansion.”

A Range Rover, huh? Not sure I’ve ever seen one of these up close. Odd that he doesn’t want to talk about money but drives that thing.

In this pack of rowdy boys, not one calls shotgun. Some steal a glance at me. The group splits between Calvin’s dented sedan and Levi’s SUV. Sophie and Mia crawl into the third row of the Range Rover with Austin.

Oh. I’ve been unknowingly paralyzed while I thought it over. Why can’t I think and walk at the same time? Just in time, I barge into the remaining bucket seat in the middle row before Haymitch can.

I grimace at him in apology. “I call the back seat, middle, with my feet on the hump!” Hopefully they know Brian Regan or now I seem even crazier. I’m not even in the right seat for that quote.

Haymitch chuckles. “Whatever suits ya.” Feeling his way to the next door, he slides to the front passenger seat and sends Levi a look.

Arm on the center console, Levi twists back toward me.

I don’t think it’s the Brian Regan quote that’s amusing him.

The lights are on in the car, and all I see is dancing hazel.

I can’t pretend not to notice, but I close my mouth and shrug, like his devastating handsomeness ain’t no thang.

On the bright side, he doesn’t seem to think I was weird beyond excuse last night. Wait, but that’s not good.

He points his head at the wide-open door beside me, but Haymitch is already unbuckled and closing it.

“Oh, you don’t want your door ripped off? Whatever suits ya,” I imitate.

Levi presses his lips together to hold back the laugh visible in his eyes.

He switches the Jon Foreman to NEEDTObrEATHE.

Good vibe change, good taste. Add them to the growing list of reasons this guy is obnoxiously likable.

Too bad I’ll be enforcing a cavern of distance between us.

No bridges allowed, no rappelling, no hot air balloons.

No transit of any kind across said cavern.

This SUV is indeed a rolling mansion. I turn in my soft and springy leather seat and come up with things to talk about with the guy sitting next to me.

Flooder 2. Ethan? I was a coward to choose small talk over that front seat.

I don’t hear much of their conversation, but Levi and Haymitch seem like they’ve been friends a long time.

At the restaurant, Austin asks for the best-lit spot the hostess can manage—odd—and she guides us to a long table.

Like the perpetual fourth grader I am, I veer to stay on the other side of the group from Levi.

I don’t appreciate the internal tug-of-war his presence incites.

And now I’m thinking about that night again. Squash it down.

Holding Levi’s shoulder as he navigates across the room, Haymitch’s eyes are glazed and unfocused.

He can’t see? Trailing behind Mia and Sophie, I’m relieved I can sit at the end of the table butting up to the wall.

Fewer people to talk to at once. I’ve always been a small group kind of person.

Shoot, I should have waited. Levi maneuvers to sit across from me.

Haymitch reaches to find the chair in front of him.

He blinks and pans around as if his vision will return to him any moment.

Levi levels his gaze at me and cracks a charming smile.

He’s doing a terrible job keeping up with his bachelor-for-life reputation, and I fight the instinct to feel honored.

Concern and caution are more warranted, so I aim for those instead.

Austin whispers in Ethan’s ear and trades with him to sit across from Sophie and next to Haymitch.

Sophie sings along to every word as “What My World Spins Around” plays in the background.

“You know my music, City Girl?” Austin asks her, pulling in his chair.

Sophie rears back in faux offense. Her happy eyes give her away.

“I would’ve pegged you for a Swiftie,” he says.

“What do you mean your music?” she asks.

“Country music is small town music. Didn’t you say you’re from LA?”

“Uh-oh,” I murmur to Mia. This will be entertaining.

“Right?” Mia agrees.

“I’m from Pasadena. It’s LA county, not Los Angeles. And Jordan Davis just went on an international tour.” She raises her brows at him. “He played in Stockholm and Copenhagen, but his music is only for small towns?”

Austin pushes his rolled sleeves to his elbows and bends over in mischief, resting his wide, hairy forearms on the table. “Good for him. It’s still small-town music. You even know what the first line of this song means?”

Haymitch elbows Levi like this isn’t Austin’s usual.

“Let’s see,” Sophie says. “Cast, water, line, so … fishing?”

“Ding ding.” Haymitch lounges in his seat and adjusts his backward baseball cap .

Sophie tips her shoulder, proud. “Pretty good for a ‘city girl,’ huh? Besides, you don’t have to live in a small town to go fishing.”

“Okay, little lady,” Austin says. “What’s a back-forty view?”

She looks to Mia and me. “Can I phone a friend?”

“No idea,” I say. “Sorry, Sophs.”

Levi meets my eyes, but I glance away.

“Girl, I don’t have one clue,” Mia says. “Miami is south, not The South.”

“Don’t say it, Haymitch.” Austin half smiles.

“What?” Mia asks.

Haymitch gestures to zip his lips. His vision must be back because his eyes focus again.

Levi chuckles. “‘Don’t mess with Texas’ is more command than slogan.”

“Haymitch doesn’t think Texas is The South either,” Austin says.

“You feel left out?” Sophie teases Austin. “Wish people wouldn’t make assumptions based on where you’re from?”

A pleased smirk grows on his face. “One point Sophie.”

“I would have thought this was The South,” I say. “The people in Pinecrest are so friendly and hospitable.”

“’Preciate that.” Austin says.

“And all the fried chicken spots,” Mia says.

“And all the twang.” Sophie sends the challenge straight across the table.

He sends her a flirty glance. “Does it remind you of my music?”

Mia points her head toward the two of them and leans to me. “Are we on board with this?”

“I mean, he seems safe.” I keep my voice low.

“Safe, sure, but he’s not bothering her?”

“Huh? She looks happy.”

“The safest,” Levi says quietly.

I swivel to him. He could hear us?

He sends me a reassuring nod. You, on the other hand …

Haymitch interrupts my thoughts. “How ’bout you, Jeeves? You been here two years. What’s your take on Texas?”

“I think the barbecue here is the best I’ve ever had.”

“Preach,” Austin says.

“The brisket is some’n else,” Haymitch agrees. “Wish I could introduce you to ‘Bama White Sauce though.”

“Let’s make it happen.” Levi says.

“Christmas break? Maybe we can drag Samwise away from his family for a couple o’ days.”

“If you can convince Janie,” Austin says.

“Janie?” Sophie asks.

“My baby sister.”

“He don’t like tellin’ his sister no,” Haymitch says to us.

“Aw,” Sophie says to Austin. “You’re a softie.”

“She’s, what, seventeen now?” Haymitch asks.

“Nearly. She’s still a baby.” Austin sends a look to Haymitch, who raises his hands in innocence.

“Janie won’t like it,” Levi says to us, “but convincing her might be within our power.”

“You could sell a megaphone to a mime, Jeeves,” Austin says.

Haymitch sputters a laugh.

“We’ve hung out with her at The Farm many times,” Levi explains.

“It’s not actually a farm,” Austin says to us.

“It’ll always be The Farm,” Levi says.

Every time he speaks, his smooth voice is a magnet pulling me back, forcing my gaze to him.

Each time, it’s a zap of pleasure I can’t afford.

Sophie dives in headfirst, but I can’t. Not after Aiden.

No matter how kind or gentle Levi seems, I have to make better choices this time.

Desperate for a distraction, I turn to Mia. “How are your sisters?”

Maybe she can anchor me back to solid ground.