Page 63 of Code of Heart

She tilted her head, thoughtfully considering the invitation. “They won't leave you alone until they meet me, will they?” There was no accusation in her voice. Just a quiet assessment of the facts.

“They will make my life hell, yes.”

“Then let's do it. I wouldn’t want my husband subjected to further torture after this morning's pancake incident,” she said dryly.

He smiled, carefree for the first time in ages.

This was going to be fine. Possibly more than fine.

Until he remembered the other messages he received.

“So, about Owen's voicemails…”

CHAPTER 32

Aurelia

Aurelia sat in the passenger seat of Levi’s SUV, pretending to be absorbed in the passing scenery as they drove toward the grocery store. It was necessary now that meals were no longer a solo endeavor, and snacks would mysteriously vanish twice as fast.

But grocery lists were the furthest thing from her mind.

She couldn’t stop thinking about Owen.

Or more specificallywhatOwen saw through her bedroom window last night.

Her entire body burned remembering it. She had already died of mortification once that morning; she didn’t know if she would survive dinner with him tomorrow night. Meeting Levi’s closest friends had been daunting enough. Now she would be doing so knowing at least one of them had witnessed her most intimate moment like a live-action movie.

And she agreed to go before Levi told her what Owen said.

Such a rookie mistake.

Levi kept stealing sideways glances at her while he drove, like he expected her to unlatch the door mid-turn and execute a tuck-and-roll escape. Which honestly wasn’t entirely off the table. The urge to disappear from this planet was currently ranked right up there with her desire to disappear into the leather seat.

Still, she tried to refocus on something safe, like dinner. Planning dinner didn’t come with a side of emotional whiplash.

“Any thoughts on what you would like for dinner,” she asked, forcing her voice to sound neutral. “I was thinking of one of my favorite dishes unless there is something else you prefer. It'sthis amazing, braised pea soup that has—” She stopped mid-sentence at the sheer horror etched across Levi’s face.

Her brow furrowed. “What now? Is it soup that you have some deep-rooted issue with or is it peas…” Her voice trailed off as she watched him recoil like she had threatened his life.

“Peas are Satan's food,” Levi declared. “If I died and went to hell right now, Satan would make me eat peas for all eternity. Peas and broccolitogether.” He shuddered like a man who had survived an unspeakable trauma.

Mouth tight, Aurelia exhaled through her nose, unsure if she wanted to laugh or attempt a leap from a moving vehicle.

Her husband was turning out to be a man-child. An absurdly charming, occasionally ridiculous man-child.

“You know, I feel like everything I learned so far today should have been disclosed in your file.”

“You wound me,my wife.” Levi pressed his hand dramatically to his chest. “Would you have passed on our match because of my strong waffle convictions and anti-pea mentality?”

He batted his lashes at her in mock innocence, momentarily taking his eyes away from the road—and nearly sideswiped a parked car.

“Shit!” he hissed, abruptly jerking the wheel as he glanced in the rearview mirror. “Okay, in my defense, that car came out ofnowhere.”

Aurelia rolled her eyes as he refocused on the road. Without another word, he reached across the console, slipping his hand into hers. He peppered small kisses along the back of her knuckles that had her cheeks heating for the hundredth time that day.

He didn’t let go.

Not until they pulled into the grocery store parking lot.