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Pia: How’s Levi’s meat??

Pia: I mean meet ??

A laugh bursts out of me when I read Pia’s text. The night after Levi and I made it official, I phoned Pia. She knew everything that had happened until that point anyway, so it was only right that she was the first to hear about it. I filled Macy and Elsie in the next day at work.

None of my friends were surprised by the news. They were happy, yes, but not surprised. Apparently, I was the only one who didn’t see it coming.

I quickly reply and put my phone away when I spot Sophia walking toward me with a drink in each hand. She offered to get us something from the concession stand during intermission. We’ve been here for a few hours already, but the time has flown by, and getting to know her better has been great.

I had some reservations about meeting her this early into our relationship, but now I’m glad Levi talked me into coming this weekend. She is one of the coolest moms I’ve met and easy to be around. There’s been no stilted conversation or any awkward silences, thank goodness.

As she climbs the bleachers, a few lingering stares follow behind her.

It’s not difficult to see who Levi got his good looks from.

While his mom’s eyes are a darker shade of brown, they share the same sharp features and high cheekbones.

Her thick black hair falls down her back, and her smooth, tanned skin is flawless.

Sophia reaches our row, and I move my purse from the seat next to me to the floor, freeing up her spot.

“One water and—” she rummages around her bag, pulling out a snack bar— “something to hold you over until we get out of here for dinner.”

“Thank you, you’re a lifesaver,” I say, taking the drink and bar from her.

I didn’t know I’d be this nervous watching Levi compete. My appetite has been nonexistent since breakfast this morning. The nerves and excitement have been enough to keep food off my mind. But now, my stomach growls at the sight of the bar.

“When Levi first started competing, I’d be driving to his meets and wonder why I ever signed my child up for a sport that took hours to finish,” she says, shaking her head with a smile as she recalls the memory.

“How did he get into swimming?” I ask curiously, taking a bite of the bar.

“He’s always been an active kid, and I knew he’d need an outlet for his energy, but I was working nights at the time,” she fills me in. “Swimming was one of the few sports that aligned with my schedule.”

“It must have been hard having to do everything by yourself,” I reply, thinking about how my parents sometimes struggle to manage everything on their plate. And there are two of them!

“If I look back, I can’t fathom how I juggled everything, but somehow, it worked out.” She laughs.

Our conversation is cut short when the next round of swimmers start to emerge one by one. The crowd cheers for their favorites, and I spot Levi immediately.

It’s his last event and his best stroke: the 100-meter backstroke. I debated taking more notes, but I’d rather give my full attention to the race. Besides, I met with Professor Blackwell earlier this week, and she was happy with my progress thus far.

Levi is competing in lane five this round, and I know that’s a good sign. The middle lanes usually go to swimmers favored to win the heat.

Levi removes his sweatpants and jacket, revealing his sculpted physique, and I try not to drool. I'm all too aware that my boyfriend’s mom is sitting right next to me.

He looks up into the crowd and finds us. It’s brief, and in a blink, his gaze falls back to the rippling blue water. I know his focus has shifted.

Even from here, I can see how calm and controlled he looks. Every breath he takes is calculated. His muscles flex as he stretches and shakes them out.

Somewhere in the background, a buzzer goes off, signaling to the swimmers to get ready, and I have to remind myself to breathe.

He’s got this.

I don’t focus on anyone but Levi as they get into their starting positions.

The only other time I’ve seen him swim is during training, but it’s nothing compared to the energy in the natatorium right now. Hushed whispers fade into a pin-drop type of silence.

The start signal goes off, and the noise levels increase again as the swimmers launch into the water. The cheers and shouts of encouragement are nothing more than a buzz in my ears as my eyes track Levi.

He glides through the water with grace-like ease, but he’s not pulling ahead like I thought he would. Either he’s biding his time or swimming against some fierce competition this round.

Anxious for him, my knee bounces, and my teeth sink into my bottom lip.

Levi’s neck and neck with the person to his right. They reach the opposite wall at the same time before disappearing underwater for their flip turns. Levi breaks through the surface and takes the lead, but the gap between first and second is still tight.

Next to me, Sophia is shouting his name, but my nerves are too frayed to join in on the cheering.

“Come on, hang on,” I mutter under my breath.

Seconds feel like hours as Levi races toward first place.

After a few more powerful strokes, it’s over.

Levi’s fingers graze the wall a mere second faster than the next guy. But that’s all he needs to clinch the win.

I’m on my feet, cheering with Sophia, who wraps her arms around me, squeezing me tight as we jump up and down.

“That was so intense,” My laughter is a mix of relief and overwhelming pride.

“If I didn’t see my hairdresser once a month, I’d have a head full of gray hair already,” Sophia laughs, her eyes glistening with moisture.

After today, I’m pretty sure a few of my blonde strands have turned gray, too.

***

Sophia leaves after the medal ceremony to get a head start on dinner while I stay behind to ride back with Levi.

I spot him weaving his way through the parking lot, and my stomach flips at how good he looks in his gray sweatpants and Huska University hoodie.

When he reaches me with outstretched arms, I jump into them, letting him lift me off the ground. My arms cling to his shoulders as my legs wrap around his waist.

“You were amazing,” I murmur into the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent.

Fresh soap and a hint of chlorine linger on his skin, wrapping around me like something familiar and safe. It smells like home.

“I think you’re my lucky charm,” Levi says, holding me close.

“I’ve seen you practice. Trust me, that was all you.” I laugh as my back meets his passenger-side door.

That smirk I’ve grown to love appears. “You should come to every meet so we can test the theory.”

“I don’t know about that Whiskey Eyes. Contrary to what you think, you can’t take me everywhere with you.”

As much as I’d love to attend all his meets, I can’t expect to get off work every weekend to travel with him or keep swapping shifts.

“Let’s circle back to that,” he says. “Can I at least get a kiss for my performance today?” His gaze drops to my lips, and heat blooms on my skin.

“Absolutely.”

My body goes limp when his tongue meets mine. Only Levi’s strong arms prevent me from sliding to the floor and dragging him with me.

With every blazing touch of his tongue against mine, the heat turns up a notch, and we’re practically dry-humping against his car door. Somewhere in the frenzy of my sex-fueled brain, I hear the distinct beeping of a car before someone shouts at us to get a room.

We freeze, and our lips stop moving, but neither of us pulls away. His chest vibrates with laughter, and my cheeks warm for an entirely different reason now.

I press my palms against him, urging him to put me down. Levi steps back, and my feet find solid ground again. He quickly opens the car door, ushering me inside before buckling me up.

Leaning over me, he cups my cheek, brushing his thumb over my lower lip. “I’m happy you were here today, Teddy Bear.”

When we step into the house, the smell of a home-cooked meal greets us, and we head straight for the kitchen.

Sophia hugs Levi, telling him how proud she is. After admiring his medals, she shoos us to the table.

We fill our plates with perfectly cooked steaks, mashed potatoes and veggies. It’s simple but tasty, and everyone practically inhales their food after a long day.

Conversation flows at the table. We talk and laugh as we eat, discussing everything from embarrassing baby stories, courtesy of Sophia, to more serious topics like our classes and upcoming exams.

Levi assures his mom that his grades are fine and, yes, he’s still on track to graduate with his finance degree.

Not only is my boyfriend good-looking, but he’s also got a knack for numbers, hence his finance degree.

When Sophia directs her questions at me, I explain that I plan to get my doctorate in physical therapy and that my dream career would be to work with children.

As it turns out, she works at a local children’s hospital and happily offers to connect me with someone when it’s time to do my practical hours.

As it turns out, she works at a local children’s hospital and happily offers to put me in touch with someone when it’s time to do my practical hours.

“That was great, thanks, Ma,” Levi says with a yawn, pushing his empty plate to the side.

“Yes, thank you. It was delicious.” I add, my own plate empty.

“I’m glad you both enjoyed it.”

When Levi lets out another yawn, Sophia switches into full-on mom mode, telling him to brush his teeth and go to bed.

“I know how much these competitions wear you out. Leave the dishes to me.” She says, standing.

“I don’t mind helping you, Sophia.” I offer, gathering mine and Levi’s plates.

“Thank you, Bear.” She gives my arm a gentle squeeze. To Levi, she says, “Head to bed. We’ve got this covered.”

Levi comes around the table to hug his mom, and Sophia reminds him she has a shift at the hospital in the morning.

When he reaches me, he kisses my cheek softly and whispers, “Goodnight.”

Sophia and I rinse and stack the dishes in the dishwasher, chatting as we work. It doesn’t take long before the kitchen is clean and the dining room straightened out.

“That’s everything, then,” she says, hanging up dishtowel. “Thank you again, Bear.”

“You’re welcome. My mom usually cooks at home, and my dad and I were always on clean-up duty.”

“Levi mentioned you’re from California?”

“Yes, this is my first time living out of state.”

“And you chose Colorado, of all places?” She laughs softly. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s beautiful, but the winters are nowhere near as mild as California.”

“It will be an adjustment, but Levi promised to help me learn how to love the snow.” I grin.

He’s already offered to teach me how to snowboard. And even though it’s still a few months away, I’m excited to experience my first Colorado winter, snow and all.

“I hope I’m not stepping out of line when I say this,” Sophia says, leaning against the counter.

My heart rate speeds up.

Is this the mom equivalent of we need to talk ?

I force myself not to fidget with my shirt cuff and maintain eye contact while waiting for her to continue.

“Levi has always been a serious kid and never quite grew out of it.” Her smile is soft, almost borderline sad.

“But these past few weeks, he’s seemed happier and more carefree, like he’s finally letting himself enjoy life.

And after seeing the two of you together, I have a feeling a lot of that has to do with you.

So, thank you for being there for my son in ways a mother can’t. ”

Her words stun me into silence, and tears burn the back of my eyes. I blink quickly to keep them from spilling over.

Coming from someone who’s known him his whole life, I know how much weight those words carry.

Between the two of us, it’s easy to assume I took the bigger risk by committing to this relationship. But I’ve forgotten someone else’s heart, and trust lies in my hands, too. Someone who has a family that doesn’t want to see them get hurt, either.

“I feel lucky to have found him,” I tell her, and I mean every word.

I never thought I could open myself up to the possibility of falling in love again so soon after everything that happened. But that’s the thing about falling in love. You don’t even realize it’s happening. Not until it hits you square in the chest in your boyfriend’s childhood kitchen.