Page 17 of The Bad Boy’s Homecoming (The Southern Hart Brothers #2)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Missy

A Pretty Face

“A re you sure you’re comfortable here? I don’t like the idea of the Bad Boy of Baseball being in such close proximity to you,” Declan said.

Missy laughed at her overprotective cousin’s not so subtle approach. “He’s not so bad actually. Unless his sudden change of attitude is all a ploy? Do you think he’s trying to butter me up for free art?”

Declan looked over from the document he was reading. “No I think he’s trying to butter you up for other things. He didn’t get that reputation for nothing.”

Missy gulped. Why did the idea of Levi wanting her make her stomach flood with warmth and send a shiver over her at the same time?

“I don’t think I’m his type, especially as a cripple.” Missy held up her hand.

“Just remember he has a bad reputation and he’ll be leaving town again soon.”

“I’m not interested in any bad boys; I just need this hand to heal so I can get back to my art.”

“Good.”

She didn’t even realize what she was sketching until Declan let out an exasperated sigh and set the tablet down.

But as her sketch came into focus she knew Levi wasn’t going to be seeing it.

For some reason she’d drawn the tree in the front of the Hart property.

The same one Levi had tattooed on his back.

Flipping the page she set the sketch pad aside.

“Bad contract?”

“Depends on what the client wants.”

“Am I the client?” Levi said, popping his head back into the art studio.

“I’ll leave you two to discuss it. I think I need to walk around a little,” Missy said. Levi was there in a flash with one hand on her elbow as she stood. Then he moved the footstool out of her way. “Lunch is served in the kitchen with Gran,” Levi said.

The warmth from his touch lingered on her arm and she didn’t dare look at Declan because she knew he’d be annoyed. Instead she headed into the kitchen to find a fresh bowl of pasta, and her medicine sitting with a big glass of water.

“Levi made some lunch for us, and then I thought you may need a nap.”

“I don’t feel sleepy. I was thinking how nice it’d be to get some fresh air. Maybe we could go for a walk on the beach?”

Mrs. Hart laughed. “Honey, you are crazy if you think we’re going to let you walk on the beach with that hand anytime soon.”

She swallowed the pill and then took a big bite of the cheesy garlic-infused pasta. “I don’t know who taught your grandson how to cook, but they probably deserve an award,” Missy said between bites.

“That would be my late daughter-in-law, Levi’s mother. She was a wonderful cook and he always followed her around in the kitchen. After she died he didn’t seem to have much interest in cooking anymore, but it looks like he’s been perfecting his old talents.”

Missy wondered about Levi’s mom and if she’d been like her Aunt Honey, warm with endless amounts of kindness and love.

She hoped for Levi’s sake she had been a fantastic mother.

It was tough losing a parent young, and that might be the only thing they had in common.

She had the feeling Levi had a completely different experience than she had growing up, before a tragedy took his parents away.

As much as he intrigued her, she knew the only reason he was being nice to her now was because he felt obligated to.

He was more tender with her than she would have expected such a large, untrusting man to be, but that didn’t mean it meant anything more.

And she was better off not worrying about why she felt so connected to him.

The last guy she fell for ended up being a bad guy, and she’d had more than enough of that.