22. Levi

22

LEVI

A t the county jail, Levi stood with Lily by his side as the sheriff spoke with the lady at intake, shaking his head.

“Cal,” Levi said quietly. “When you’re finished, could I chat with you for a sec?”

Sheriff Cal ambled over, looking sorry to have to be in this position.

“I know you’re only doing your job,” Levi said. “The baby’s mom is coming back for her tomorrow morning. She’s planning to come to the house, and after all she’s been through I hate for her to think I got locked up while she was away.”

“You want me to let you out on bail?” Cal asked.

“I’m not a flight risk,” Levi said. “You have my word that I’ll report back here the moment the baby is with her mama again, unless you’d rather keep me in lock-up.”

Cal frowned thoughtfully.

“I’ll let you post bail tonight,” he said. “But you won’t leave the house and you’ll report directly to me regularly until this mess is sorted out.”

“You have my word,” Levi said, extending his hand.

Cal took it, still looking unhappy.

But before they could do anything else, the door opened, letting in a blast of freezing air as a big man on crutches appeared with a teenage boy beside him.

“Big Jim,” Lily said. “And Jimmy, too. What are you doing here?”

“ Levi ?” Big Jim said, looking taken aback. “You’re the one who stole my horse?”

“My truck broke down with the baby in it out there,” Levi said. “I’m so sorry, but I couldn’t think what else to do, my phone wasn’t working and it was so cold, and I was supposed to play Santa for the kids at the hospital?—”

“We heard about that,” Jimmy piped up.

Lily looked like she wanted to laugh, which made no sense at all.

“Sheriff, there’s been a mistake,” Big Jim said loudly, without taking his eyes off Levi. “I completely forgot that I offered to loan this man my horse anytime he wanted.”

“You did?” Cal asked, looking very confused.

“Yeah, he and Ashton spent the day running my farm,” Big Jim said. “And I let him know then that he could borrow a horse anytime. I just forgot about it.”

“So, you’re not pressing charges?” Cal asked.

“Of course not,” Big Jim said, looking offended. “I just told you I lent it to him. Sorry to waste your time on this, Sheriff.”

“Fine,” Cal said. “Levi, looks like you’re free to go. Let a man know next time you borrow his horse, all right? ”

“Yes, sir,” Levi said, “I’ll be sure to leave a note next time.”

Heart pounding with disbelief at this Christmas Eve miracle, Levi headed out with Lily, Big Jim, and Jimmy. They could just hear Cal Cassidy laughing his head off with the intake lady as the door shut behind them.

“I had no idea it was your horse,” Levi told Big Jim. “But my phone wasn’t working anyway, so I couldn’t have called. I’m really sorry.”

“She was out at my cousin’s place to graze,” Big Jim said, shrugging. “We only noticed she was gone because we went to get her in before the storm. Phones never work over at his place, so don’t worry about it.”

“Well, thank you so much for letting me off,” Levi said. “I’m sorry I had you running around like this on Christmas Eve.”

“No. Thank you for helping me and the boy with the farm,” Big Jim said, his eyes damp. “I guess we’d do anything for the people of this town, right, kid?”

“Sure would,” Jimmy said with a big smile.

They all said their goodbyes, and when the Allen boys headed to their truck, Levi realized he was all alone with Lily and Flora under the setting sun.

“I guess it’s good I have a car seat in my car,” Lily said nervously. “Or we would have had to spend the night in jail anyway.”

He nodded, trying to think of exactly what he wanted to say to the woman he adored. Suddenly, it felt like he couldn’t even wait to get in the car.

“Is Andrea really coming for her in the morning?” she asked quietly, before he could gather his thoughts.

“Yes,” he said, watching her face fall.

“I’m so glad she’s feeling better,” Lily said unselfishly, though he could see it cost her. “We’re going to miss this little one though, aren’t we?”

“I’ve been thinking how I can keep being there for her,” Levi said, gazing at Flora, whose pillowy cheek was rested on Lily’s chest.

“Of course we’ll be there for her,” Lily said briskly. “Whatever Andrea needs, we’ll help.”

She opened the back door of her car and loaded the baby in, and he couldn’t help admiring her strength. She never hesitated when someone needed help, even someone she didn’t really know.

They got into the car, and he drank in the sight of the woman he loved, her attention focused on driving as the streetlights alternately lit her face and hid her in darkness again. It made him think of how she had hidden her struggles and fears from him so well.

“You never have to hide anything from me,” he heard himself tell her, his voice rough with emotion. “I want to see it all.”

“I’m starting to get that,” she said, with a small smile.

“I’m going to sleep on the floor in Flora’s room tonight,” he said. “You can take my room. You should stay with us so that you can be there tomorrow when Andrea comes. She’ll want to see you and thank you too. And I’m afraid with this storm you won’t make it back over in the morning.”

“I’d really like that,” Lily said. “I want to get in as much time with Flora as I can.”

She pressed her lips together and he knew she was feeling just how he did. It was bittersweet to find their way back to each other only for Flora to leave them.

But I’m glad we’ll have each other to lean on when she’s gone…

In spite of the sadness facing them, there would be happiness too.