Love Him Free (On the Market #1) - E.M. Lindsey Page 0,54

realized it was embarrassment. “I think I’ll be fine if I take a day.”

“It’s doing well, isn’t it?” Simon asked, and though he didn’t mean it that way, it sounded like an accusation. “My sales have been lower.”

“I don’t want this place to buckle under competition, but I want to succeed, Simon. You didn’t give me that truck to fail!” He could hear the sharpness of Levi’s words rise with his defense, so Simon got up and crossed the room, kneeling beside his brother.

He touched Levi’s arm, felt the warmth of it under his long sleeve. “I want you to do so well, you never need to look at this place again.”

Levi stared down at him a long moment. “I don’t want you to suffer anymore.”

“I’m not,” Simon promised. “I have a plan.” He knew Levi would be devastated when it was all said and done, but he’d do nothing except pray until he told his brother the truth. He had to believe Levi was old enough now, mature enough, had been around all of this long enough to understand why the bakery had to close.

They were one of the oldest originally owned shops in Cherry Creek. That had to be enough.

“I’m sorry,” Levi said after a second. He stood, so Simon rose with him, and he took a step toward the door. “It’s been kind of a week, and it’s all been good but…this is so new, you know?”

“I do,” Simon told him, because he was feeling it too.

“I’m grateful for what you did.” Levi reached up absently and pulled the tie from his hair. It fell in soft curls around his shoulders before he gathered it again, and Simon recognized the anxious gesture for what it was. “I think this could work.”

“I think so too,” Simon offered. “Thank you for the food. I’m going to go stay with Rocco for the night.”

Levi’s smirk was back, though he looked a bit horrified. “At the Lodge?”

“No.” Simon shook his head with a grin. “He rented out one of those cottages by Hopewell Manor and he’ll be staying there until he…” He didn’t finish the sentence, because he didn’t know how to. He didn’t know what Rocco was doing next, and he was still too afraid to wonder, let alone ask. “But you and James won’t run into me.”

“I…thanks,” Levi said, sounding relieved.

Simon laughed. “Yeah. Trust me, I don’t want that either. Did you tell James about the dog, though?”

Levi’s grin went wicked. “Not yet. He was mostly occupied when Theo was dog-sitting. I figure maybe next time we run into you guys, we’ll make a proper introduction.”

Simon chuckled once more, determined not to ask what his brother meant, and moved to the door with Levi. He wasn’t going to open it—he was taking strides, but he wasn’t giving up all the pieces of himself and his life for the sake of being more comfortable.

Levi didn’t seem to mind this time, though. He opened the door, then hesitated before dropping his hand on Simon’s shoulder. “Dinner soon?”

“Yes,” Simon agreed.

“I’ll look into the sign language thing.” It was Levi’s last promise before he walked out and the door shut behind him. Simon glanced at the clock and saw it was less than an hour before sunset. It was enough time to sit just a bit longer, feel just a little more, and do his best not to worry about what was coming next.

Chapter Twelve

Simon carried his bag, and Rocco carried the rest of the stuff—a quick trip to the grocery store and Simon knew Rocco had over-shopped, but it was fun not to care. It had been years, far too many to count, since he’d done something like this. He didn’t sleep away from home, he didn’t trust the day-to-day of Chametz to anyone else. Not even Levi. But he had to trust his brother could handle things.

He knew Levi would keep Kyle in line—he also knew that James would be around if Levi was spending the day with Kyle. There would be three people taking care of what was left, for the short while it was still standing.

And Simon was giving himself this.

A small thrill rushed up his spine and spread warm through his limbs as he crossed the threshold into the house. It was small and cozy, the air slightly chilled from the open windows. It was surrounded by trees which let very little sunlight in, and it felt private. Like their own personal island that no one in the