Stars Over Alaska (Wild River #4) - Jennifer Snow Page 0,103
a lot to him, but she meant more.
He stared at the photo of her awkward, forced-looking smile and the right thing to do hit him like déjà vu.
He’d let her go once before for her happiness; he could do it again.
Smokester sauntered over and sat at Levi’s feet. The sad expression, floppy ears and low whine from the dog echoed his sentiments. “I miss them too, buddy,” he said petting the dog’s head. It had been weeks but it seemed the dog was having as hard a time of it as he was.
His gaze landed on the photo he’d had refinished for Leslie. He should probably just send it to her in LA. That would be the easiest. Or maybe her mother might like to have it...
A knock sounded on the door before Mrs. Powell entered. “Oh...hi. I didn’t hear the front door.” He hadn’t heard from her or spoken to her directly since she’d walked in on him and Leslie together. He wasn’t sure of his responsibility to the foundation now, if she still wanted him involved.
“It was open. I hope you don’t mind me stopping by.” She was wringing her hands and struggling to make eye contact as she said, “Levi, I owe you an apology and I’m not very good at them, so um...”
He smiled and stood. “Then let’s just say that was it.” He opened his arms and she stepped into them with a sigh of relief. He hugged her tight. “And I’m sorry if I upset you.”
She pulled away and sighed. The fine lines around her eyes looked deeper that day and this conversation seemed to be taking a lot out of her. “Darling, it’s your life. You can love who you love and be involved with anyone your heart desires...” She glanced at her shoes. “And I should have been more supportive.”
He sensed she was talking about support she should have given in the past as well. To her son and maybe even Leslie. He knew from experience how regret could manifest in different ways and could be spurred from new realizations after it was too late to make amends. His had certainly resurfaced, allowing himself to open up to Leslie, but he was understanding now that guilt was just one emotion and it didn’t need to fuel his actions.
“I know you two have never really gotten along, but Leslie is a wonderful person,” he said gently, not wanting to make her feel worse.
“I know that. I do. As a mother, you want what’s best for your children and I may have been a little blinded by my own prejudices when it came to Leslie. I worshipped my son and no one is good enough for your kids.” She paused. “But she was always lucky to have you in her life. You’re quite wonderful yourself, young man.” She looked past him and, seeing the photo on his desk, she picked it up. “Her father took this?”
“Yeah. Unfortunately, it was the only thing I could save after the fire.” His grandmother had done an amazing job restoring it and he hoped it would give Leslie a little closure to have it.
Mrs. Powell studied the photo, then studied him. “You’ve always loved her, haven’t you?”
No sense denying it and he never wanted Mrs. Powell to mistake his actions in his office that day as simply lust or a physical attraction. He nodded. “With all my heart.”
She put the photo down and took his hands in hers. “My son was so lucky to have you. They both were—are,” she said. “Keeping your own feelings to yourself all these years had to be hard and even though you don’t need my permission to finally go after what you want, I’m giving it. I want to see you happy, Levi.”
He took a deep breath, feeling the weight on his chest get that much lighter. She was right, he didn’t need her blessing, but it made him feel better to have it. She’d been like a mother to him for so long and he felt as though getting her approval was the next best thing to getting Dawson’s. “Thank you. That means more than you know,” he said.
She nodded. “I really wish I could do things differently...but I can’t change the past.”
“No one can. We just have to do the best we can going forward.”
She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “You’ll still be there at the event? You still want to be involved in the foundation?”