Stars Over Alaska (Wild River #4) - Jennifer Snow Page 0,37
him a sense of responsibility or discipline. This unplanned pregnancy had seemed to only justify her position. She’d used it as a way to somehow prove to Leslie that the relationship wasn’t healthy and the pressure to end it increased.
Leslie had been alone and scared. They told no one about it and her mother talked incessantly about her “options.”
Leslie hadn’t wanted any option that didn’t include raising the child...with Dawson. She’d been young and in love and stubborn to a fault, but things had also changed for her, knowing she now had someone else to think of and consider and it hadn’t taken long for her to turn her fears into strength.
Then she’d lost the baby. Before she’d gotten the nerve to tell Dawson. Away with his hockey team that weekend, she’d been all alone. He’d never known. She’d kept it to herself, feeling the weight and pain of it, despite the poor timing and situation.
Her mother had been relieved. Said it was a blessing in disguise.
Leslie had moved in with her grandmother that same day...
It had been raining as she’d packed her things. Tears had streamed down her face, as uncontrollable as the rain hitting the windshield of Levi’s old pickup truck. He was the one she’d called for help and he’d been there, no questions asked.
He’d helped her unload her things and carried her bed and mattress into her grandmother’s spare bedroom without needing her to explain her impulsive decision. He’d been a quiet, unjudging source of support and strength. Everything she’d needed that day with Dawson still away with the hockey team.
Once she was settled, he’d sat next to her on the porch swing and she’d rested her head on his shoulder as she struggled with the emotions whirling through her. She told him about the baby and she hadn’t needed to ask him not to tell anyone. She knew her secret was safe with him.
He’d held her on the swing all day and without knowing it, he’d helped her damaged heart start to heal.
Staring at the family home now, her chest tightened. She hadn’t seen her mother since her grandmother’s wedding—her third wedding—months ago. Whenever they were around one another, the air was tense and awkward and everyone felt it. It was easier to keep contact to a minimum. And now, by the look of the cars in the driveway, they had a full house for lunch that day.
“Are we going in?” Selena asked when neither Levi nor Leslie made any move to get out of the truck.
Levi was waiting on her to adjust, to mentally prepare. She appreciated that he knew her so well but it also just made everything worse. His caring, intuitive nature was something she’d always loved about him. Dawson had been slightly clueless about feelings and he’d always seen her strength and assumed she was never vulnerable. Levi had seen that side of her and therefore had always been the compassionate ear.
But right now she wished no one knew how hard this was going to be for her. It was easier to keep up the facade when there was no one who could see through it.
She still couldn’t believe he’d agreed to join them for lunch. She knew it wasn’t about Selena. He wanted to spend time with her, but she was still processing what had happened the night before and it was harder to do when she was around him. She’d expected the embarrassment and the feelings of annoyance but she hadn’t been prepared for the lingering simmer of physical attraction he was evoking.
“What’s happening?” Selena asked.
“Yeah, we’re going in,” Leslie said quickly, removing her seat belt and opening the door.
Outside the truck, Selena stopped her. “Hey, look, I get it. Families can be complicated. If you want to leave, just use the safe word ‘hashtag’ and I’ll fake an illness.”
Rare moments of Selena’s true character caught her off guard. Her intuition was spot on in this situation and it made Leslie even more uncomfortable that she was so easily readable. “Thanks. I’ll keep it in mind.”
They made their way up the steps and she composed herself as she opened the door. Inside, she was relieved to hear her grandmother’s voice in the kitchen.
Thank God. Her grandmother served as an amazing buffer for her. Her neutrality in the conflict seemed to help deflect any arguments from starting and her silent support for both Leslie and her mother made them both feel like they had a safe spot.