Stars Over Alaska (Wild River #4) - Jennifer Snow Page 0,81
have thought possible. Years ago, she’d dismissed any feelings she thought she had once he’d made it clear that they were just friends, but obviously things had always been far more complicated than she’d realized.
“That was sweet of him to say that,” Selena whispered.
“So you two are together now?” Mrs. Powell asked.
Leslie held her breath as she waited for his answer. Selena seemed to be holding hers as well. What would Levi tell her? What did he think was going on?
Levi’s sigh was loud but his voice was respectful and gentle as he said, “Again, I’m not sure that’s something I want to discuss with you.”
Was she disappointed or relieved? He didn’t owe Mrs. Powell any explanation. Still, she’d have appreciated some clarity as well. From his viewpoint.
“Well, I’m not sure I can move past it and forget what I just saw,” Mrs. Powell said, sounding disappointed and on edge.
“Understandable.”
“I mean how are you supposed to be the face of this foundation when you’re...having relations with my dead son’s ex-girlfriend?”
Fiancée, actually. Damn, Mrs. Powell’s unacceptance of her still stung and she hated that she was still letting the woman get to her. She didn’t need or want her approval anymore.
But Levi still might.
“This is all very new,” he said. “Things are very complicated right now. I’m not entirely sure what’s going on between Leslie and me.”
“Well, from what I witnessed, it’s unacceptable.”
Levi was quiet and Leslie held her breath. For what she wasn’t sure. She didn’t know what she expected him to do. Mrs. Powell and this foundation meant a lot to him. She knew his loyalty to Dawson ran deep. She could see his conflicted heart when he looked at her with affection in his eyes. Besides, Dawson had never stood up for her—for them—she couldn’t expect Levi to.
He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry this came out the way it did and that you feel the way you do, but Leslie is important to me.”
Her heart raced.
“And she was important to Dawson,” he continued. “I’m not sure I’ll ever understand why you refuse to acknowledge that...but I’m sorry to say that your opinion of her is wrong—it always has been and it won’t affect how I feel about her.”
“So, you’d walk away from the foundation, all the work we’ve put in together, all the great work this foundation would do to raise awareness and help others? You’d give all that up...for her?”
No...please don’t do anything rash, Levi. Her heart was ready to explode in her chest from the way he’d stood up for her. Dawson had always just ignored his mother’s disdain, had told Leslie not to worry about what his mother thought. She’d never known where she actually stood with the woman or if Dawson’s unwillingness to stand up for her was because he really didn’t care what his mother thought or if he’d never held Leslie in high enough regard to fight for her, to walk away from his family if they didn’t accept her.
The way Levi was prepared to.
“I don’t want to,” she heard him say. “And I don’t think I need to...but that’s up to you, Mrs. Powell.”
A long silence followed and Leslie swallowed the lump forming in her throat. This had to be so hard on Levi. Feeling as though he’d let Mrs. Powell down and having to choose between something he was passionate about or defending Leslie.
The sound of Mrs. Powell’s shoes in the hallway had Leslie moving farther into the room, out of sight as she passed the bunk room door. A second later the front door closed and she released a breath.
“Wow. I can’t believe Levi just did that,” Selena said, admiration in her voice.
Neither could Leslie. What the hell had Levi just done? Choosing her over the Powells and the foundation. She’d expected to feel happy that someone had put her first, but her stomach only churned. Her anxiety peaked and she couldn’t define the source of the uneasiness washing over her.
What if Levi had just stood up for something that could never really happen?
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
WHAT A COMPLETE shit show.
Despite knowing he’d done the right thing, Levi was destroyed by the sight of Mrs. Powell’s disappointed expression as she’d walked away. This foundation meant so much to her. It meant a lot to him too, but he couldn’t just ignore the fact that he was more in love with Leslie now than he’d ever been and he wasn’t prepared to lose her.