Luring Levi (Tarnished Saints Series Book 2) by Elizabeth Rose Page A

. Levi, I’ve been trying to tell you something.”
    “We’ll talk in the car,” he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her out the door, “now let’s go.”
     
    Candace followed Levi down the rickety old staircase, barely able to keep up with him he walked so fast. She had come so close to telling him about the kids, but once again he was late for an appointment and it ruined her whole plan.
    “Give me the keys,” said Levi, g etting into the driver’s seat of the car. “I can drive faster.”
    She handed him the keys and he started up the engine. She spotted her kids coming out of the station with Gus right behind them. They looked happy and Valentine was skipping. They both had long strings of licorice in their hands and were chomping on gum.
    “Come on kids,” she called out. “Levi is going to be late.”
    The kids climbed into the back seat and Candace reached over and helped them with their seat belts.
    “Close your door,” he said, “I’ve really got to get there already.”
    She turned around and closed the door and was barely sitting when Levi sped away.
    “Thank you, Gus,” she called out and waved to the man. Then she proceeded to put on her seatbelt as Levi sped down the road so fast it made her nervous, especially since the kids were in the car.
    “Slow down,” she told him.
    “Can’t. I’m late.”
    “The kids are in the car and it’s dangerous. Now slow down.”
    “All right,” he said, and she saw his eyes go to the rear view mirror, obviously checking the kids. “So what did you want to tell me back there?”
    “What do you mean?” She knew exactly what he meant but there was no way she could tell him now. The kids were sitting right behind them listening to every word. When would she ever get a break?
    “You keep saying you want to tell me something, so spit it out.”
    Not what she wanted to hear him say at all. This was a tender subject and something like this could not just be spit out, whether kids were present or not.
    “I . . . forgot.”
    “It was something about your kids.”
    She didn’t like the way he said your kids, but what did she expect? That’s exactly who they were to Levi. He didn’t know any better, so she couldn’t be mad at him for saying it that way.
    “It can wait,” she said, looking the other way out the window.
    “Fine.”
    He was obviously back in a snit again.
    They rode the rest of the way in silence and she was thankful the kids were occupied with the candy instead of fighting.  Then he came to an abrupt stop just outside the gates to the fair ground s and swore.
    “Damn, everyone’s already here waiting and they don’t look happy.”
    “Damn!” repeated Vance from the back seat.
    “Please stop all your swearing,” she said , speaking to both of them.
    He left the keys in the car and started to walk away without even a goodbye and Candace got out of the car and ran after him.
    “Can I see you later?” she asked, keeping pace with him.
    “After my mayoral fair commitments I’ll be spending the rest of the day cooking at the diner. I’ll be there late, so no, I don’t think so.”
    “Levi, I really need to talk to you.”
    He stopped in his tracks and his eyes bore into her. “So talk.”
    She swallowed hard and looked back to the car . Thankfully her kids were behaving.
    “I . . . I . . .”
    “Look Candy, if you don’t want me hanging around you than just say it already. I’m a big boy, I can handle it.”
    “Is that what you think?” she asked, surprised.
    “I know you are embarrassed just being around me, and ashamed of who I am so just say it to my face so I don’t end up having to hear it as town gossip.”
    “No,” she said shaking her head. “It’s not like that at all.”
    “Then what is it like?” he asked.
    He was so angry and his eyes so dark that she couldn’t tell him now even if she wanted to. She was almost glad for the interruption when a man walked up and introd uced himself to Levi as being