“I’ve been a guest at sixty-seven weddings and seventeen engagement parties. It was my own wedding that made me feel unwelcome.”

Chapter Twelve

Waking to the smell of fresh coffee and the heat of the eastern sunlight, Thessaly opens her swollen eyes and moans. Recognizing her phone charging on the side table, and the glorious feeling of soreness between her thighs, Thessaly sits up and searches for Levi. Shielding her sensitive eyes from the blinding sunshine peeking in the window, she tucks the sheet under her arms and scans the loft.

“Morning,” Levi says.

Following the sound of Levi’s voice, Thessaly finds him, slouching in a leather chair, wearing only dark denim jeans and a brilliant smile. He reaches for his coffee mug on a nearby tray table and slowly takes a sip.

“Were you watching me sleep, Levi?” Thessaly scrunches her nose and then grins.

Returning the mug to the table and rising from his chair, Levi replies, “Nah, I was watching you wake up.”

“Come here,” demands Thessaly.

Strutting toward the bed, Levi stops abruptly and crosses his arms.

“What?” Thessaly asks.

“Just thinkin’,” he quips.

“About?”

Sitting on the edge of the bed and leaning back on his arms, Levi says, “I was just thinking how beautiful you look with the golden rays of sunshine pouring through the window, casting an apricot glow upon your heavenly, flexible body.”

Waiting for the punchline, Thessaly rasps, “Oh, please.”

“I’m serious! I was admiring your beauty.”

Relentless, she presses, “And?”

“And . . . thinking about how sweet your pussy tasted last night.” Levi laughs, causing the muscles in his stomach to contract and relax as he adds, “And also the thing about the sunlight.”

While grabbing a pillow to pounce on top of Levi, Thessaly’s phone buzzes on the side table. She tucks the sheet back under her arms and reaches for her phone. Realizing she has a full battery but didn’t bring her own charger, she asks, “Did you charge my phone?”

“Yep.”

“Levi, that’s the most romantic thing ever!”

“Your standards are really low, Tess.”

Glancing at the time on the screen and biting her lip, she answers the call from Seth. “Hey.”

“Tess, you’re not going to believe this,” Seth blabbers in a feminine shrill.

“What happened to your voice?”

“Oh, I didn’t get much sleep . . . know what I’m sayin’?”

In the background, Meg can be heard shouting, “Lies, Tess. All lies.”

“Where are you two?”

“At the shop. Shelby misplaced his wallet in the kitchen so we met him here.”

“Oh shit, is he still there?” Thessaly panics.

“He left for the airport half an hour ago. I thought you knew?”

“Crap! I suck.”

“A little bit. But listen to my incredible news,” Seth demands.

“Tell me.”

“The art director emailed the proofs from the photo shoot and told me to keep as many as we want for our personal use. Tess, I found the perfect image for Wild Honey.”

“That’s good. We can print some things before the launch.”

“Um, you need to understand something.”

“Okay?”

“The image I want to use is not your typical promotional photo – in fact, let me hang up and send it to you.”

“Fine, send it to my email.”

“Bye,” Seth says.

Ending the call, Thessaly quickly texts Shelby.

Tess: I overslept. Do you hate me?

Shelby: Nah, I’m good. And please don’t hate me when you find the stain on your couch from my plate of hot wings. Your laundry detergent has bleach, btw.

Tess: Shelby!

Shelby: Tess!

Tess: That couch is upholstered in velvet. It’s ruined!

Shelby: Flip the cushion. Problem solved.

Tess: Have a safe flight, butthead.

Shelby: Good luck with your launch, sis.

“Everything okay?” asks Levi.

“Yeah, typical sibling drama. Can I use your laptop to check my emails?”

“I don’t have one here, but you can access Gmail on my TV.”

Standing from the bed and grabbing the remote from the dresser, Levi powers on his television and then tosses the remote in her lap.

Palming the remote and laughing, Thessaly asks, “How big is that thing?”

“Nine inches of rock hard steel.”

Thessaly tilts her head and chews the inside of her cheek.

“Oh, you mean the TV? Sixty-inches of ultra HD and a SmartTV.” Levi removes a T-shirt from the dresser drawer and instructs, “This screen displays all the apps.” Pointing to the top row, he adds, “Use the keyboard on the back of the remote to sign in.”

“Amazing! It’s like the Jetsons.”

Levi pulls a heather-blue T-shirt over his head and then takes out his expensive watch from a glass box. “Will you be okay here?” he asks over his shoulder.

Typing the information into the television screen, Thessaly mumbles, “Are you leaving?”

“I have to go to the farm for a meeting.”

Picking up a shirt from the floor, Thessaly dresses and walks toward Levi. “You trust me in your apartment?”

Levi sits on the leather chair and ties his sneakers. “You have my permission to snoop, if that’s what you’re asking.” Standing, he rests his hands on Thessaly’s shoulders and smiles. “Let me think . . . the antibiotic in the bathroom cabinet is from an ear infection, and I keep extra toothbrushes in the drawer for travel – pick your favorite color and give it a home next to mine. I hide my bong in the bottom drawer of my dresser and my passport in the top. You won’t find any embarrassing pictures, but if you come across a photo of a redhead with a fake smile, that’s my ex-girlfriend, Taylor.”

“I think you covered everything.”

Levi kisses Thessaly’s forehead and then says, “There are bagels and coffee in the kitchen. And caramel creamer in the fridge.”

“Can I jump on your bed?” she asks.

“Please,” Levi teases while moving his hands to her ass. “Shit, I have to go. I’ll call you later,” he adds, walking toward the door.

“Bye, Levi,” Thessaly says, plopping on the bed and opening the email from Seth.

When the image attachment opens, Thessaly gasps. “Holy shit!” She grabs her phone and calls Seth.

“You’re on speaker, Tess,” answers Seth.

“Seth, I can’t have my face plastered all over the brand! And Levi? He’s shirtless for God’s sake.”

“I’m a graphic designer, Tess. That image is provocative and sweet – just like the brand.”

“I trust you, but you have to crop it or something.”

Sighing, Seth drones, “I’ll work my magic.”

“Tess, you look smokin’ hot,” Meg interrupts.

Glancing at the number of an incoming call, Thessaly blurts, “Guys, I have to take this call. I’ll stop by later and we’ll work it out.”

She swipes the incoming call and asks, “Hi – everything okay?”

In unison, Bruce and Rosalyn chime, “Congratulations on your engagement!”

Sitting in a cab as she makes her way Downtown, Thessaly combs her wet hair with her fingers and fastens it with a rubber band. No woman likes to walk the crooked line of shame, and Thessaly is no different. So, she took a long, hot shower at Levi’s loft, brushed her teeth, and borrowed one of his black blazers. Fashioning it over her dress and rolling up the sleeves, she hailed a cab a few blocks from his building and headed home.

Arriving at her building, she pays the cab driver and then proceeds inside. To her surprise, she finds Mason sitting on the bench inside her lobby.