Test Drive: Road Tripping Series

by Samantha Chase

  “That’s not the point…”

  “Actually, Paul,” Gammy said, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. “Willow has a very good and valid point. If you’ll remember, you getting a psychology degree was not what I wanted for you.”

  “Yes, I know, Mother, but if it were up to you, I would have gone to clown college or majored in basket weaving. The only thing you were vocal about was…” He stopped mid-sentence as if he realized what he was saying.

  Gammy’s smile was a little smug as she stared at her son. “The only thing I was vocal about was finding your passion because without it, a degree was worthless.”

  Willow was fairly certain her jaw was on the floor and as her father stood and excused himself, she had to wonder what was going to happen from here.

  They all watched as he stalked across the room, out to the lanai, and then out to the backyard. She was about to get up and follow, but again, Levi beat her to it. He bent and kissed her on the cheek and whispered, “Don’t worry. I got this one.”

  Once the back door closed a second time, Gammy clapped her hands together and reached for a chocolate croissant. “So, Marilyn, how are the beds at that hotel you’re staying at? Good for sex?”

  And for the first time since she arrived in Florida, Willow was thankful for her grandmother and her sexcapades topics.

  “Mr. Andrews? Are you okay?”

  “This doesn’t concern you, Levi. Go back inside.”

  It was tempting to laugh because, seriously, did this guy think he had the right to boss everyone around? “I will in a minute, Sir, but I just thought maybe someone should check on you.” He paused and waited to see if he was going to respond, but when he didn’t, Levi continued. “Things got a little heated and I imagine that happens a lot. Willow’s mentioned…”

  “Spare me, Mr. Sullivan. You’ve been dating my daughter for…what…a few months? You don’t know anything about our dynamic. I’m sure Willow’s made us out to be the bad guys…”

  “No offense but…even if she hadn’t, you managed to do that all on your own. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out you’re a bit of a control freak and that Willow’s lack of interest in doing what you want her to is a real sticking point for you.”

  If looks could kill, Levi knew he’d be…well, he’d be slightly injured because Paul Andrews wasn’t the least bit intimidating.

  But it was cute how he tried.

  “Don’t try to play armchair psychologist with me, Mr. Sullivan. You’re way out of your league.”

  “I’m not playing at anything. It’s not hard to see and you seem to enjoy taking every opportunity to let it be known to everyone. I don’t see why you couldn’t just let this be a pleasant family get-together for your mother’s birthday. It really wasn’t that hard of a thing to do.”

  “How dare you!”

  Levi held up a hand to stop him.

  “No, how dare you!” he snapped. “Like it or not, I care about your daughter. A lot! And I’m not going to stand by and watch you belittle her or bully her into doing something she doesn’t want to do! As a parent, you should be happy that someone has her back, even if it’s against you!”

  “Excuse me if I don’t want to take advice from you. Not only are you a stranger to this family, but you’re not a parent. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Actually…I do.”

  Paul quirked a dark brow at him. “Oh, really? Do you have a child? Is Willow aware of it because she hasn’t mentioned that fact to her mother or myself.”

  Letting out a breath, Levi tried to relax his stance a bit–to try to diffuse some of the tension. “I have three sisters,” he explained. “They’re all older than me. I’m very close with my father and he’s always been very open and honest about how important it was for them to find men who would protect them. Fight for them. Take care of them. Don’t get me wrong, they had to date a lot of guys before they found the ones that my father approved of, but they did. And to this day, my father talks about how much he respects each of my brothers-in-law because he knows they look after my sisters the way he would.”

  They stood in silence for several moments and Levi was certain he had proved his point.

  “How touching. Again, you’ll excuse me if I’m not impressed. I know my daughter better than you and I know what she needs. You might think you do, but trust me, you don’t.”

  “I hate to be disrespectful here, Mr. Andrews, but…I don’t think you have a clue about what Willow needs. You don’t seem to listen to her at all. I’m guessing you don’t pay much attention to all the ways that she’s gifted and talented.”

  Paul let out a mirthless laugh. “Gifted? Willow? Please. Levi, my daughter is a walking accident waiting to happen. Sitting in a chair in an office and taking notes is the safest place for her. Trust me.”

  Wow. Just…wow.

  “I think you’re wrong.”

  Another mirthless laugh. “I don’t really care.”

  “Okay, this is getting us nowhere. What would make you feel better? If Willow just took a job with a psych practice? Even if it made her miserable?”

  “Life isn’t about things being all sunshine and unicorns, Mr. Sullivan. Life is about being responsible; about taking care of yourself financially.”

  Ah…now we’re getting somewhere…

  “Look, as far as I know, Willow hasn’t asked you for money, and she hasn’t asked for any help from you to help her find a job. She has–repeatedly, mind you–told you she’s not interested in joining your practice or any practice. You’re not going to intimidate her and you’re not going to bully her and bend her to your will. Why not just be a supportive parent? Maybe with a little encouragement, Willow can find the perfect career for her.”

  “Is that what your parents did for you? Offered encouragement so you can just do whatever you want?” Paul sneered.

  “As a matter of fact, they did.”

  “And I’m sure they’re so proud of their son, the bartender.”

  Ducking his head, Levi hid a smirk before looking up again. “You seem to be fixated on my career choice. I think it’s comical considering our conversation last night.”

  Target hit!

  Paul paled slightly, and, at that moment, Levi decided to do something he had sworn he’d never do.

  “Well, they’re proud of the fact that I’m happy. And when I was just a bartender, they were supportive of that too.” He took a step toward Paul and lowered his voice to a gruff, menacing tone. “And they were equally supportive of me when I became the owner of that pub. You see, that’s what parents do–their love isn’t based on the level of career I chose, just on the fact that I’m their son and that I’m doing okay. Maybe you should try that sometime.” He turned to walk away but stopped. Looking over his shoulder, he added, “Maybe one of your fancy textbooks can offer a study on the importance of loving your child where they’re at rather than where you want them to be. You should look into that.”

  This time he did start to walk away, but at the door to the lanai, he said, “Or maybe you should find someone to talk to about it–your incessant need to control your daughter. You know, like a psychologist or something.”

  Then he opened the back door and walked back into the house.

  It was after midnight, and Willow was breathless beside him. They had gone to bed over an hour ago, and the minute the bedroom door had closed, she had pretty much attacked him.

  And he hadn’t put up much of a fight.

  It had been wild and frantic and…mostly quiet. Willow had put her hand over his mouth and warned him not to be too loud; otherwise Gammy would be knocking on the door wanting to know if they were having fun.

  Just the thought of that was enough to keep him from uttering even a small peep.

  “Not that I’m complaining,” he said, still trying to catch his own breath, “but what brought that on?”

  “You are a total knight in shining armor,” she said qui
etly, resting one hand on his chest. “I thought that about you the day we met, and this trip totally confirmed it. Especially today.”

  Levi had refused to discuss what he and Paul had talked about out in the yard, but the difference in the man’s demeanor when he rejoined the group had been hard to miss. He apologized to Willow and his mother before asking his wife what she wanted to do for the rest of the day. The look on Marilyn’s face had pretty much said it all–that was something her husband never did.

  He felt like a damn superhero.

  Even though no one talked about it, the look of appreciation he received from all three Andrews’ women told him everything he needed to know.

  And he loved it.

  Especially what was happening right now.

  “I really didn’t do anything, Willow.”

  That’s it. Sound modest…

  Turning her head, she looked at him. “I’m not going to ask you for specifics, Levi. But you accomplished more in those five minutes alone with my father than any of us have accomplished in…well…my entire life! I swear, I think he’s finally let the idea of me moving to Seattle go! I feel like a ginormous weight has been lifted off of my shoulders and it’s all because of you.”

  “Willow…”

  Now she lifted up on one elbow to look at him. “No, I’m serious, Levi. I was so nervous about this trip and everything you’ve done has made things easier. Better. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

  “I’m not looking to be repaid. I did it because…”

  Shit. How do I say this without freaking her out?

  “I know. You did it because you’re a nice guy and we’re friends. I get that,” she said, interrupting his thought.

  Um…friends?

  “Friends?” he repeated.

  “Well…yeah.” Then she giggled. “Okay, so maybe we’ve ventured into the friends with benefits territory, but the bottom line is that you’re this amazing man and I’m incredibly grateful to you.”

  “Willow,” he groaned.

  “Oh, stop.” She placed a soft kiss on his chest. “You seem like the kind of guy who doesn’t like people fussing over you or praising you publicly, but it’s just the two of us here, and you should know that I think you’re incredibly awesome.” She yawned. “You’re like the perfect guy, Levi. Some woman is going to be very lucky to be your real girlfriend.”

  Then she lay back down and cuddled up next to him. Levi contemplated correcting her, but she was yawning and getting comfortable and he wasn’t sure now was the time.

  Crap. She still saw this as them pretending to be involved. Fake relationship. Fake lovers.

  Little did she know the only thing fake was…well, the fakeness. They had two days worth of driving starting tomorrow morning. That meant he had two days to convince her this wasn’t pretend.

  This wasn’t because he was doing her a favor.

  When he heard her soft snore, Levi slowly stretched and reached over to the bedside table for his phone. Even though it was late, he knew he could send a few quick texts without it being a big deal. As much as he hated to let Willow go, he carefully pulled his arm out from under her and pulled out his messenger app. With a small smile, he sent a message to both Katie and Natalie that he and Willow wouldn’t be stopping and seeing them on their way home.

  Levi: Change of plans. Willow and I are taking some detours, and making a few other stops on the way home. Thanks for letting us stay with you last week and hopefully we’ll be seeing you both again soon. I’ll call when I get home and make sure everything’s okay at the pub. Love you guys! Xoxo

  Once he put the phone down, he turned out the light and wrapped his arms around Willow again.

  It took less than a minute for him to fall asleep.

  12

  “So there’s no plan.”

  “Nope.”

  “No…scheduled stops.”

  “Not a one.”

  “What about gas?”

  “Well, that’s a given, but I don’t have it scheduled.”

  “Potty breaks?”

  “Same thing.”

  “Hmm…”

  “Hmm…what?”

  “Any time I’ve ever driven to Florida and back, there’s been a plan. Places we always stop.”

  “Any of them exciting?”

  Willow didn’t even have to think about it. “No. Gas and a hotel for the night. That’s it.”

  Levi glanced over at her with a grin. “Were there places you wanted to stop but weren’t allowed to?”

  “Oh my goodness, yes!”

  “Okay, then. That’s what we’ll do. Any place you want to stop at, we will.”

  “What if it’s for a snack?”

  “Done.”

  “What if it’s for a tacky roadside attraction?”

  “Even better.”

  “Can we stop and get some Florida oranges to take home? Peanuts and peaches in Georgia? Stop for tacos at South of the Border in South Carolina?”

  Beside her, Levi laughed as he merged onto the highway. “Willow, we can do all of that and more. It doesn’t sound like any of those are particularly time-consuming. Are we still aiming to make this a two-day trip or can we extend it to three?”

  “We really need to keep it to two, unfortunately. I really need to get back to work and I’m sure you do too. That just means longer driving time. I hope that’s okay.”

  “You know, you never did try and get behind the wheel.”

  Closing her eyes, Willow’s head fell back against the seat. “I was hoping you didn’t notice that.”

  “No worries, no pressure,” he said smoothly. “However…this is going to be a lot of driving…”

  Opening her eyes, she twisted in her seat to face him. “Let me ask you something.”

  “Go for it.”

  “When did you buy this car?”

  “Why?”

  “I’m being completely serious here. How long ago did you buy it?”

  “Um…about a year ago.”

  “Okay. And how much have you babied it since buying it?”

  “Willow, I don’t baby it…”

  “Really? So you don’t take it to the car wash once a week or make sure no one eats or drinks in here?”

  “If memory serves, we ate and drank in here the whole way down to Florida.”

  “Damn, I forgot about that.” She paused and then smiled. “And you’re telling me you didn’t stop and vacuum the car after having lunch with the Romeos?”

  “Um…”

  “And have it washed?”

  “Well…”

  “And that the whole interior wasn’t wiped down with some sort of vinyl protectant?”

  “Okay, fine!” he cried with a laugh. “I’m a little obsessive about the car! I can’t help it! I spent a lot of years driving an old pickup truck, and even though I loved it, this car is just…it’s different. Besides costing a lot more than the truck did even when it was new, this car represents the fact that I’m an adult and not a kid anymore.” After letting out a low growl, he continued. “And there’s nothing wrong with wanting your car to be nice and clean and for it to smell good and shine and…and…”

  Carefully, Willow reached out and placed her hand on his arm. “Okay, okay,” she said quietly, soothingly, so as not to startle him. “I didn’t mean to get you all worked up. Believe it or not, I was really just trying to get you to re-think the idea of me driving the car.”

  She watched as Levi took several calming breaths. “Why would I re-think it?”

  “Levi, you’ve known me for a few months now and just spent a week with me. I’m kind of a walking disaster.”

  “That doesn’t mean you drive like one.”

  She leveled him with a stare. “Seriously? Have you ever looked closely at my car?”

  “Well…no…”

  “Trust me when I tell you it has multiple scratches and dings everywhere. I have had about a half a dozen parking tickets, I get lost easily, and I’ve gotte
n pulled over twice for speeding and four times for going too slow on a highway.”

  “Seriously? That’s a thing?”

  Nodding, she said, “Yup. Trust me. I cried my way out of the speeding tickets.”

  “And the going too slow ones?”

  “Same.”

  “Wow.”

  “Yeah, I’m not too proud of that, but, in my defense, I cry easily–especially when I’m stressed or scared. And there is nothing scarier than looking up and seeing those flashing lights in your rearview mirror.” She shuddered. “So I think it would best for all of us if I…you know…didn’t drive your car. At all. Like ever.”

  “Ever’s a long time.”

  “And I’m sure you’d like to have your car for that long.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know about that. Maybe in a few years–or at least when it’s paid off–I might be ready for something new. Something different.”

  “And you should be allowed to have that option. If you let me drive, that might be me making that decision for you.”

  “Willow, I won’t allow you to speed, and I promise to prompt you if you’re driving too slow.”

  But she shook her head. “Nuh-uh. No way. Not going to happen.”

  “What if I was too tired to drive and needed a nap?”

  “Then you wouldn’t be awake enough to make sure I didn’t speed or hold up traffic!”

  “Damn, you got me there.”

  “Driving is definitely not my strong suit.” She paused and thought about it for a moment. “And long-distance driving is especially harsh on me. The speed things happened on road trips. Around town, I’m not terrible. Except at parking. Parking I’m terrible at.”