#levi.

Levi would recognize that red hair anywhere. Shiny and long, hanging loosely down her back — presumably still soft. He blinks, snapping himself out of his reverie as he stares at the top of Lia's head. He knows it's her without seeing her face. Without talking to her. He just knows. How do you forget someone you were going to spend your life with?

He steps forward in line, watching her move to the side to wait for her order. Levi debates about saying something or letting the moment pass – but the barista's loud hey Levi! makes the choice for him and he can feel her eyes on him. He glances briefly over to her once he orders, a small smile crossing his lips as he gives the slightest nod. Levi thinks, fuck it, and makes his way over to wait. He'd have to either way.

Levi usually didn't mind most people. He was a Hendrix and they carried the term good-natured in their genes. But maybe that was just because until Beau Collins came back to town, they'd never had anyone to actively dislike. The ironic thing was that the Hendrix had helped the Collins in the past with certain large-scale projects on their ranch before. His dad had never complained about them but that was before Beau had taken over and turned the Ranch into something unrecognizable. Still, Levi kept up the work because it was good for business, even if he preferred to meet with his brothers instead of Beau. It wasn't lost on him either, that they'd once been friends in high school. Before he'd gone all Beau of Hollywood on them.

He wasn't sure why he was surprised to see the Collins at the Blue River Ranch Jubilee festival. If anything, it made sense that he would be there because as far a Levi knew, Beau had turned out to be a complete meat head. Even Levi in all his vanity didn't post nearly as much on social media as Beau. So seeing him walking around the market, snapping pictures didn't shock Levi so much as temporarily amuse him. He'd bet ten bucks that one of the Jones clan would storm over any time now and give him the boot. He said as much too when they both happened to be at the same stall. "How long do you think you have before you get the boot?" Levi asked, picking up a hand-carved lamp base. "You're basically giving Tammie an excuse to beat your ass."