Anybody home?” Rosie called out as she entered Lexi’s apartment through the door that had been left standing open. She imagined her friend wasn’t quite ready to close herself up inside the place yet.
“Back here.” It was Max’s voice.
Rosie found them in the room Lexi used for her art studio. She noticed them both wiping at their eyes and thought, not for the first time, what an emotionally draining time it had been for the Beaumonts lately.
“Sorry.” She greeted Lexi with a hug. “Am I interrupting?”
“No.” Max brushed a hand across his cheek. “As Claire says, we seem to be living in the state of weepy these days.”
“Understandable.” She nodded. “Lexi, I have to confess, I already peeked at Gigi the other night when I was in here.”
“She’s not finished.”
“I know, but she’s incredible. I’ve started a savings fund for her. I get dibs on buying her. Bobby wants her too for his daughter, but you have to tell him no.”
Lexi smiled.
Max said, “I’ll go down to your storage bin and find some boxes.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
Rosie watched the curious exchange. Max spoke in a reassuring tone. Lexi’s eyes widened briefly as if in panic, and her voice went softer than usual. Her eyes followed every inch of Max’s exit from the room and stayed on the doorway.
“You okay, Lexi?”
She waggled a hand.
“Yeah. I know you’re not, but do you feel stronger?”
“I do. I can actually let him out of my sight now.”
“Things going well between you then?”
She smiled and her eyes lit up. “Got my own papi.”
Rosie chuckled. “I’d like to chat a minute before getting down to business. Let’s sit on the floor.”
Lexi settled onto the carpet with her, cross-legged. “What’s up?”
To her surprise, Rosie hesitated. “It’s kind of personal.” She chose her words carefully. “I told you I went out to the desert and saw Erik. That he looks good. He’s responding well to treatment.”
“Blah, blah, blah. You told me all that. I’ve never seen this funny expression on your face.”
Rosie picked at a thread in the rug. “He invited me to go to your parents’ wedding. The blessing part and the reception.” She looked up.
Lexi grinned. “That’s great! Mom and Dad will be glad to have you there. Why don’t you invite your dad and that woman he’s dating to the reception? Bobby and his wife too. Mom’s got half the city coming. And she uninvited Felicia, Brett, and Erik’s producer and his wife. That leaves four openings.”
“Really? Okay, thanks. I’ll do that.”
Lexi still grinned. “Is this like a date?”
“No! Uh-uh. We’re going as friends. He needs . . . wants . . . uh, feels . . . my moral support would be helpful.”
She giggled. “You like him.”
Rosie sighed. “I seem to.”
“He must like you too. He doesn’t have female ‘friends.’”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s a ladies’ man. Look at me.” She wiggled her fingers toward herself, pointing out her blue jeans, long-sleeve T-shirt, and ponytail. “I mean, it ties your brain into knots trying to imagine him dating this, doesn’t it?”
“Oh, Rosie. Why do you say that?”
“Lexi! The obvious. I’m not tall and blonde and blue-eyed.”
“But he’s sober now. He’s bound to grow out of that cutesy phase.”
“I don’t know.” She sighed again. “This is just between us, okay?”
Lexi laughed out loud. “I bet he already knows.”
“Whatever.” It was good to hear the laugh. She waited until it ended before going on. “Anyway, I bring this up for a reason. Nathan Warner.”
“I don’t want to talk about him.”
“But you need to hear this. He really is a good guy.”
“You told me that on the phone. But no way. After what he did?”
“There’s a part I left out. That night you were at the bar with Erik, he noticed you. He wanted to talk to you, but he was too upset with Fletcher’s behavior and left. Lexi, Nathan said you totally intrigued him.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“Nope. You were just being you.”
Lexi drew her knees up and hugged them to herself. “He’s that guy’s half-brother.”
“Bobby has the meanest brother in the world. Bobby doesn’t have a hurtful bone in his body. And I’ve run every possible check on Nathan, read his work, talked to former employers. He’s clean, Lexi. Smart and good-looking.”
“He’s left five voice mails on my phone.”
“Persistent bugger too. I think it’s only fair you give him a chance to grovel.”
Lexi shrugged a shoulder.
“Your dad and I could come and stand guard.”
“I don’t think so!”
Rosie grinned. “Thatta girl. You can do it all by yourself.”