“Did you play sports growing up?”
“Of course,” he said. “MVP in baseball every year.”
“And did your parents have to pay for a uniform and a team fee? Did they have trophies at the end of your season for everyone?”
Stephen held his beer in his hand. “Of course, but we didn’t have to wear makeup and look like grown men.”
Lexi rolled her eyes. “Not all pageants are full glitz. Philly can win with natural beauty.”
“And you still see potential in her?”
“As I told you the other night, I absolutely believe in her, as did the judging panel.”
Leaning forward, Stephen rested his forearms on the table between them. “She didn’t win just because you wanted to get revenge?”
“I’m a lot of things, Mr. Reyes, but petty is not one of them.”
The standoffish tone in her voice didn’t sit well with him. He didn’t want the distance between them anymore. “Back to ‘Mr. Reyes’?”
Lexi crossed her arms over her chest. “You assuming I’d pick Philly out of revenge reminds me we don’t know each other at all. I had no say, but it didn’t matter, she won hands down.”
“All right.” Stephen waved his hand in the air in surrender. “I don’t want to fight with you, not when we’re being so neighborly with each other. How about you show me about the game you were playing?”
“The Cyclone?” Lexi dropped her arms and craned her neck around to check out the machine. “It’s not at a hundred yet. Once that number reaches a hundred, you increase your chance to get more tickets when you win.”
The flashing lights over the dome read eighty. Stephen stood up and held his hand for her to take. “Show me, for practice.”
Reluctantly, Lexi slipped her hand in his. Her fingers curled around the palm of his hand and set off a wave of electricity. Their eyes locked for a moment before Lexi pulled her hand away to grab a plastic cup of coins. Stephen followed her over, enjoying the view of her swaying hips as she sashayed to the game.
“All right, this game is about the right rhythm,” she said, offering him the spot in front of the button. “It helps if you sing a song in your head and get a beat. Each time the light hits between the beat, press the button.”
The intercom played the Charlie Daniels Band. Stephen shrugged and gave it a try, although with Lexi near him, he wasn’t sure how to concentrate. She slipped a coin into the machine and he waited and pressed the button, missing the opportunity. Several tries and coins later, Lexi, subconsciously he was sure, wedged herself between his body and the button. She kept her hand over his. Each time they missed, she bent over and deposited another coin. Stephen understood how addicting the game became—or at least how addicting standing with Lexi was. By the end of the song, they won the round. Lexi jumped up and down and threw her arms around his shoulders.
“Oh, my God.” She jumped back. “I’m so sorry.” Her hands flew to her blushing face, covering her red lips.
Steam pooled from beneath his collar. His heart raced. Stephen shook his head and mentally shrugged off the sudden urge to go outside and smoke a cigarette. “I think our pizza is here.” He nodded in the direction of three waiters bringing several pizzas over to where they sat.
Lexi caught a young girl whizzing by and told her to tell the others the food had arrived. In the mix of the younger kids, Kimber helped pour sodas from the three different pitchers and handed everyone napkins. He’d never seen her so helpful before. Did hanging out with Lexi do this?
“I must thank you for letting us crash your party,” Stephen said with admiration.
“You don’t have to thank me for Southern hospitality.” Lexi blushed. “But speaking of offering, I can show you how to drive so you don’t look so pretentious with a driver.”
“You think I’m pretentious?” He couldn’t recall the last time anyone dared speak to him in this way.
“Not many residents have a chauffeur.”
“I don’t have a driver. I have Keenan. He’s been working for me for a while now, since I up and moved away from my business. Would it please you if I fired him completely?”
A grin spread across her face, which she tried to hide by taking another sip of her beer. The corners of her eyes crinkled over the rim of her cup. Stephen licked his lips and shook his head. She was going to be the death of him one way or another.
“You’re an admirable man.” Lexi nodded. “But I can still show you around town.”
Stephen knew exactly how to get around town. He chose not to take the quickest road—the same one that had claimed his brother and sister-in-law—but she did not need to know that. He pushed the image of the yellow tape blocking off the wreck out of his mind for something more pleasant.
The waiter arrived with an adult-sized pizza and two paper plates and served a slice to the two of them.
“You’re from here, but you didn’t attend school here?” Stephen asked when they were alone again.