For comfort, Andrew draped his arm around her shoulders. He smelled like candy apples and hospital. The antiseptic scent reminded her this was a place for the sick. “Well, I’m really sorry to cut off your evening like this. I had no idea we were training a candy-apple junkie. This is all my fault.”
Lexi patted Andrew’s arm and laid her head on his shoulder. “Nate told me to make sure you did not blame yourself. Philly has a major sweet tooth.” Hell, she’d witnessed it herself in Savannah.
“What are we going to do? Her smile alone brought her twenty-five points.”
“We will buy her one.”
* * *
“What the hell, Stephen?”
Living in Ken’s home had its p
erks. Stephen was able to monitor the girls better and make sure things stayed on track. He enjoyed bonding with them, as well. Living with Nate had a list of drawbacks. Lack of privacy topped the list of things Stephen disliked about moving in.
Stephen stood in Ken’s office, staring at the wedding photograph of his brother and Betty. Driving down Country Road Seventeen brought back memories he’d suppressed for over six months. In trying to gain custody of the girls and making the transition with his business and living situation, he’d never grieved for Ken. He understood and accepted he had died. Or so he thought. Traveling down Seventeen, passing the spot where the wreckage was found hit him hard. The yellow do-not-cross tape was gone. Blood splatters had been washed away by rain and residue, but Stephen still knew. He knew his brother was dead. And he’d had to confront that fact with Lexi driving his car to go see his niece, whom he should have been with.
“What?” Stephen played dumb.
Without asking permission to stay, Nate took a seat in the maroon rolling chair at the computer. “Lexi.”
The mere mention of her name made him want to drink. From a half bar next to the brown pullout couch, he helped himself to a scotch, no ice, and welcomed the burning liquid. The purpose of moving down to Southwood was to take care of his nieces, not fall in love. Stephen wasn’t sure he could forgive himself for losing focus because of Lexi. “What about her?”
“We care a lot about her. She’s been good for us.”
“And I haven’t?”
Nate’s eyes widened. “Seriously, Stephen you need to chill out with that.”
“I’m putting in my dues.” Stephen tossed back another drink. He softened his tone, knowing Nate did not deserve his wrath. “Sorry, I did not mean to sound selfish. I need to clear my head.”
“So this means you won’t be on the house phone at all hours of the night?”
Stephen tried to lighten the mood with a fake laugh. He shook his head and sighed. “I don’t understand the problem. Everyone has a cell phone in this house but Philly. Why is it important if Lexi and I talked on the phone? Never mind. I doubt you’ll have to worry about it much.”
“You’re pitiful. You need to snap out of this funk. No one asked you to fall in love with her.”
The blood in his veins ran cold with irritation. “What? You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’m not stupid or blind, Stephen. You’re so predictable, and you’re angry because you’ve fallen for her.”
“Why do you think I am in love with Lexi?”
“Clearly, you’ve never been in love, but one of the main signs is she’s the only person you want to be with. Everyone else comes in second place.”
Instead of his brother’s words helping, they made Stephen feel guiltier. He’d moved his life down here to be with the girls, not meet a woman to fall in love with. Crossing the room to the window, Stephen clasped his hands behind his back and focused on the neighbors across the street putting out their trash. He’d already taken care of theirs. In Atlanta he paid someone else to take out his trash. He’d become domesticated. “You came off like a cold ass to Lexi.”
Cold did not begin to describe how he’d treated Lexi at the hospital. For a split second, he admittedly had compared her to his ex Natalia. But deep down inside he was flat-out scared. Did she really care for him or what he could offer? To top everything off, Lexi had forced him to face his fear of driving down the road where his brother had died. No man wanted his woman to think he was weak. Nate might have been the one person to talk to about this, but he jumped to the wrong conclusion. “Stay out of my business, Nate.”
“You brought Lexi into the fold of the family.”
“Who signed Philly up for this pageant?” Stephen retorted.
“The fold of the family, hermano,” Nate repeated.
* * *
People could say whatever they wanted about Lexi Pendergrass as long as they remembered one thing—she was a professional, a professional model, professional pageant coach and professional businesswoman. She plastered a smile like no one’s business. She hadn’t seen Stephen since he gave her the cold shoulder at the hospital. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t care, but as the cliché went, the show must go on.