Somehow, the venue of the Southern Style Glitz Pageant in Atlanta bustled to life. Families arrived in limousines, carriages, on the shoulders of a coordinated entourage—anything to attract attention. Lexi checked in to her hotel room right next door to Philly and Kimber. Everyone’s rooms adjoined at some point, except for Stephen’s. Nate mentioned he’d already headed over to his home in Berkeley Lake. Did he plan on attending today? She refused to believe he’d gotten what he wanted and left. She’d never been so humiliated.
A soft knock at her hotel door brought her out of her pity party. Lexi turned from her somber stare out onto Peachtree Boulevard. “C’mon in.”
Kimber spilled into the room, shutting the door secretively behind her. Her hazel eyes were wide. “Can you talk?”
“Of course, sweetie.” Lexi had been meaning to talk to the girl since seeing her on the street. With everything going on in the past seventy-two hours, she hadn’t made the time.
“I’m in some trouble.”
Lexi’s knees buckled. She pressed her backside against the window to steady herself. Dear sweet Jesus, no. Kimber’s beauty belonged on television, but not 16 and Pregnant. Nervously she smiled, pulled her hair into a side ponytail and waved Kimber to take a seat.
Instead of sitting at the table, Kimber sat with her back to Lexi on the royal-blue comforter of the queen-size bed. Kimber rocked back and forth a few times without saying a word.
Heart racing, Lexi chewed her bottom lip. “Kimber, you’re making me nervous,” she finally said. “Whatever is going on, you can tell me.”
“All summer long, I have been lying to everyone!” Kimber blurted out with a cry.
“Oh?” Lexi’s voice rose in pitch and she asked, “What do you mean?”
“Marvin isn’t my boyfriend. He’s my cover.”
Lexi waited for the other shoe to drop.
“Philip is a varsity football player at Southwood Central and he’s the reason I stole the dress. He’s the most popular boy ever and he is totally into me.”
A slight pressure built up in the back of Lexi’s head. “Kimber—” she tried to keep any sign of panic out of her voice “—what exactly did you do to get his attention?”
Kimber turned around, her hazel eyes wide. “Not that!” She covered the opening of her pink polo shirt. “The dress I took sealed the deal and elevated me from sophomore to sophomore hottie, and Philip noticed, too.”
Relaxing, Lexi stretched out across the bed and patted Kimber’s arm. “Why the cover boyfriend?”
“Marvin is Philip’s cousin. Marvin goes to school with me and I don’t want my uncles to freak out because Philip is from the wrong side of the tracks.”
Lexi did not imagine Nate judging anyone. He dated women from all walks of life in Southwood. Stephen, on the other hand, she thought, might take issue with any boy who wanted to date Kimber. “Oh, Kimber.” Lexi scooted around the bed so she was seated next to the upset girl and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. “You need to tell your uncles.”
“How? They barely like Marvin.”
“What if you invite Philip here to the pageant?” Somehow Lexi doubted Stephen would cause a scene in front of a room full of people, if he even came at all.
“You think?”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll stand by your side to support you.”
Kimber picked up her cell phone and began texting. Lexi tried to concentrate on being with Stephen again. He hadn’t called. She missed their late-night chats. Nate told her an emergency had taken him away, which she still struggled to believe. A vibrating buzz came from Kimber’s phone. She made a little squeal and looked up at Lexi, “He’ll be here tonight for dinner! I can’t wait! Thank you, Lexi!”
So, dinner it was, Lexi thought, steeling her nerves.
“What are you going to wear?” Kimber asked, taking Lexi out of her thoughts.
“Me?”
In a matter of seconds, Kimber made the conversation about Lexi. Quickly, she flipped onto her stomach and lay down on the bed, face resting in her hands with her elbows propped up. “I’m pretty good at keeping quiet about secret relationships. You and Uncle Stephen aren’t.”
Lexi tried not to grin. “We’re friends.”
“You guys haven’t been friends since you danced the night Philly won at the Peach Blossom. My abuela said he’s never brought anyone home to Villa San Juan, and yet you came.”
“Philly and I work together, regardless of the location.” Lexi rolled her eyes and shook her head at the same time. “You’re a child,” she said with a grin. “I’m not going to discuss this with you.” She slid off the bed and slunk over to her closet.