Lace (Just This Once 4)

I tug on one of my earrings, suddenly feeling self-conscious about how I looked in the picture and how I look now. “You didn’t have to come all the way down here to thank me.”

He pushes the flowers toward me again. “I wanted to give you these to thank you for what you did for Alvin.”

“Alvin?” I repeat the name back. “Is that your nephew?”

His phone is in his palm again. He shows me the screen and an image of a young blond haired boy with big blue eyes. “He’s my sister’s kid. Your cousin is his hero.”

Any lingering reservations I had about going to Trey to ask for a signed jersey, disappear at the sight of that boy’s smiling face. “I’m glad I could help.”

“You did more than help.” He stares intently into my eyes. “Alvin is going to meet Trey. He’s going to watch the first game of the World Series from one of the best seats in the house and that’s all because of you.”

“Trey loves his fans.” I try to shift the focus of his gratitude to my cousin. All I did was ask for a jersey. “Trey and his agent came up with the idea for the game tickets and the meeting. I can’t take any credit for that.”

“You’re the one who got the ball rolling.” He moves the flowers closer to me. “Please accept these as a small token of my appreciation.”

I begrudgingly reach for the bouquet, knowing that every employee in this boutique is going to question me about the flowers and the handsome man who gave them to me.

I clear my throat. “Thank you. They’re lovely.”

“Have dinner with me.”

Dumbfounded, I fumble with something to say. I didn’t expect a dinner invitation. Hell, I didn’t expect him to come down to the boutique today. “No…I won’t…I mean, I can’t…”

If he’s offended, it’s hidden behind the brilliant smile on his face. “You can’t or you won’t. Which is it?”

“It’s not necessary,” I clarify, not wanting to look like a fool because I instantly assumed that the invitation was for a date, not a thanks-for-making-my-nephew’s-dreams-come-true dinner. “The flowers are thank you enough.”

Confusion knits his brow. “The flowers are a start.”

“They’re enough,” I argue.

“Hardly,” he spits back. “I’ll be in touch, Ms. Hull.”

“Why?” I ask as he starts toward the office door. “I did you a favor. You thanked me. That’s the end.”

“I’m in your debt.” He stops to look me over. “I always repay my debts.”

Before I can say anything else, he turns on his heel, opens the door and disappears into the crowded boutique, turning every female head he passes.

I have no idea what the hell just happened between Alexander and me but he’s wrong, he doesn’t owe me a thing.

Chapter 9

Alexander

“I don’t even care that they lost,” Alvin says through a laugh. “This was the best night of my life, Alex.”

It ranks up there with one of the best of mine too.

When I told him yesterday, at his birthday party, that we’d be spending a good part of Sunday night cheering on his favorite team from the stands, his face lit up.

The tears started when I added that he’d be meeting Trey Hale.

Phoebe told me that he didn’t sleep a wink last night. I can see that in his face now.

He’s crashing hard from the excitement of this weekend and that unforgettable moment when he hugged his hero.

Trey couldn’t have been any more gracious.