Smiling, Roger turned and sauntered into the crowd.
Lexie looked at Alix and Toby. “Not a word,” Lexie said. “I don’t want to hear anything about him and I’ll answer no questions. Got it?”
Alix and Toby nodded, but looked at each other in wonder.
A few minutes later Jared returned and Lexie told him that Roger had shown up and he’d drive the old truck back.
“Lexie.” Jared again had that patient tone to his voice. “This truck is valuable. I can’t just turn it over to somebody I’ve never met.”
“Minutes ago you were willing to give it to me and I can’t even drive a stick shift.”
“Yeah, but I know that you’re a good driver because I taught you. But I don’t know this Roger guy from any other off-islander.”
“He drives Formula Ones. Races them,” Lexie said. “Not to earn money. He doesn’t do anything for that. He just likes to drive things. And sail them. Climb them.” She waved her hand. “Whatever moves, he likes it.”
“He’s a race car driver and you never told us?” Jared asked.
“It seems that she didn’t tell anyone a lot of things about her boss,” Alix said.
“There’s more to a person than the exterior,” Lexie said, her eyes narrowed as she looked at Alix and Toby.
“Races, climbs, sails,” Alix said. “Sounds good to me.”
“All wrapped up like the best ever Christmas present,” Toby said.
“I’ve always loved Christmas,” Alix said.
“Meeeee tooooo,” Toby said.
“Give me a break,” Lexie muttered, then turned back to Jared. “Go! Leave. Take Alix and go home. We’ll take care of the truck, the car, and the food.”
“Will Roger airlift it all out of here for you?” Alix asked, her face absolutely serious.
Lexie frowned as though she meant to make an angry retort, but then she laughed instead. “You and Jared are a perfect match.”
Jared grinned at Alix. “I think that’s quite possible,” he said. “Come on, I found us a ride.” They waved goodbye to Lexie and Toby and walked down the road toward the grocery.
The ride turned out to be in the very back seat of an SUV that was more like a bus than a car. The middle was full of kids and teenagers, with tired-looking parents in the front.
In their place in the back, Jared and Alix had what was very nearly privacy. “So what’s this about Roger Plymouth?” he asked, his voice hidden by the noise of the kids.
“Nothing much,” Alix said. “It’s just that he’s drop-dead gorgeous, seems to be staggeringly rich, and he wanted to meet you—or Montgomery anyway. And, oh yeah, he’s madly in love with Lexie.”
Jared looked at her in astonishment. “I was only gone a few minutes. How did so much happen?”
“What can I say? Roger is a fast worker.”
“Should I be jealous?”
“Definitely yes!” Alix said, and Jared laughed.
“Jared!” the driver yelled over the noise of the kids. “When do you have to go back to New York?”
Jared reached up to catch a Frisbee before it hit Alix in the head, put it on the floor, and gave the boy who’d thrown it a look to cut it out. “Not for weeks,” he answered.
Alix had been introduced to the couple but she couldn’t remember their names. For the remaining five miles back to town the couple fired questions at Jared.
He answered everything while holding Alix’s hand, and the two youngest kids looked through the seats and giggled.