Stay
Vincent’s posture relaxed, and he nodded.
Willow tugged on Jake’s arm. “See Jake, she’s fine. She’s got Alexi, and she has a chauffeur. Do you really think she needs a third guy taking care of her?”
“Bye Mia, call me later,” Lauren said.
Alexi placed Mia inside, and she sunk into the leather, while Vincent shut the door on her “goodbye” to Lauren.
Alexi looked her over, then looked out the window. Jake was still standing there, frowning at them. Willow was frowning at him, and Lauren was walking back to the football field.
“Why did you break up with Jake?”
She blinked. “Who told you we went out?”
“Quinn. Why’d you break up?”
Heat rose in her face, and she looked out the window. “Uh, he wanted a more serious relationship than me, so he dumped me. We’re still friends, though. He didn’t lie or anything bad. He wanted something different.” Don’t ask. Don’t ask. Screw it. “Um, were you seeing anyone special back home?”
“No one special.” His gaze flickered, but she couldn’t read anything in his somber expression.
When they arrived at the house, Alexi helped her out. He made to scoop her up, and Mia held up her hands. “Let me walk so I don’t get stiff.” She also wanted to erase the worried look from his face.
As instructed, there was a physician waiting for them. Mia hadn’t realized doctors made house calls. It was a guy, she noted in embarrassment. She wished Hope was home. Her face heated, and she looked to the staircase for escape.
“Let’s have a seat on the sofa, and let me take a look,” the doctor said.
Thankfully, the exam was brief, consisting mostly of vital signs, a light in the eyes, the maneuvering of her joints, and a ton of questions.
Alexi stood nearby, refusing to take the doctor’s hint to leave. The doctor cleared her, gave her a mild pain pill, and cautioned her about falls before he left.
Mia lay back against a pillow and picked up her Greek Homer book. “Read to me?” she asked in a weak voice. She felt fine, but what the hell, Alexi had a beautiful voice, and she hadn’t remotely figured out how to translate the text.
He joined her on the sofa and took the book. “Sing to me of the…”
***
Mia came down the stairs, still a bit stiff, but a long soak with a stolen handful of Alexi’s un-used bath salts had helped.
Alexi was standing by Niko. He held a bouquet of perfume-heavy purple and yellow lilies above the trash can and was reading the card with his other hand. He dumped them in.
“What’s going on?”
Alexi pocketed the card. “An admirer, nothing we want any part of.”
Was that the royal we? Who’d sent him flowers? Willow? Guys didn’t want bouquets, even if they were in school colors. It didn’t make them masculine. He’d done the right thing. But he and Niko had such innocent expressions on their faces. What were they up to?
“Morning.” Niko stood in the double doors leading to the breakfast room. He waited until she caught up to them before he spoke again, although, from the way he assessed Alexi, he had something to say to him directly. “The football coach called and wants you on the team.”
Alexi snagged a glass of orange juice off the table. “I am on the team.”
“No, not soccer. American football, as a kicker. Evidently they’ve had success with soccer players in the past, and you have a good leg. Practice starts tomorrow, and Friday night there’s a game against Magnolia.”
“That’s awesome.” Mia poured a glass of orange juice, and breathed in the wake-up citrus scent.
Alexi took a bite of his toast and chewed thoughtfully, considering the idea. “No, I don’t think so. It’s very hot, and they’re halfway through the season.”
“It’s really exciting,” Mia said.
Alexi shook his head. Niko leaned back in his chair. “Being halfway through the season doesn’t matter. Evidently, they have another new kid who’s also a senior, and he’s taking over as starting quarterback. That’s not going over so well, but a kicker’s spot is not as coveted, so you shouldn’t have any difficulty.”