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“When is she due?” Da asks.
“In the spring,” Kane replies. “Early May.”
“Fiona will be for knitting a blanket and sewing a Christening gown, of course. We’d better get back and make sure our girl isn’t on her feet.”
“She’s fine, Da,” I reply, laughing at the doting grandfather. “I know it’s your first grandchild and you’re excited, but Stasia is just fine.”
“Taking care of our girls is our job, my son. Don’t you forget that. Now, speaking of our girls, when are you going to get your Lexi back?”
I stare at him as Kane closes the barn door behind us. “She’s not mine to be getting.”
“Love is wasted on the young,” Da mutters in frustration. “I just spoke with her last week. She’s doing very well, but I can hear the loneliness in her voice, and it’s there because you’re too pig-headed to admit that you belong together.”
“Hold on.” I stop walking and hold my hand up, ignoring Kane as he laughs his ass off. “You talked to Lexi?”
“Of course. She’s a lovely woman, and if I was thirty years younger and not married to the most wonderful woman on Earth, I’d be after her meself.”
I narrow my eyes at my father. Kane’s practically doubled over in glee.
“What are you laughing at?”
“You should see your face. Are you jealous of your own father?”
“Don’t be an idiot.”
Fuck. I’m jealous of my da.
I want to hear her voice. I want her to want to talk to me.
Damn it all to hell.
“Do you talk to her often?”
“She calls your mother and me weekly,” he says, pride thick in his voice. “She’s been doing some research for a book and had questions for us.”
Questions I could have answered.
“Now it’s become a weekly habit. We speak every Tuesday evening after supper.”
I sigh and push my hand through my hair.
“How does it feel to know your father talks to your girl, but you don’t?” Kane asks.
“I will kick your ass,” I remind him.
He purses his lips as if he’s giving something a lot of thought. “Nope. Not afraid of you, little brother.”
It seems my reprieve from all thoughts about Lexi is finally over. Thank God the movie I was writing is pretty much finished.
I may never write again.
When we reach the inn, I walk upstairs to my room to check my email before I join the family for dinner. I’m tempted to send Lexi a quick note, just to ask her how she’s doing, but I’m not sure that would be welcome. Based on how distant she acted at the airport when I dropped her off, and the fact that—besides one short text exchange—I haven’t heard from her, I assume she’s not interested in staying friends.
And that’s her prerogative.
I’ll get over it.
I boot up the laptop and open my email, surprised to see something waiting from Luke Williams.
Lexi is cc’d on the email.
Hi, you two! I have excellent news. We are moving forward with the project, and I’d like to set up a meeting in two weeks.
He lists the date and time, at Williams Films in Seattle.
Looking forward to seeing you both,
Luke
Well, I guess I know when I’ll see Lexi next.* * *I missed Washington. I’ve been home for a few days, am finally settled in, and looking forward to seeing Lexi again.
I’m not nervous.
I’m fucking thrilled to be seeing her. And I’m going to do everything in my power to spend a couple of days with her.
And nights.
My mood is lifted for the first time in weeks—maybe months if I’m being honest—and today is going to be a fucking great day.
I just have to get there.
The ferry seems to be going too damn slow. I can see the Seattle skyline, but it looks so far away.
Lexi is right there. And I’m going to pull her in for a big hug in a matter of just minutes.
It’s like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one.
Maybe I should talk to her about pursuing a more serious relationship. I’ve missed her. We can make the long-distance thing work. We’ll figure it out.
It’s a beautiful, sunny, early winter day in Seattle. The air is crisp, but the sun is nice, reminding me of warmer days spent with Lexi just a few months ago.
I rub my hands together, getting impatient. Doesn’t this thing go any faster?
I frown and glance down at my watch.
Shit. I’m late.Chapter 17~Lexi~I knock on Luke’s office doorjamb and then wince when I see that I’ve just interrupted him kissing the hell out of his gorgeous wife.
“I’m so sorry to interrupt.”
“Oh, please don’t worry about it,” Natalie says with a smile.
“Come in, Lexi. You remember my wife, Natalie?”
“Of course, it’s good to see you,” I say as Natalie pulls me in for a friendly hug. “How have you been?”
“I have no complaints at all,” the other woman says with a wink. “And I have to tell you, you look freaking amazing. Whatever you’ve been doing in Minnesota is clearly healthy.”
