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“Yes, Mr. Hendrix. Mr. Oakley has arranged for me to be available to take you back.”
“Great, then see you in a while,” Rix said, pushing across the seat to follow Alex, who was already out and standing on the sidewalk.
He took her hand, they started up the steps to another brownstone, and a flash popped.
Rix looked left, saw the guy with the camera, noted his angle, turned his head away and positioned his body to block Alex as another two flashes popped, and he hustled her up the steps.
They hit the brass-plated bell.
Luckily, the door opened in seconds.
And Chloe stood there.
“Well, hello, you two,” she drawled.
“Chloe,” Alex said, surprised, and clearly happy.
Rix just smiled at her.
Another flash popped.
Chloe fully opened the door and ushered them in, only for them to see Judge and Dru standing in the foyer.
“What the fuck, bud?” Rix asked, grinning and lifting his hand to Judge.
They clasped, bumped chests, but no back pounding this time before they broke away.
“It was killing Coco. She had to be closer to the action,” Judge answered.
Rix started laughing as Chloe finished her greeting to Alex, moved in for a kiss on the cheek from Rix, he gave the same to Dru, Alex was hugging Judge, then Jamie strode in and there were more hand clasps and cheek kisses.
“Come into the kitchen,” Jamie invited. “Let’s get you some drinks.”
Rix took hold of Alex again and began to follow the others.
It was then he noticed it.
Something he’d never normally notice, mostly because it was normal, but after the time spent at her dad’s place, he did.
The foyer was about half the size of Ned’s, but it was still impressive.
In it, as well as the center table, there were narrow tables on the walls on each side of the door with vases that did not have fresh flowers. Just the vases. And on one, a silver tray on which were a couple sets of keys.
There were also velvet covered benches on each side further into the foyer, and tossed on one was a trench coat and on top of that, a sweater.
They moved through the house, and it was posh. Total luxury. In some ways even lavish, though never losing the overall sense of refined elegance.
But there was more.
Rix saw a book upended on an ottoman.
There were picture frames everywhere filled with photos of a beautiful redheaded woman, with and without Jamie. Lots of Dru. Lots of Judge.
There were also artfully thrown toss blankets, handy to grab if you got cold.
On the floor in one room, Rix saw a pair of Dru’s shoes she’d obviously flipped off before she’d curled up in front of the TV.
This pad probably cost millions of dollars, the taxes on it were likely crippling, and what was in it probably cost millions more.
But it was a home.
They hit an enormous kitchen, its complete back wall being black, square-paned windows with a view to the garden. The sink and a counter had been set freestanding in front of that window.
There was a massive island in the middle, on which was the range, as well as a black-tiled wall to the side that almost made Rix laugh because it had a fucking wood-fired stove built in it.
Beyond that, a counter-to-ceiling wall of shelves with carefully stacked white bowls and plates and shit. Another wall that was filled with light gray cupboards, among those, a restaurant quality fridge and freezer.
All of that was there, with some nice décor, and top-of-the-line counter appliances.
And it was still a family kitchen.
It smelled good and it was warm and there was light rock playing and there were filled wineglasses and beer bottles scattering the counters. And even though there were six of them, the island had been set, close but comfortable, and apparently that was where they were eating.
Not in a dining room that was not actually the dining room.
No silver or china to be seen or butter formed into acorns.
Rix looked down to Alex, to see her nodding her head to Dru, who was offering her some wine.
What she wasn’t doing was looking around in wonder.
Seeing this was in the city.
This was money.
But this was a home.
And this was what she’d been missing while she was growing up.
What she should have had.
He didn’t have time to point that out, and if he did, he wouldn’t know how, when, a little later, he was leaning against the island with a beer. Alex and Chloe were on stools with their wine. Jamie was at another counter, watching the action.
And Judge was doing annoying big-brother shit, messing with Dru’s mojo while she was preparing homemade garlic bread.
Chloe launched in.
“Obviously, Elsa reported about half an hour after the brunch was over. Therefore, you must spill. What’s going on?”
Alex didn’t hedge.
“Rix caught Chad in flagrante delicto,” Alex shared.
Chloe’s eyes widened.
