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“I get it,” she said immediately. “I just didn’t want to be upset you for no reason. He’s this older guy who hasnothingon you. You have nothing to worry about when it comes to us, but he’s the heartbeat and spine to my website.” She looked up at him and he’d never get enough of staring into those eyes. “My irritable ass goes along with all his cheesy dad jokes, so long as he keeps my website running. Although this week he better keep even that to a minimum because I’ll have even less patience for eventhatcrap. But I would neverdisrespector hurt you. I swear to you. Please believe me. I love you, Lex.”
Lex froze and he felt her tense as well as he held her tight. All the anger that’d just built in the last thirty minutes seemed to dissipate as he gazed into those beautiful adoring eyes. “You do?”
“Yes!” she said immediately. “Somuch.”
“Jesus Christ, Soch,” he said before he could even think. “I fuckingadoreyou.”
She brought her hands to her mouth again, her brows pinching together. “I didn’t want to ruin your weekend for no reason, but I wanted to be honest before you left. I’m not going to the convention.”
Lex pulled away to look her in the eyes. “Why?”
“Because I have a feeling even though we’re not planning on doing it together he might suggest it. It’ll be awkward if I say I’d rather go alone. And now that I know this bothers you so much there’s no way I’d agree to going with him. I’m coming straight home after lunch instead.” Those big, beautiful hazel eyes looked up at him. “Your family is gonna be at your game today, right?” He nodded. “Go ahead and tell them about us, this way when I get there tomorrow it won’t be such a shock.” Her brows pinching again looked so genuinely pained, he felt for her. “I’m sorry.”
Everything he’d been feeling in the last half hour or so was instantly forgiven, and he pulled her to him again with a groan. “Stop,” he whispered into her ear, caressing her head. “I get it, okay? Yes, I wouldn’t have been thrilled even if you’d told me weeks ago. Maybe you did save me a few weeks of being irritated but honestly, what pisses me off more is you keeping shit from me.”
“Never again.”
“Thank you.” He smiled even as someone honked at them. “I know I can trust you. I just don’t like lies. Even if they’re by omission. No more, okay?”
“Technically,” she said smirking for the first time since this conversation took a turn. “I didn’t lie. I just didn’t tell you immediately. But Ididtell you—”
“Stop,” he said raising a brow, despite being glad that she’d shifted from her teary mood into a more playful one. “You know preciselywhythis is such a big deal to me. So don’t play. You even admitted it’s why you held off telling me about it.”
She nodded, those big eyes staring into his and losing a little of their playfulness. “I do and I promise. Never again.” He leaned in and kissed her long and deep.
When he finally came up for a breath, he took another deep one. “Do you realize how big this was just now?” Her brows furrowed as she shook her head looking a bit confused. “Kind of a shitty way for it to happen, but it made up for how pissed I was because you just told me you loved me for the first time ever.”
She smiled, her chest going up and down as she inhaled and exhaled dramatically. “For whatever reason, I figured you already knew.” Her brows pinched again as she shook her head. “I love yousomuch, Lex.”
“I love you too, baby.” Lex kissed her one last time before getting out of the car but leaned back in the window once he was out. Deciding to just drop the whole subject of her lunch with her web designer he brought something else up instead. “Expect a call from Vannah. She’ll be there today and I’m sure she’ll be calling as soon as I tell them about us.” Xochitl nodded with a weak smile, but he could see that even though she’d tried to change the mood, she was still feeling guilty. He waved at the guy in the car behind her to give him a second. “Hey.” Her brows went up in question. “Don’t worry about it anymore. I’m taking your word that you won’t keep anything from me again.”
“I won’t,” she said immediately.”
He nodded and smiled. “Then we’re good. So, cheer up and enjoy your day. I’ll call you after my game.”
Seeing her smile big for the first time since this entire exasperating conversation started was the satisfaction he needed, and he smiled blowing a kiss at her before walking away. He could only pray now this really was the last time he’d have to deal with her keeping anything from him. There just wasn’t a good enough reason for it. As much as he hated to see her upset, he hoped it was worth it and this was the last time they’d have to have one of these discussions.
Xochitl
Hours after the nerve-wracking conversation she’d had with Lex at the airport, Xochitl was still feeling the aftermath of the guilt it’d brought on. She almost hadn’t mentioned that she’d be having lunch with Rigo at all. There was nothing deceitful about considering just keeping the business lunch from him altogether. She just figured she could tell him tomorrow when she saw him in San Diego. It really was true that she didn’t want to send him off upset. Not that he’d have anything to be upset about but she’d already picked up on a few things about Lex. There was no question the guy had a memory like a steel trap. Just like he remembered things that were said way back when they first met, he wouldn’t be forgetting the one-time mention of hercreepyweb designer and that Vannah had made it sound like he’d asked Xochitl out, out, like on a romantic date. It’s why she knew he’d very likely not be happy about her having lunch with him. But this was totally business.
She rushed through the parking lot of the shopping center where the restaurant was that they’d agreed to meet at. Xochitl had since informed him that she wouldn’t be able to make the convention after all. The original deal had been that she’d agree to have lunch with him in exchange for the work he’d done on her website. The convention had just been an afterthought. She now planned on surprising Lex by arriving in San Diego today instead of tomorrow. She’d leave as soon as she was done with lunch and hopefully get there in time to catch the second half of his game. The Brazilian steakhouse they’d be having lunch at was packed. Just as she walked in, she spotted Rigo at the bar and he waved her over. “You look amazing,” he said smiling big and taking her in from top to bottom.
“Thank you,” she said trying not to look uncomfortable by the compliment given the conversation she’d had with Lex that morning. “I hope you don’t mind eating here at the bar.” He pulled out a stool for her. “I didn’t think to make reservations and the wait for a table in the dining room is over an hour.”
“No, the bar is fine.” She took a seat next to him at the bar where she was promptly carded. “How come you didn’t card me?” Rigo grinned at the young girl examining Xochitl’s driver’s license. “You’ve been here before,” the bartender smiled with a wink, handing Xochitl her ID back. “And I already know you’re twenty-one.” Refraining from rolling her eyes since he was more like twenty-one times two, Xochitl began firing up her laptop. She ordered a raspberry lemonade even though Rigo was having wine from a bottle sitting in an ice bucket in front of him. “Since you said you’ve never had Brazilian cuisine, I took the liberty of ordering us a sampler platter,” Rigo explained. “It’s off the appetizer menu but it’sa lotof meat. If you wanna order a salad or anything else feel free.”
“Sampler plater sounds fine to me.” She tapped away at her laptop’s keyboard ready to get right to it. “I hate to sound like one of those old people that doesn’t like change, but I hope nothing too complicated changed with any of the upgrades you did.”
“Well, there’s a few things that might be a little tricky to get used to, but nothing I can’t just do for you every time something needs to be downloaded.” He started to explain some of the changes as soon as she had her website up on the screen. “See this here?” He clicked on one of the icons on her dashboard as the bartender dropped off the sampler platter. They had to move things aside to make room for the food, drinks, and her laptop on the bar. With her laptop moved a little further to her side, Rigo had to stand up so he could be closer to it.
“I’m good,” he said as Xochitl attempted to turn it more toward him. “I want you in front of it anyway. You’re gonna like this new add-on.” He stood behind her leaning over her shoulder as he tapped at her touchscreen showing her a few new tricks.
Despite him being as respectable and professional as always Xochitl felt the need to mention Lex when she told him she wouldn’t be making the convention after all. “I’m driving out to see my boyfriend in San Diego after this. “Oh?” He reached for his wine glass but didn’t move his body away which was now touching hers, he was standing so damn close. “I don’t know why I was under the impression the boy you were seeing was from up north.”
“That was my ex,” she explained. “I live with my new boyfriend now here in Los Angeles. But he plays soccer for ESU, and he has a game out there in San Diego this weekend.” Rigo sipped his wine and nodded but didn’t move an inch, so she did and very obviously so. She didn’t give a shit if he took it personally. “He’s originally from out there in the San Diego area. La Jolla actually. The Moreno’s.” She pointed at him as if to remind him since she’d forgotten all about it herself. “Remember that wedding I met you at? The bride’s brother Lex, is my boyfriend now.” After having another sip of his wine, he moved away from her as if finally taking the hint. “Interesting,” he said and to her relief sat back on his own barstool. “Haven’t heard from that family in years.”
“You worked for them, didn’t you?”
