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“He’s a junior college professor,” Izzy admitted. “The winery is a side business and won’t be operating on its own until the grapes are fully established, and we install a lot more wine-making equipment. Although our cousins in California are working with us and ship us a lot of wine for resale. We’re open weekends in the fall and then we’ll open again in the spring.”
“I thought he was an FBI agent, too?” he asked.
“He’s supposedly retired, although it seems like he can’t get away from it with all the crazy things that have kept happening through the years,” Harry replied, grinning. “Like when people strangely come into his life.”
Lex nodded, suddenly looking beat. “What’s been going on while I’ve been upstairs? What’s with all the stuff on the table?”
“Come over here, Lex,” Izzy said, motioning with her hand as she walked toward the table. “You and Zane should decide who gets what.”
Lex’s eyes went wide when he saw the array of clothes spread out, his previous thoughts forgotten.
“There are a few different sizes here. You two are both pretty thin, but Lex might have narrower shoulders, I think,” Harry observed. “Jake and Danielle are bringing over some shoes for all of you to try on along with a few things Dad thought you guys should have. They own the Dragonfly Pointe Inn, and they have an interest in a few of the retail shops located inside.” He cleared his throat. “Eve’s going to help Jake pick out a few unique things for each of you.”
“Who’s Eve?” Lex asked, looking quizzical.
“Harry’s girlfriend,” Amy said in a sing song voice.
Lex’s eyes met Zane’s as they grinned.
Amy continued, “Millie and Lily and Peanuts are coming back too.”
This time Zane asked, “Who are Millie, Lily and Peanuts?”
“Our dogs,” Izzy replied. “Harry will have to tell you about how they came to live with us because Mom’s out there with the hair clippers. Lex? Why don’t you go first while Harry, Zane and I go gather the rest of your things from the hideaway? When we come back, we can wake up Caleb.”
“I don’t want to miss seeing the expression on his face when he sees those toys. I’ll never forget how happy Amy was when Danny took charge after Eve talked me into trusting her,” Harry said gruffly.
Lex was still feeling slightly dazed as he studied all the clothes that they needed to sort out.
Zane squeezed his shoulder. “You get first dibs. I like everything that Harry picked out. I’d wear any of it.”
“It’s all so crazy, isn’t it? Yesterday, at about this time, we’d just met Izzy,” Lex observed. “I keep thinking I’m having some kind of weird dream. We’re even going to be sleeping in a real bed tonight.”
“Well, kind of, anyway,” Izzy said, giving Lex a reassuring smile.
Lex still felt guilty about the way he’d treated her when she’d caught them raiding the wine. He’d been kind of a bully, but that’s because he’d been sampling the wine and had thought she’d been a guy because of the baseball cap she’d been wearing on her head.
“You look tired, Lex. Go get your hair cut and when you’re finished you can choose a movie and watch anything you want while you rest on the couch.”
“Thanks, Izzy. You’re something else,” Lex answered. “And I mean that in a good way. We saw a lot of electronic stuff that we’d never seen before when we got away from Milwaukee, but Zane and I don’t even know what half of this equipment in your family room is for. You’ll have to be the one to turn on the TV and put in the movie.”
“Well then, Harry and I will do those kinds of things for you until you pick everything up on your own. Remember what I said,” she said softly. “You’re going to be fine. I know you will. You were brought here to us for a reason.”
There was something about her attitude that instantly made Lex feel better.
“We’d better hurry,” Harry said, glancing at his watch. “We’ve got groceries being delivered during the hour and Jake, Danny and Eve are supposed to be here an hour after that.”
Looking outside through the solarium windows to the concrete patio, Lex grimaced as Mrs. Giordano held up the sheers and smiled, motioning for someone to get out there so she could get started. “I guess I’d better get this over with.”
“Be careful,” Izzy whispered. “I don’t like that look she has on her face.”
When Lex looked even more nervous, Izzy punched him lightly in the arm as she gave him an impish smile. “I was only kidding. She doesn’t have to scalp you. My grandma owns the local beauty salon, so Lucy’s pretty good at cutting hair.”
She could swear that not just Lex, but Zane exhaled a sigh of relief as well.
While Harry just smiled.
Chapter Five
