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“But you’re welcome to try.” She said with a smirk.
One thing for sure, he was hungry enough to take his chances. The lasagna was still warm as he carried it into the kitchen, grabbed a clean fork from the dishwasher and took a large bite. It was then that he discovered that Lexi Bradshaw might be a lot of things—precocious, smart, hostile—but she was certainly no liar.
Chapter 4
Maggie hummed as she dipped carafes in the sudsy water.
“You’ve been perky all morning. Want to tell me why?” Vera asked.
“I’ve got some good news. That’s all.”
“So go ahead and spill it. What’s going on?” Vera cocked her head to one side.
“I met my new neighbor, and he’s a cop. He seems nice, and he agreed to talk to Lexi.”
“You’re letting a perfect stranger talk to Lexi? What’s wrong with you? Whoisthis guy?”
“Only one of Harte’s Peak’s finest.” In more ways than one, she had to admit.
“What did happen with Lexi? You ran out of here so fast I never found out.”
“That’s a funny story.”
Funny in hindsight, anyway. In a few minutes, she’d explained the whole mess to Vera.
“I know all the deputies since they’ve each written me at least one speeding ticket. Which one is it?” Vera wiped the counter while they experienced their afternoon lull.
“Jack Butler.”
“Butler?” Vera stopped wiping.
“Yes, why?” Maggie asked.
“Nothing, he’s come in here before with Ryan.” Vera rolled her eyes, her standard response when saying Ryan’s name. “Well, Jack is all right. For a cop. He was pretty polite when he wrote me up for a ticket last week. Lots of integrity. He wouldn’t budge, despite my flirting. Handsome, too, don’t you think?”
Maggie’s cheeks burned. Leave it to Vera to have that be her first thought. “I hadn’t noticed. He’s just helping me hopefully straighten Lexi out. Anyway, you know I can’t date right now.”
It was different for Vera, and not just because she was blonde, tall, and thin and looked like she should still be on a runway somewhere in Paris instead of the owner of a small town café.
“Your daughter is practically grown. And you can take care of Lexi, but who’ll take care of you?” Vera asked.
Good question. “I guess I’ll have to take care of myself right now.”
“That’s no fun.”
“I wouldn’t even have any idea how to act on a date. The last time I went out with someone, I’d just gotten my license. What do people do on dates these days?” Maggie was only half-kidding.
“Please, you sound like you’re sixty years old instead of thirty-one. You have a lot of life left to live.”
“I know. I just don’t know if Lexi will be OK with me living it.”
“Who’s the parent?” Vera crossed her arms.
Maggie sighed. Vera didn’t understand because she’d never been a parent or experienced putting herself last. Or even second.
“This is how you do it. You go out on a date and put the guy through his paces. Date him awhile, and if he’s good material,then you allow him to meet the kid.” Vera spoke as though she were an expert on the subject.
She made it sound so easy, but Maggie had met Matt in high school. When he’d asked her out the first time, she didn’t answer because the bell rang for fourth period and she didn’t want to be late. Their romance was short -lived since she’d gotten pregnant with Lexi in her senior year, and both she and Matt left their youth behind at an early age.
