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You should’ve kept walking.
Probably. But something about the excitement Eric had called my name with pulled at me. No one was ever thrilled to see me.
Why would they be?
Lexie was right. I was an ass. And I liked it that way. That deterred people from bothering me.
“I didn’t have lunch either.”
She recoiled as if that were the last thing she’d expected me to say.
What are you doing?
I hadn’t eaten because I’d spent the entire day with two lawyers who argued more than most married people. Preparing a defense without a formal charge was a waste of time, but they’d seemed determined to help me.
I’d taken advantage of avoiding my father. And hopefully placating him for a while to keep him off my back.
But I’d squandered a day of work. Because of my absence, two deals I’d been working on crumbled, including the property I’d surveyed with Beau. I should be on the phone trying to piece it back together.
Instead, I picked up a box and showed it to Lexie. She pointed to a small stack to my left and I set it on top.
What are you doing?
I distinctly recalled thinking I didn’t want them to see this part of my world. For them to know it existed. Perhaps they weren’t aware it was mine, but I shouldn’t have brought them here.
Even more bothersome was that I’d acted on impulse. I wasn’t a man who planned out every aspect of my life, but I executed decisions carefully, even snap judgments.
I didn’t like this woman.
But I did like her brother.
I picked up another box. There were very few people I felt that way about.
Lexie blew at a piece of hair that had fallen in her face. I lifted my hand to brush it away, but stopped myself. I’d touched her too many times already today.
She didn’t want or need my assistance.
“Found it!” Eric yelled triumphantly.
There was a dent in the box and the label was torn. Lexie dug through a small metal chest with three drawers and pulled out a permanent marker and a roll of labels.
In impeccable penmanship, she wrote Banana, peeled off the label, and handed it to Eric to cover the torn one.
“Banana?” I straightened the remaining boxes that were out of place.
“I didn’t name the dog.” Lexie snickered, then whispered, “What if she’d named a child that?”
She shuddered in mock-horror. Despite the obstacles, she found a way to push through and make a joke. She’d turned herself around quickly. She hadn’t allowed hardship to stop her.
“It would be a travesty,” I said dryly.
“You do realize it’s okay to loosen up. Use some slang occasionally.” She closed the rear van doors.
“I am who I am.”
In my world, my guard always had to be in place.
“The strawberry ice cream wasn’t so bad. Maybe I know what I’m speaking about on this subject too.” She smacked her forehead. “You’ve got me being all formal too.”
