Lyle summed it up, a succinct kind of guy. “So we have Scott, who’s a financial investor. Ted, who invests as well, though he’s more an advisor for our smaller clients. And you, Xavier. Justine hasn’t said much about you other than that she has a new boyfriend. What is it exactly that you do?”
Xavier had been surprised they hadn’t given him the inquisition after he’d stepped through the front door. Butperhaps Lyle had been softening him up before going in for the kill.
From the intense scrutiny her father was giving him, he thought he might not be too far off the mark. “I’m an LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist.”
Lyle brightened. “Oh, so then,DoctorXavier Hanover?”
“Nope.” Xavier smiled, having been asked that question more times than he could remember. “I was eager to get into the work and didn’t want more years of schooling. Or debt.”
Lyle clearly approved. “Smart. You know, our firm is big into the psychology behind investing and how companies decide their futures. Investing is so much more than numbers and percentages.”
“Oh?”
The conversation turned even more stimulating as Lyle, Angela, and Xavier discussed leadership and values within corporations, and how that led to increased productivity and sales. Justine, her mother, and Mallory talked about Aunt Rosie’s apartment, comparing Rosie’s eclectic sense of style to Jeanine’s.
Xavier engaged but kept half his attention on Justine, aware he’d defended her though he hadn’t been asked to do so.
He could only hope he hadn’t stepped too far.
Or that she’d be angry with him because of it.
CHAPTER 22
The moment they sat in Justine’s car, Xavier turned to her and apologized.
He spoke in a rush. “I’msosorry for overstepping. Then I dominated the conversation until we left. I don’t know what happened. I only meant to defend you when they all jumped down your throat. And then I found myself explaining about my schooling and my practice with your father.” He paused. “He’s a little scary.”
Justine had been relieved Xavier had been there to take the heat off her. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. My dad has a tendency to run right over you before you know it. You held your own. I appreciate you standing up for me.”
He flushed. “I feel like I talked for you. And I hate that.”
She clutched his hand in hers. “You defended me. No one does that. Well, Mallory will sometimes. But usually they just steamroll over me. It’s easier to let them. I still do what I want in the end; I just have to suffer a whole lot of unasked for advice before I do.”
He groaned. “Still, I’m sorry. I was a hypocrite, doing exactly what they do. I respect you, Justine.” He opened his mouth and closed it.
“Go ahead.” She started the car and drove them back home.
“It’s not my place.”
She laughed. “Xavier, I can feel you humming with the need to offer advice.”
“It’s like you really know me.”
She couldn’t explain how good it had felt, knowing he’d supported her with her family. Not cowed by her father at all, he’d answered questions while having her back. That arm around her shoulders had not gone unnoticed, and the gesture had gone a long way toward making her feel encouraged.
“You know what? You had enough people telling you what to do about your work life over dinner. How about we get home and go on a walk? It’s a gorgeous night tonight. We’ll walk and talk, and you can rake me over the coals about anything you want. Just so we’re even.”
His broad smile had her pulse picking up, though Justine told herself not to ask for too much from Xavier. Bad enough he was roped into going to her sister’s wedding with her and acting like her boyfriend.
“Well, if you insist.”
They made the drive back to the apartment in no time and decided to walk away from the center of town, taking in the cute neighborhood filled with a diverse mix of homes. Apartment complexes, Craftsman-styled bungalows, Midcentury modern houses, and of course, the Fremont troll keeping watch from under the Aurora Bridge.
The waning moon offered some light, and the cloudless sky allowed the stars to sparkle overhead. The breeze smelled of honeysuckle, and as they walked, Xavier took her arm and tucked it under his. Trying not to find it all overly romantic proved impossible. Heck, she was only human.
“Ask me anything. Anything at all,” Xavier insisted.
“Such a grand gesture. You must feel totally guilty about dinner.”
