Holden strides my way, his face pained. “Figured it out, huh?”
“Oh yeah. Call it my father’s instant assessment of situations.”
He rakes his hand through his hair. “Well, almost feels like we should just throw up a billboard at this point.”
I step forward and touch his chest with no care in the world about our surroundings. “It’s okay. We will take a little more time for Lori and Harry.”
A bitter laugh hits him. “If they don’t hear it from somewhere else or figure it out for themselves.”
I lift my shoulders. “I don’t know what to say. It’s your train to drive.”
He leans in to kiss my forehead. It’s chaste, but to the world, obvious enough that I’m his woman and he’s my man.
“Need to get the kids. We’ll talk later.”
I reluctantly remove my hand and nod in understanding, watching him walk away and wondering what is the next step in relation to our families and should I be scared?
19
HOLDEN
The calendar on my desk taunts me with the days ticking by. After a couple of weeks, everything is complete at the Dizzy Duck, and although fantastic for business, it does mean one thing. Lexi won’t have a reason to be waltzing into the Dizzy Duck on a daily basis as if she owns the place. Making demands of what she needs, all while delivery men smile and Lexi shows kindness to the staff that adore her.
Leaning back in my chair, I tap the wood, very well knowing that my concentration for the day has gone to shit. It’s been a week since her father showed up, a week of a weighty awareness that this small town has a tiny bubble of gossip that may no doubt reach my kids before I do.
The sound of my door cracking open causes me to smirk. Lexi doesn’t even bother with knocking, and even if we weren’t sleeping together, I’m positive she wouldn’t knock anyhow.
“Holden, the magazine called, and they want to take photos of the inn a few days earlier than planned. We can make it work, I just will need to order two rounds of flowers, and we need to up the ante on little trinkets to hand out. We’ll need to do everything now…” She looks up from her little notebook that she carries around and stops in her ramble to notice me.
I’m always amused by her adorable fits of speed talking. My elbows rest on the arms of my chair and my fingers steeple together.
“What’s up with you? You seem grumbly,” she adds as she strides my way, approaching me as though I’m her target, ready to relax me.
“Not grumpy. Just lost in thought.”
She clicks her fingers. “Well, snap out of it. I only have fifteen minutes until I’m supposed to pick up Lori and get her to her lesson. Her coach has been sick for the whole week, and to my surprise, Lori asked me if I could… monitor, help, give tips…” She’s doubting what to say, but Lexi seems fully invested.
I spin my chair slightly and reach out for her wrists which causes her to flop her notebook on my desk. I give her a tug until she lands on my lap in a perfect fit. “Thank you for doing it.” She shrugs, because to her it’s nothing, which is why a simple smile graces her lips. “You’ve kind of become a staple in the not-a-nanny-but-a-houseguest role.”
Lexi gently smacks her palm against my chest. “How are you doing with that? You better have not put that nanny search on hold. Although, I’m positive that a pre-teen does not want a nanny, nor needs one. You really should consider other options, otherwise you’ll only have more angst to deal with, and I’m positive she’s switched your normal coffee with decaf just to test you.” Again, her long-winded sentences return. Lexi does that when she’s invested in things.
I bring my hands up to cup her face then quickly crash my lips onto hers to quiet her… and also because her lips look luscious today with a pink gloss. It does the trick, and she eases instantly with a purr and her wrists resting on my shoulders. In truth, these kisses bring us both back to a stable foundation here on earth. Sometimes we’re stronger together.
Pulling away, I lick my lips to taste her. “A shame we only have fifteen minutes,” I say in a near-rough voice, desperate for more in this moment.
Her eyes pop out. “Really? Fifteen minutes is stopping you? I’m sure that’s not an issue.”
I laugh and quickly peck her mouth once more. “It will have to wait. I kind of want to talk to you about something.”
A slight fear forms in her eyes. “Oh…”
To ease her worries, I smile at her. “It’s nothing bad, except we seem to be avoiding the detail of what to do once the inn finishes…” Lexi’s chin lifts up, waiting for me to say it or to give her own assessment. “It will kind of feel like a step back if you move out. Which is crazy, as we probably should go back a few stages that we skipped over. It’s just…”
“Yeah, of course, I totally get it.” She nervously tucks hair behind her ear and her eyes avoid mine.
“I don’t really want you to leave, and I’m not sure Lori and Harry would want you to, either. They’ve become accustomed to you.”
Her eyes whip back to me. “But if I get a few projects around Lake Spark that I’ve been asked to do, then I can take the guesthouse with working water, but it’s not… You know, if we’re moving too fast. We are moving fast.”
