Stupid hormones.
“Hey,” he said softly. “Come on in.”
“Thanks.” Lexi went to step around him, but he didn’t exactly try very hard to give her space, and she ended up brushing against him.
And that certainly didn’t help her already overstimulated senses.
“Mmm…something smells amazing,” she said, telling herself she was referring to the meal and not him.
Connor came around her, and his hand gently grazed her lower back as he passed. “I was originally going to make Marry Me Chicken, but I felt like we’ve been eating chicken a lot lately.”
She nearly choked on her own saliva. “I’m sorry, but…Marry Me Chicken?”
He nodded as they walked to the kitchen. His cabin was twice the size of hers, so they had more room to cover. “It’s a very popular dish with chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and an absolutely decadent cream sauce. But, like I said, I feel like we’ve been on chicken overload. So I decided on a seafood risotto and a Greek salad.” Smiling at her over his shoulder, he asked, “I hope that’s okay?”
“It sounds wonderful.”
“I’m used to getting fresh seafood back home, and I’m not quite loving the fact that everything I order has been frozen, but I’m making the best of it for now. I don’t plan on having a whole lot of seafood on the menu up at the lodge, but every once in a while, it’s a good option.”
Lexi came to stand beside him and accepted the glass of wine he handed to her. “Thank you.”
“Here’s to a few precious child-free hours,” he said, tapping his glass to hers.
“I will drink to that.” After taking a sip, she sat down at the beautifully set table. “So, was Annabeth excited about the movie?”
“Definitely. And she was even more excited when she heard Jonah was going and that they were getting pizza and ice cream.”
Laughing softly, Lexi shook her head. “Yeah, I have a feeling we’re going to regret that.”
“Possibly, but…I’d rather not talk about the kids tonight. We talk about them every day as we coordinate carpool and homework and all that.” He checked the risotto and put the lid back on before joining her at the table. “What I’d really like is a night where we talk about…us.”
She was pretty sure her eyes went comically wide. “Us?”
His eyes never left hers as he nodded. “I think we went from essentially being strangers with a history, to co-workers, to friends. But all the time we’ve spent together has been either about work or with all our co-workers, or with the kids. I want to know who the girl I used to know grew up to be.”
Another soft laugh. “That’s easy. She grew up and married the wrong guy who left her for their babysitter, making her a single mom who couldn’t exactly make ends meet.”
“Lexi…”
“There’s not much more to it, and I don’t really like to discuss it. I’ve made some mistakes—obviously—but I can’t keep dwelling on them.”
“Isn’t Jonah’s father in the picture at all?”
“Is Rachel?”
He grinned. “Touché.”
“Sorry,” she murmured. “That was…incredibly bitchy of me. It’s just a sensitive subject.”
“No, I’m the one who’s sorry. You said you didn’t like to discuss it and I pushed. For what it’s worth, I get the whole marrying the wrong person. As I’m sure you remember, my parents were adamant about my marrying the ‘right’ kind of girl.” The look of utter disgust on his face spoke volumes. “They pushed and pushed and pushed until I caved. The only good thing that came out of a miserable situation is my daughter.”
“That’s how I feel about Jonah. I just hate that we’ve had to struggle so much. I want better for him, and I hope that working here at the resort is going to allow me to turn things around.”
“You know we’re all here to help. Harlow will find you the perfect place to live when you’re ready and…” Pausing, he chuckled. “Although considering what happened with my rental, I’m not sure if you want to take my advice on that.”
“That was a freak accident. Harlow had nothing to do with it. But I’ve sat and talked with her, and we’re taking it month to month, and she’ll keep me updated on what’s available.” She sighed. “I appreciate Kelsey and Jayce letting me stay in their cabin, but…”
“There are several others that aren’t in use that are for family. If you really needed a place because Jayce and Kelsey were here and you were still living in their cabin, we’d find somewhere for you to stay.”
