“Do I? I just threw this on.”
Jack cast her a disapproving look. “Lexi. Take the compliment.”
Crinkles formed between her eyes. She didn’t seem convinced. “You’re right. I’m a little self-critical.”
“I got that impression.”
She looked beyond him to where his car was parked. “A different set of wheels today? Are you trying to impress me?”
He wasn’t surprised that she would zero in on the vehicle, but part of him was still disappointed. He wasn’t trying to impress her, and if he ever were, he wouldn’t try to make an impact with something he owned. “What can I say? I have a weakness for things that go fast.”
“Construction really does pay, doesn’t it?”
“Considering that I met you through my job, I’d say that it absolutely does.”
Her cheeks blushed with a bright and vibrant pink. “You’re such a flirt.”
Jack knew better than to lay it on so thick, but the reality was that he was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. “Just stating the obvious.” He offered his arm, fighting a grin. “Shall we?”
They strolled into the cheery diner, brightly lit from the big picture windows facing the street. The hostess quickly saw them off to a comfortable booth near the back and handed them menus. “Your server will be over in a minute.”
Jack was fixated on lunch, but Lexi seemed keenly attuned to everyone around them. His hot take was that she wanted to see who was there, and more importantly, what their reaction would be to seeing them together. She cared far too much about what the people in Royal thought. He wanted her to stop doing that. “What are you thinking about for lunch?” he asked.
“I usually do the Cobb salad,” she answered. “You?”
“Burger, fries and a slice of pie.”
“Sounds like a lot of calories.”
“Sounds perfect to me.”
Jack closed his menu and sat back on his side of the booth, spreading his arms across the back of the banquette. There was a part of him that wished he and Lexi could sit on the same side, but if she was worried about what people might say, their current seating arrangement was best. The bell on the diner door jingled and Jack looked up to see Lila Jones from the Royal Chamber of Commerce, along with Valencia Donovan, director of the Donovan Horse Rescue. Both were members of the Soiree on the Bay festival advisory board, but Jack had very little in the way of direct dealings with them. Rusty was paying the bills, and he ran interference most of the time.
The two women spotted Lexi and him, and waved, then beelined over to their table. Lexi turned as Valencia and Lila walked up.
“Jack Bowden,” Lila said, pointing at him. “We were just talking about you.” Lila was an earnest person, hardworking and rather serious, so her greeting came across more like an accusation than a warm hello.
“We were talking about the construction,” Valencia quickly added, gathering her long wavy blond hair and pulling it back, then planting her hand on Lexi’s shoulder. “Hello, Lexi. How are you?”
“I’m good, thanks. Lila, it’s nice to see you.”
“Nice to see you, too,” Lila replied. “Are you two meeting about the festival?” Her big blue eyes darted back and forth between Lexi and him.
“Yes. That’s exactly what we’re doing,” Lexi blurted.
Jack was getting whiplash from spending time with her. She calls him, readily accepts his offer of a lunch date, then covers her tracks by saying they were having a business meeting?
“If you’re already on the subject, I hope you won’t mind if I ask how construction is coming along,” Lila said.
“It’s getting there, but the schedule is incredibly tight. I predict a photo finish, but I’ll do everything in my power to get it done on time and on budget. By the end of the month.” Jack didn’t want to paint an unnecessarily rosy picture, but he also didn’t want them to question whether he could get the job done. He absolutely could.
“Oh, good. I’m glad,” Lila said.
Valencia nodded, also seeming satisfied with Jack’s answer. “That’s good to hear. I think our biggest obstacle right now is getting the word out. I don’t have a good sense of what public opinion is on the festival. That’s part of why we came downtown today. We were hoping to walk around and find out more about what the average Royalite is saying about it.”
“Jack can probably help you with that,” Lexi offered.
Jack quirked an eyebrow at her, silently asking what in the hell that was supposed to mean. Was she saying that he was an “average” guy?
