Page 20

“What happened to you?” I asked with a wide smile.

He looked confused for a moment before smirking. “How could I say no to the high school cheerleader who was raising money for college?”

“You look absolutely ridiculous,” I managed through my laughter.

He rolled his eyes. “My God, it can’t be that bad. Is it?”

“You haven’t seen it?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I was busy.”

I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture, which he proceeded to pose for. Because of course he did. I didn’t want to admit to it, but I was envious of how easy it was for Lexington to just be himself. He didn’t care what others thought of him, their judgments or predispositions. He simply… was. There was a freedom to it that I wished I had.

I forced myself out of my head, my eyes dropping back to the photograph. I couldn't help but chuckle again as I turned it around to show him. The second his eyes locked onto the photo, a long, deeply exasperated groan escaped him.

“She said it would look badass,” he grumbled.

“She was right about the bad part,” I muttered.

He sighed and sank into the bench. “So everything today was an absolute bust.”

I laughed lightly. “I, personally, am rather entertained right now. I don’t think it was a total failure.”

He smiled at me softly, the dimple in his cheek popping out. “You should do that more.” I raised a brow in question. “Smile.”

Said smile fell immediately, and I could see the guilt paint Lexington’s features.

“Did you learn anything at all?” I asked, wanting to change the subject. I knew he didn’t mean it maliciously, rather with the innocence of someone who could always find a reason to smile. I wasn’t one of those people.

Lexington let me change the subject and cleared his throat as he sat back up. He pulled out a small notebook from his pocket and flipped through the pages. “A few people talked about the victims. Nothing in-depth, just how they missed them. One woman blamed an older rancher for the notes. Though I think it’s a personal grudge. One couple insisted it was the devil himself, or a demon. I mostly just have junk like that. They weren’t all that helpful.”

I stared at Lexington in surprise. “I thought you said it was a total bust?”

He shrugged. “It was. I didn’t get anything helpful.”

“Lexington, I got nothing. Most people outright ignored me or refused to say anything; you actually got them talking to you,” I praised. “It’s impressive.”

His cheeks pinked ever so slightly. “Not really. Oliver would have this all solved by now.”

“You need to stop comparing yourself to him,” I grumbled and stole his notebook from his hands. He didn’t protest and instead scooted closer to me. He threw his arm on the back of the bench, his heat enveloping me. I felt my throat go dry, but I didn’t say anything as he looked through the notebook with me.

He had no idea the effect his proximity had on me. It wasn’t Lexington, per se. It felt wrong letting anyone in my personal space.

I flipped through the pages as I tried to ignore the woodsy smell that was sneaking around me.

“Three people mentioned the rancher?” I asked.

Lexington nodded. “Seems like a recluse on the outskirts of town. But I don’t think he’s taking these people.”

I raised a challenging brow. “Why?”

He sighed. “Gut feeling.”

I considered it and shrugged, turning back to the notebook.

“Wait,” Lexington interrupted. “You aren’t mad that I’m following a gut feeling?”

I shook my head. “I think gut feelings are more often than not intuition of some sort. Something in us is telling the truth; we just don’t know what.”