An awkward silence filled the room as I didn’t know what to say. Annabelle seemed to understand, and she jumped in and said, “Lexi, I love the art you have in here.”
She gestured to the walls, and I noted that there were architectural drawings covering every surface. Lexi grinned. “Thanks. I’ve been working on this project for years so I have plenty of renderings in various degrees of completion.”
“Maybe you could loan some to Nick. He has no art on his walls. As in none.”
“That’s not—” I began to protest but stopped. Her statement wasn’t entirely accurate, but if I corrected her, I’d have to explain what art I had, and admit that I’d had her drawings framed and they were now hanging in my bedroom. Yeah, awkward.
“See?” she said to Lexi. “None. He doesn’t have any in the guest house either or he didn’t before I moved in. How does a person not have any art on their walls?”
More curls had sprung free from her bun. Her face was flushed and her eyes sparkled. Now she was rocking the sexy librarian look, because of course she was. A hot spear of desire, something I hadn’t felt in forever, made my brain blink out. All I could do was stare at her while she talked art with Lexi. I felt as awkward as a middle school boy with a crush on his hot math teacher. Toenail fungus, soap scum, a fly found in an ice cube, I tried to think of things to squash the lust rocketing through me like a pinball. It was a struggle.
When they finally wound down from their love of every artist from Monet to Haring, I had myself under control although it took me a second to realize they were both staring at me. Shit, was I supposed to answer a question?
“So what is it?” Lexi asked.
“What is what?” I shifted in my seat.
“What are you thinking about that has you looking so—” Annabelle began but Lexi interrupted.
“Weird,” she said.
I sent her a look and she grinned. Same old Lexi. It made my heart clench in my chest.
“Brussels sprouts,” I said.
They both made expressions as if they’d just tasted something bad.
“Why?” Lexi asked.
“Because there has to be some way to make them taste good,” I said. I almost laughed at their matching expressions of confusion. I clapped my hands together and glanced from one to the other. “Okay, so are we done here?”
“If you’re in, I’m in,” Lexi said to Annabelle.
“Oh, I’m in!” Annabelle beamed, and even though it wasn’t directed at me, I felt it shoot through me all the way down to my feet. But then she turned to me, still grinning, and I forgot how to breathe. “And I’ll stop by your place after work and we can come up with a plan.”
“Plan?” I asked, utterly bemused. I had no idea what she was talking about and I didn’t really care.
“Yes, for the art,” she said. She gestured between her and Lexi. “We agreed that we’d repay you for all that you’re doing for us by making your house look less like a Motel 6. I take that back, even a motel has better art than you.”
“Hey!” I protested.
“Don’t thank us,” Lexi said. “We’re happy to do it.”
“What if I like bare walls?” I asked.
They looked appalled.
“No one likes a naked house,” Annabelle said.
And just like that, my inner adolescent boy lost his powers of speech. The word naked coming out of Annabelle’s mouth ruined every hard-on-squelching image I’d been able to think of, plus I’d just lost my argument for barren walls. So now it looked like I would be acquiring some art.
Lexi glanced between us with a shrewd look that I ignored. Mercifully, the trailer door opened and Jackson poked his head in. “Nick, a word?”
I noticed the tight line of his jaw. Something was bothering him. I glanced at Lexi and said, “Why don’t you give Annabelle some idea of what you’re looking for in a logo, and I’ll be right back.”
Annabelle was already hauling out her laptop, looking delighted, and her enthusiasm was contagious as Lexi scooted her seat closer to see what Annabelle had already come up with. I wanted to just sit there and stare at them, appreciating how everything was coming together even though it meant keeping them both away from me, but I could feel Jackson’s looming presence like a bootheel poised to drop.
I crossed the trailer, being mindful of every step I took, and went outside onto the narrow platform. Jackson jerked his head to where Micah was standing on the ground a few feet away. I took a deep breath and strode down the short staircase like the man I used to be.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Your sister has made some enemies,” Micah said. “She would kill me if I told you this, but there is more going on than the contractors not showing up today.”
“What do you mean?” I felt my insides tighten.
“In the past month, she’s had her tires slashed,” he said. “Someone called in a bomb threat, and the office was broken into not once but twice.”
“Shit,” I swore. “Did she call the police?”
“Yeah, they said it was junkies likely looking for easy money or something they could sell, but these were pros. No evidence was left behind,” he said.
My stress level started rising. I could feel the tingle in my fingers and my toes, indicating my system was going into overload. I crossed my arms over my chest and casually leaned against the side of my SUV. If my body went numb, as it occasionally did, this would keep me from falling. I hoped. Micah didn’t seem to notice but I saw Jackson’s eyes narrow. I’d never appreciated him as much as I did right now. I knew he had my back, or my leg and arm, as the case may be.
“Do you think she’s safe on her own?” I asked. My voice was tight. Turned out you could take the little sister away from the big brother, but you couldn’t subtract the big brother from the big brother. Every protective instinct I’d ever had about Lexi roared to life.
“I don’t know, man,” Micah said. “Whoever is behind the incidents wants this development stopped and they are not playing.”
I nodded. I knew there was only one solution. I didn’t like it. Lexi was going to hate it, but so sad too bad.
“Are you going to stay on?” I asked.
“Are you going to get me a crew?” he countered.
“It’ll be done by the end of the day,” I said.
His smile was a slash of white teeth and he nodded. “Well, all right, all right. I’ll make sure we’re ready to work at sunrise tomorrow.”