I forced my gaze away and said, in the driest tone I could muster, “Excellent. I’ll let Lupita know.”
“Should we bring something?” Annabelle asked. “I don’t want to put Lupita to trouble at the last minute.”
“Uh, no,” Jackson said. “Lupita’s going to be thrilled. She’s been begging this one to have a dinner party so she could show off. She’s an amazing cook, you know.”
“I didn’t know, although she brought me some muffins that were out of this world,” Annabelle said. She walked toward the car and Jackson opened the back door for her.
I glanced at Lexi. “Thanks for agreeing to this.” I motioned to Jackson with my thumb. “It’s just until we get a handle on things.”
She nodded. She reached up and tightened the bandanna that held her hair in place before she met my gaze. “Micah told you everything, didn’t he?”
“About the slashed tires, bomb threat, and break-ins?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
“He’s worried.”
“I know,” she said. “That’s the only reason I’m not mad at him. Well, that and the fact that he and his wife, Monique, are invested in this place. They already bought the first home.” A frown line appeared between her eyebrows, and her voice was gruff when she said, “I don’t want to let them down.”
“You won’t,” I promised.
She nodded. “Thanks, Nicky.”
I turned and opened my door. “Call me if anything—”
“I will,” she said. “I promise.”
Reassured, I climbed into the car and closed the door. Jackson hit the gas and we left the jobsite behind us. I immediately took out my phone and began working my contacts. I was going to have to pull out every favor I’d ever been owed to make this happen, but if it kept my sister safe, it was worth it.
Annabelle
18
So many questions! I had so many about Nick and Lexi, I was surprised they didn’t overflow out of my eyes and mouth and ears, drowning anyone in the vicinity. Sadly, none of my questions were answered at dinner, because how could they be when I didn’t even know how to pose those questions without seeming intrusive? Instead we talked about sports, films, politics, weather, and how many paintings it would take to fill Nick’s barren house.
The lack of information was problematic, causing my fascination with Nick to become a borderline obsession. He and his sister had been estranged, and I had to know what had happened. Not my business, to be sure, but still, I had to know. Neither of them, however, were talking.
I knew Soph wouldn’t approve of my having dinner with Nick, but what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her, right? Right. Besides, it wasn’t as if we were alone. Pity.
Jackson and Lexi arrived for dinner right on time. So frustrating. I had attempted to get there early, but only managed to show up on time as well. There was no opportunity for just the two of us to talk. Maddening. The meal was amazing. Lupita had really outdone herself with the food. Given that microwavable ramen had become my go-to dinner, her homemade guacamole with pomegranate seeds, chicken and cream cheese taquitos, and machaca beef with fresh tortillas and homemade salsa were to die for. We had margaritas on the side, but I stopped myself at two, not wanting to risk making an ass of myself.
I noted that Nick wasn’t using his wheelchair. In fact, it had been parked out of the room. He didn’t get up and move very often, preferring to sit on the couch after dinner, and I suspected it was all part of his effort not to let Lexi know that there was something wrong with him. While we enjoyed dessert, homemade flan, and coffee, and discussed the possible art for his walls, I realized I wanted, quite desperately, to be alone with him.
I wanted him to look at me the way he had that night, the one where he caught me in his arms and saved me from being crushed to death by the free weights. Yes, it had taken on that soft focus romantic glow in hindsight, erasing the details that my skirt had been ripped open and he’d been covered in sweat from his workout. Sue me.
He hadn’t looked at me in anything more than a perfunctory way ever since, his gaze friendly but distant. I wanted the intensity back. I wanted the zip and sizzle. I wanted him to notice me, thus, I stayed at two margaritas lest I do something desperate for his attention like strip down to my undies and cannonball into the pool. Impulse control not being my strength. So yay me for not doing that. Yet.
“You could go with some Arizona art,” Lexi said. “Something that pulls together your color scheme but evokes a certain feeling.”
Jackson gave her side-eye. “His color scheme?” He gestured to the room. “Black, gray, and white. That’s all we’ve got going on here.”
Lexi tapped her spoon to her lips as she considered. “Ansel Adams. An enormous print of his White House Ruin, Canyon de Chelly, would be amazing on the big wall. It’s Arizona, it’s historical, and you have the space. Back me up, Annabelle.”
“You can never go wrong with Ansel Adams,” I said. I stared at the big blank wall. “Unless, you want to bust out and have some color. There are so many amazing Arizona artists, like Jimmy Todd or Frederick Sommer. Or if you want a contemporary, how about Silent Soliloquy by Dorothy Fratt? She was an Arizona artist and I just love her work.”
Lexi gave me an approving grin. “You know your local artists.”
“I studied up before coming here,” I said. “I like to familiarize myself with the art scene in places before I visit.”
“Visit?” Jackson asked. “You’re not planning to stay then?”
I could feel Nick’s gaze on the side of my face. I wanted to see his expression, but I was afraid I’d lose my train of thought if my gaze was caught by his. It was clearly his superpower.
“I’m here for six months, well, more like five now,” I said. “And then we’ll see.”
“You’re going to make a decision at the height of the summer heat?” Lexi asked. “That’s a terrible idea. Any sane person would flee once the temperature hits one hundred and fifteen.”
“I heard it’s a dry heat,” I said.
All three of them laughed. I tried not to be offended.
“Sorry,” Nick said. He grinned at me. And there was that dimple! “It’s just that once you get past one hundred and ten degrees, does it really matter if it’s a dry heat? It’s hella hot and miserable.”
“Oh, goody,” I said.
“Don’t worry,” Lexi said. “Nicky has a pool. You jump in that and you’ll be just fine.”