Lexie and Eric had drawn me well out of my comfort zone . . . but it wasn’t so bad.
“I’ll work on my technique.”
Eric polished his off, sneaking a bite to Millie, who completely gave it away with her smacking. Muffy turned those big eyes to me, and inwardly I groaned before I tore off a piece and offered it to him.
He swallowed it whole and looked at me as if to say give me the rest of it, pal.
“You didn’t even taste it,” I muttered.
“Let’s take a selfie and send it to Lexie,” Eric said, her phone already in his hand.
He leaned over, his face close to mine, and snapped a photo with no warning.
He pulled up a message, then frowned. “I have her phone. We can’t send it.”
“Beau is with her.”
He beamed. “You’re right.”
In seconds, he’d sent the picture. And in a few more seconds, my phone chimed.
Is that a donut in your hand?
Then Lexie’s phone chimed. Eric read the message before he relayed it. “Sis says we’re busted about the donuts.”
Then another message popped up on my screen. It was the photo of Eric and me. He grinned, I looked like I’d been caught off guard, and there certainly was a donut near my face. Along with two dog noses in the bottom of the image.
I stuffed the rest of the donut in my mouth and tapped out a reply.
I have no idea what you’re speaking of.
No wonder you wouldn’t let me go along. You wanted all the donuts for yourself.
We’re very busy now. We must go.
I grinned as the bubbles danced on my screen indicating Lexie was responding.
Eric snapped another picture. “You should smile more. It’s good for your face muscles.”
Was it?
I see the evidence has disappeared.
The other photo popped up on my screen. I didn’t recognize the man in it. He looked . . . happy. Carefree. There was no sign of the stress of the past few weeks—a lifetime of it, really.
Could I be this man?
Maybe Muffy has some insight.
I patted his head. “Sorry, buddy, but you’re a good scapegoat.” I dusted a fleck of sugar coating off my tie and stood. “Should we finish these deliveries?”
“Let’s do it.”
I untied Muffy’s leash from the table and he rocketed back toward the van, willingly dragging me along with Eric’s laughter not far behind. And it was in hearing Eric’s laughter that I also smiled.
I’m enjoying this.
Being outside rather than stuffed in an office. Entertaining conversation and bothersome dogs rather than emails and tedious meetings. Helping a business survive rather than finding ways to overcome one. What I was doing was adding value to life. Others. And for once, I felt good about myself. Good about life.
Chapter Thirteen
Lexie
“I’ve never seen my brother like this.”
The knot in my stomach since Lincoln left, tightened.
“Way to keep the conversation casual after I was just released from the hospital.” I tossed a piece of cauliflower at her.
Beau caught it and dipped it in the ranch dressing.
“He’s a worrier.” She tapped her index finger against her cheek. “That’s not exactly accurate. He . . . feels responsible for everything.”
I didn’t need my best friend to tell me that. On more than one occasion I’d witnessed it for myself.
“He’s been under a lot of stress, right? Getting arrested will do that to a person.” I chomped on a grape tomato. “Trust me, I have firsthand experience.”
She leveled me with a look. “The whole thing is complete garbage. For both of you.”
“I don’t know about Lincoln, but technically I did assault my father.”
“Don’t you dare say that in front of anyone else.” She shook her finger at me.
I shrugged. “What about that I don’t regret it?”
“Leave that out too. Though I don’t regret you did it either.” She tucked a leg up under her. “And Lincoln didn’t commit securities fraud or tax evasion.”
I had a hard time believing he had either. Maybe he wasn’t the most welcoming kind of man. He was more like back away. But he’d treated Eric and me with more respect than most people ever had. I wouldn’t disregard his behavior toward us no matter what the FBI said.
I had to trust what my eyes had seen instead of what the authorities tried to tell me.
“How is he going to get out of that?”
She pointed at me again. “You’re not getting out of this conversation. Because I was definitely referring to the change in my brother as a result of you.”
Heat flooded me. I would’ve been embarrassed to talk with her about any man, but especially her brother. Surprisingly, she seemed more at ease with it than I was.
“Does it bother you? That we’re . . .” I didn’t know how to finish that sentence. There had been no official declaration of a relationship, but I couldn’t deny that something was happening between us. Something beyond friendship. Something that equated to dates in my living room, a commercial kitchen, and a hospital room.
Which wasn’t romantic per se . . . but whatever it was, it was ours. Our normal.
“Not sleeping together. Yes, it bothers me.” She tossed a piece of broccoli and caught it in her mouth.
My face flamed. “Did he tell you that?”
She rolled her eyes. “Nooo. If either of you had had sex in the past . . . oh, five years, you wouldn’t be wound so tight that it’s impossible to get a stick in or out of your ass.”
“Um, Beau. I’m not really into that.” At least it didn’t sound appealing. Was Lincoln?
“Not a dick,” she groaned. “A stick.”
I threw another vegetable at her. She dodged, and it bounced off the kitchen counter.
“I know you said stick.” I put a hand over my face.
She lifted a shoulder and lowered it. “Don’t knock it until you try it.”
My eyes bulged. “Have you?”
“That’s neither here nor there.” She hopped off her barstool. “More water?”
“Oh no, no, no.” I grabbed her wrist. “You cannot say something like that and just forget it.”
“We’re going to because we’re discussing you and my brother.” She shook her head. “Lincoln. Not Teague.”
“I figured, since Teague is getting married to a friend of mine.” I released her wrist and held out my glass for a refill.
She topped me off and leaned her elbows on the counter across from me. “Lincoln is a good man. He doesn’t know it but he deserves you. You’re just going to have to help him see it when he gets stubborn.”
“We haven’t talked about anything. You know I don’t have any recent experience in dating. I think he likes me but—”
“He asked my father to get you out of jail. And he never asks my father for anything.”