“Grace… don’t. It’s just easier if I do it.” There it was, that warning in her sister’s tone that was always there when they discussed Charlie.
“Right.” Even though Grace knew she should keep her mouth shut, after her talk with Lex, there was no way she’d be biting her tongue. “Because being the one who cooks for him seven days a week, pays the bulk of the bills, and maintains the home is totally easier than fighting about it. You know what would make all of that easier?”
“This again?” Alyssa asked. “You know what? Never mind. I can’t do this right now. Lex didn’t make dinner, and now I have to throw something together. I’ve gotta go.”
“Lex is making dinner,” Grace said. “She’s just doing it here.”
There was silence on the other end of the line.
“Alyssa?”
“Why is she there?”
“To see her aunt?” Grace said incredulously. She was well aware that Alyssa could get weird about her relationship with Lex, but Grace couldn’t help that. She wasn’t going to push Lex away because Alyssa didn’t like that they were close. “That’s why I called. To let you know she’s here and that I offered her my second bedroom for as long as she wants it.”
Alyssa scoffed. “So, Lex is moving in with you now? And what? You called to rub it in?”
“I called so you wouldn’t worry. Especially after the fight she had with Charlie today.”
“They were fighting again?” Alyssa let out an exasperated sigh. “Figures. Fine. It’ll probably be less stressful with Lex there than here. Now, I have to go, or I’ll burn the burgers.”
“Alyssa?”
“What?”
“Can we talk tomorrow? Maybe get lunch?” Grace asked, suddenly worried about her sister. Alyssa had always made excuses for her live-in boyfriend, but this seemed different. Like she was drowning in that relationship instead of just choosing to stay.
“I can’t tomorrow.” Charlie bellowed something in the background, making Grace wince. “I’ll call you later. I really have to go now.” The call ended.
Grace stared at her phone for a minute, contemplating if she should head over to Alyssa’s house.
“Grace?” Lex called from the other room. “Dinner’s ready.”
Sighing, Grace tucked her phone into her pocket and headed out to the kitchen. “Lex?”
“Yeah?” She looked up from where she’d just placed the manicotti dish on the table.
“Is Charlie dangerous?” She hated asking her niece, but what else was she going to do?
Lex pressed her lips together and hesitated for a moment. Then she shrugged one shoulder and shook her head slightly. “No. Not really. I mean, he’s a dick and he treats Mom like shit, but he’s never gotten physical if that’s what you mean.”
“It is.” She flopped down into her chair and propped her elbows on the table. “I hate that my mind went there, but your mom sounds so… defeated. I just needed to know if I should get in the car and go rescue her.”
Lex snorted. “The only person she needs to be rescued from is herself.”
“Lex,” Grace admonished. “Let’s not do that, okay? I know you’re upset with her, and you have every reason to be, but she’s still my sister and I love her.”
“I know. Sorry.” Lex averted her eyes and sat stock-still in her seat.
Grace reached over and squeezed her hand. “Thank you for making dinner. It looks and smells amazing.”
“Of course.” Lex still didn’t look at her, but she did reach for the spatula to start serving the manicotti.
“I love you. You know that, right?”
This time Lex did look at her and forced a small smile. “I do. Let’s just not talk about Mom, okay?”
“You got it. I did tell her you’re moving in for the foreseeable future so that she wouldn’t worry when you didn’t show up.”
“What did she say?” Lex asked.
“Not much. She knows you need your space.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. Grace was certain her sister would agree that they all needed their space, but that’s not what she’d said when Grace had told her Lex was moving in. She’d only spoken about what Charlie might want. Lex didn’t need to know that.
Lex rolled her eyes. “I bet she was upset I didn’t make dinner.”
She was right, but Grace wasn’t going to confirm Alyssa had mentioned it. “Who wouldn’t be? This manicotti is to die for.” Grace made a show of taking a big bite. As soon as the cheesy pasta hit her tongue, her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she let out a moan of pure pleasure. “This is better than sex.”
Lex raised one eyebrow. “You sure about that? I think you might be misremembering. Or maybe uncle Bill just wasn’t all that good in the bedroom.”
Grace let out a bark of laughter. “You know, you could be right on both counts.”
“We need to get you a date,” Lex said, eyeing Grace with a knowing look. “Someone who can show you a good time in the bedroom.”
“Oh, no. I’m not interested in getting involved with another man. No thanks. I just ditched the last one.” Grace took a gulp of her wine, flustered and feeling flushed when Owen’s face flashed in her mind. She suddenly imagined him in her bedroom, kissing her neck and sliding his hands under her skirt, finding her high waisted panties that doubled as a tummy shaper. She groaned. Mood instantly killed.
Lex laughed. “What the heck was that all about?”
“What?” Grace asked innocently, even though she knew exactly what Lex was asking.
“Come on, Grace. Who put that look on your face just now?” She gave her aunt a mischievous look. “Have you been browsing Tinder?”
“Tinder? What the heck is that?” Grace asked.
Lex threw her head back and laughed. “It’s a hookup app.”
Grace’s eyebrows rose. “Hookup? You mean like Netflix and chill is actually code for sex?”
“You knew Netflix and chill but not Tinder?” Lex shook her head. “You have weird gaps in your knowledge. We need to fix that before you enter the dating scene.”
“I’m not entering the dating scene.” She wrinkled her nose, thinking about Owen again. “Except, I think I do kinda have a date tomorrow.”
“Oh, so now it comes out. Who is it? That hottie at Bird’s Eye Bakery?”
“Carl?” Grace stared at her niece like she’d lost her mind. “Why would I go on a date with Carl? He’s like seventy years old.”
She laughed, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “He’s a silver fox. That’s what he is. Like Sam Elliott. You could do worse.”
She had a point. Carl was a very good-looking older man. But Grace was only forty-five. If she ever did decide to seriously date someone, she much preferred a man she could grow old with, not someone who was miles ahead of her in the race. “Fine. Carl’s definitely good looking. But no. I have a date with my new colleague at Landers Realty.”
“You’re going out with Kevin Landers?” she asked, her brow furrowed. “Why?”