Page 100

“We were looking out the kitchen window this morning and I told you how beautiful the backyard looks.”

“Oh!” CeCe nodded. “Yeah, I remember that, but we can get someone to mow it.”

“No, baby. I want to do it. I know why mowing the lawn and working in the yard is important to you. You used to do that with your dad and now I want to do it with you.”

Tears pooled in CeCe’s eyes. “How do you know that?”

“I knew there was something special about it when you wouldn’t let me have my lawn service do your yard. So I asked Cory and she told me it was something you did with your dad.”

“Lex…”

“You’ll have to show me how to start the mower and what to do because I’ve never done something like that before. It could be fun and I’ll be doing it with you,” Alexis said.

“Mowing isn’t really fun. Gazing at your beautiful lawn and flowers is fun when you know you’ve made it look like that.”

“I want to do this with you, CeCe. It’s a way to show my love.”

“Alexis Reed!”

“Wait! Before you swoon, you need to realize you are now stuck with going to stuffy hospital galas with me.”

CeCe smiled and shook her head. “Will Erin and Desi be there?”

Alexis nodded. “You’ll be charming the board of directors and donors while I look at you with all my love.”

CeCe laughed.

“You’re so much more than enough, Cecilia. I’ve been in love with you since the day we started seriously flirting at your open house. No one tells me the conditions to go on a date. But you did and I knew right then I was falling for you. But…”

“But?”

“But I couldn’t trust my heart because it had been closed off for so long. How about we both stop being afraid and let our hearts love each other and see what happens.”

“I want to show you how much I love you, Lex. But I can’t right now,” CeCe said.

Alexis gave her the biggest smile. “We’re so much more than sex, babe. Tonight, we’ve got big plans.”

“We do?”

Alexis nodded. “The restaurant at the spa event heard what happened to you and they’re delivering food any minute,” Alexis said, looking at her watch. “We’re going to eat and laze in this bed and watch Top Chef and Tournament of Champions until you fall asleep in my arms.”

“Lexie, you’re going to make me cry. Top Chef and Tournament of Champions!”

“Oh baby,” Alexis cooed. “I love you.”

CeCe had never felt this loved. She couldn’t believe she’d been run over by a truck and Alexis Reed had declared her love for her all in one day.

28

CeCe sat on the back porch and watched as Alexis grinned while she pushed the lawnmower from the back fence up to the patio. It was the last strip and Alexis had smiled and waved at CeCe the entire time. It had been two days since her car wreck and Alexis had been with her the whole time, rarely letting her out of her sight.

The surprising part was that CeCe didn’t mind. She usually liked having a little time to herself, but that seemed to change since falling in love with Alexis Reed. They could spend the evening doing nothing, simply being together, and it made CeCe happy.

Alexis stopped the lawnmower and turned the engine off. “Wow!” she said loudly. “That was fun. I think next time I want to try and do a diagonal pattern.”

“You’re yelling, babe.”

“Oh!” Alexis grinned.