Page 31 of Blame It on the Bikini (Ocean Shores #4)

Chapter Sixteen

Grayson had said he would talk to her soon.

That had been on Monday afternoon. It was now Thursday evening, and Lexie hadn't heard a word from him.

Nor had she seen him around the building, although she had seen the light on in his apartment late into the night.

Clearly, he was consumed with work. She'd thought about checking in a million times, but he hadn't been open to her help the last time she'd asked, even if it was just bringing him food.

She needed to let him be. She just didn't really want to.

After finishing up her shoot at an anniversary party, she stepped into the courtyard just after seven and spotted Kaia sharing a pizza with Ben and Serena. Baby Amanda snoozed nearby in her stroller.

"Well, look who's here," Kaia said. "My long-lost friend, who has had no time to chat since her trip to Joshua Tree."

"Sorry, I've been busy," she said.

"Well, you're not busy now, so sit down. We have plenty of pizza if you're hungry."

"I already ate." She leaned over the stroller. "Amanda is an angel."

“Only when she’s asleep,” Serena muttered, dark circles under her eyes. “The rest of the time she screams like she’s auditioning for the opera.”

She smiled. "If you ever need a break, I’d be happy to babysit."

"Don’t joke," Serena warned. "I’ll take you up on it."

"I mean it. I babysat a lot growing up. I'm pretty good with kids."

Serena’s eyes softened as she gazed at her daughter. "Maybe in a week or so. We’re still figuring out breastfeeding and pumping."

"Okay, that’s my cue to go," Ben said dryly, pushing back his chair.

"Sorry, no more breast-pump talk," Serena promised.

"It's fine. I have to work tonight."

As he left, Amanda stirred, and Serena groaned. "Time to feed this angel. See you later." She wheeled the stroller away, leaving Lexie and Kaia alone.

"And then there were two," Kaia said with a laugh. "Now you can tell me what happened with you and Grayson last weekend. Did you spend the night with him in Joshua Tree?"

"Yes, and I think it was a big mistake."

"Because it was bad?"

"Because it was great." She blew out a sigh of frustration. "I don't regret it, but now I feel strange about it because I haven't talked to Grayson since we got back. I know he's tied up on a business deal, but it feels like he's using that to push me away."

Kaia's gaze filled with sympathy. "I'm sorry, Lex."

"We had so much fun, Kaia, the best time I've had in forever. We got along so well. We talked and talked and…"

"And…" Kaia prodded. "While I'm interested in the talking, I'm far more curious about the rest of that sentence."

"The rest of it was great, too." Her cheeks warmed at the memories. "The freeway was closed, and we had to spend the night somewhere. There weren't any choices except this cute bed-and-breakfast with rustic cottages, and they only had one left. We had to take it."

"Of course you did," Kaia said with a smile. "And I'm not judging. You could do a lot worse than an attractive billionaire."

"I'm not sure he's a billionaire, but he is very attractive," she said, feeling an ache in her gut. "It's hard to meet someone you really feel connected to, like you can totally be yourself, and they can be themselves."

"I'll say it is."

"I just wish he wasn't our landlord. If he sells the building, I'll not only lose my home, but I'll never see him again."

"Did he say he was going to sell?"

"We didn't talk about it. But he's been honest about his intentions since the beginning."

"Well, he's going to do what he's going to do."

"You sound like Josie. When did everyone get to be so fatalistic?" she complained.

"When we realized there was nothing we could do," Kaia answered. "You've fought hard to make him see that this is more than just a building, Lexie. And obviously, he likes you. If you can't convince him not to sell, there's nothing I can do, nothing anyone can do."

"I should have used the time I had to pressure him into keeping the building intact. But I didn't do that. I got lost in the moment, and that was a mistake. I'm sorry."

"Oh, my God! Stop apologizing! Saving this building isn't on you, and no one is going to hold it against you if Grayson decides to sell."

"I'll hold it against me."

"Well, you're going to have to figure out how not to do that. Anyway, we still have time. Frank told me that Grayson is going to help him with the car tomorrow to get it ready for the car show on Saturday."

"Well, that's good. Maybe he's resolved his business problems if he has time to work on the car.

" She was both happy and annoyed that he'd had time to talk to Frank but not to her.

Maybe he did have regrets about what had happened between them.

"Let's change the subject," she said, looking back at Kaia. "How's your doctor?"

"Not happening," Kaia said shortly.

She was surprised. "Why? I thought you had a good first date."

"First date was good. Second date was better. Third date became a disaster when his alleged ex-girlfriend showed up right when we were about to have sex."

"Why do you say alleged?"

"Because seeing the way he reacted to her unhappiness was very illuminating.

He's not over her. I don't care what he says.

I saw the way he looked at her. And, apparently, she was the one who broke it off and is now having second thoughts.

I think he wants her back, and I don't need to be in the middle of that drama. "

"That's too bad. I was hoping for good things."

She shrugged. "Me, too. But it's fine." She picked up the bottle of wine on the table and an empty glass. "Ben didn't want any wine since he's working tonight, but maybe you do?"

"I do," she admitted. "Have I missed any other gossip the last few days?"

Kaia poured her some wine, then handed her the glass.

"Paige went on a date with a divorced dad, who has a kid a few years older than Henry.

She's guardedly optimistic. But you know what's interesting is that Ben didn't look at all happy about it when she was telling me. I think he has a crush on her."

"Really? I've never noticed any flirting between them."

"Well, my brother is a horrible flirt, so that's not surprising.

Maybe it's nothing. Maybe I just want someone in my family to find love.

My father complained to me about his lack of grandchildren the other day.

Not that he would say that to either of my brothers, but for me to be in my thirties now and single seems to be appalling to him.

And this was the man who raised me to be a tomboy.

I don't know why he would think I would spend all my time looking for a husband. "

She smiled at Kaia's rant. "See, this is why it's good my parents don't talk to me anymore; I don't have to hear their criticism or their concern about my judgment or my singleness."

"We should drink to us," Kaia said, raising her glass. "Because we're awesome on our own."

She clinked her glass against Kaia's. "Speaking of being awesome, the photos I took at the caves and at Joshua Tree are really good. I spoke to Sienna at the gallery today, and my show is set for the Fourth of July weekend. I'll still need to add to my collection, but I feel more confident now."

"That's great. I love seeing your new energy and excitement. It's felt like you've been stuck in a rut the last several months."

"A rut of my own making. But I'm getting out of it." She paused as she saw Grayson coming down the stairs wearing running pants and a T-shirt. He hesitated for a second when he saw them, but then he walked over to their table.

"Hello, ladies," he said smoothly. "What are you up to?"

Lexie forced brightness into her voice. "I just got back from photographing an anniversary party and crashed Kaia’s pizza party."

“Which wasn’t a party,” Kaia said. "Just a few friends having dinner. Are you off for a run?"

"Yes. I need to burn off a day chained to my computer."

"How’s the deal going?" she asked.

"Still up in the air." His jaw tightened. “I’m trying to find new angles.”

She saw the shadows under his eyes, the strain pulling at him. She wanted to reach out, to ask more questions, to make him let her in. And for one long moment, his gaze held hers. The air between them buzzed, an echo of everything they hadn’t said.

Then he straightened, voice cool again. "I should go. Still more work to do tonight. I’ll see you both later."

She felt the sting of the plural. See you both . Not her. Them. "Well, that's done," she said heavily.

"No way," Kaia said, shaking her head in disagreement.

"The way you and Grayson looked at each other gave me goose bumps.

I felt like I was watching a movie between two star-crossed lovers.

I don't know what's going to happen between you two, Lexie, but I know one thing for sure: it is not over, not by a long shot. "

She really wanted Kaia to be right.

Grayson headed out of his apartment Friday afternoon, desperately needing the month at Ocean Shores to be over, but he still had a week to go.

Even with his problems on the Singapore project and his need to be back in his office with the rest of the team, his father was refusing to budge on the agreement they'd made.

So, he was stuck here, and he didn't know what to do about it.

Nothing was going the way he wanted it to go.

His deal was floundering. His relationship with Lexie was not in a good place.

Their one short encounter after their Joshua Tree trip had been agonizingly uncomfortable, which was completely his fault.

He was sending her mixed signals, but he didn't know what to do about that.

They'd gotten very close on their trip. But their escape from reality was always going to be temporary. It had just ended sooner than he would have liked.