Page 31 of Professional Consult

“Sweetie, Bernard is a bear.”

I blink half a dozen times. “Like, a real bear?”

Barb snorts out a laugh. “Come on. They’re harmless unless they’re with their cubs.”

As I’m about to enter the police cruiser, the door to the diner flies open and Tiffany dashes straight up to me.

Her hand shakes as she holds the bill out to me. “D-did you mean to leave that?”

The corner of my mouth tugs into a smile. “Yeah, good luck with the baby.”

Tears that were welling in her eyes spill across the rim. “Th-thank y-you.”

“Take it easy. It’s nothing, really. You have great service.”

She wipes her tears away with the back of her hand. “My name is Tiffany.”

“I’m Lexi.”

“I know. Just about everyone knows, except the old folks.”

“Hurry up. If Bernard finds any half-drank bottles of alcohol, we’re in trouble.”

My face skews in confusion.

“Bernard gets a little too friendly when he’s drunk.” She winks.

“Oh…” A sudden thought strikes me. “Hey, it looks like we’re the same size. If you have any clothes you’d like to part with, I’ll gladly pay cash. My luggage got…lost.”

She looks me up and down. “To be honest, I was taken aback by how…casually you were dressed.”

“Underneath the glitz and glam, I’m just the same as everyone else.”

“I’ll dig up some clothes tonight. What’s mine is yours.”

“Thanks. I’m staying with Luke. Maybe we can stop by one day this week?”

The unmistakable look of sadness washes over her face. “You’re…staying with Luke?”

Suddenly, I’m not so sure I should have told her that. Perhaps they once dated…or what if he’s the father of her child?

“Yeah…is that weird?”

“It’s just that I used to date his brother.” She swallows hard. “Before he got famous.”

Without thinking, I blurt out, “But he’s an asshole?”

She giggles.

“I didn’t mean that—”

“Oh, I’m not arguing with you.”

“Is there a good time for me to stop by?”

“Why don’t you and Luke come over for dinner tomorrow evening?”

“Sounds like a date!”