Page 44 of Traces Of You

Brooke popped her head out and waved. “That’s Lexi. She works on the grounds. On Mondays she comes for donuts and coffee for her and the others on shift.”

“Oh,” she said, moving forward and unlocking the door.

The woman put her hand in the pocket of her jeans, pulled out something and popped it in her mouth. “Hi, you must be new. I’m Lexi.”

“Maureen,” she said. She almost slipped and said Reenie, but remembered to catch herself. Her eyes dropped to the pocket and saw tiny bumps in the denim. A cluster of them. Was she popping pills?

“I’m getting my Monday pick up.”

“Then come right over and let me know what you want,” she said. “If you get the same thing each week I can have it ready for you.”

“I change it up,” Lexi said. “How about six donuts, and six chocolate chip cookies? I need four black coffees too.”

She set the donuts and cookies into a box, then poured the four cups of coffee and put them on a tray.

Lexi handed over her credit card. Reenie rang it out and handed her the receipt.

“Hi,” she said to the guy that came in next. He looked familiar and she hoped to hell she didn’t run into more people that remembered her.

“Hey, Ash,” Lexi said. “I got here first.”

Ford’s youngest brother. She should have realized it since they all looked somewhat similar. She hadn’t met Ash since her return, but guess that was happening now.

“So I see,” Ash said. “I’ll be over in a few.”

“I’ll let Clay know,” Lexi said and walked to the door, purposely bumping into Ash on the way, getting a laugh out of both of them. “Oh, Ford. My lucky day running into you. Coming to get some breakfast too?”

Ford’s eyes were on hers, then dropped to Lexi. Reenie hadn’t seen him in uniform again since the first day. He’d been coming out to check on her daily after work, or he’d be texting or calling.

“Hey, Lexi. Yeah, coming to get breakfast.”

“I did the same.” Lexi held the box up, a massive grin on her face, her eyes roaming over Ford from head to toe. “I don’t get to see you much and it’s always nice when that happens.”

Ford smiled back. “You’ve been seeing me my whole life and saying the same thing. And I’m not sure how you can taste anything with the way you eat Tic Tacs.”

Lexi shrugged, her hand nudging his arm before slipping into her pocket to pull another one out and pop it in her mouth. “Hey, got to have good breath for all the hot guys around here.”

“Been saying that to me your whole life too,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“What can I say, like having a bratty little sister around? I’ll go bug Clay now.” She shoulder bumped him like she’d done to Ash.

The minute Lexi was out of the door, Ford came over and got behind the counter, Ash following. “Come on back,” he said to Reenie.

“I’ve got to watch the counter.”

“My mother will do it. We need to talk for a minute.”

She gulped, her hands running up and down the thighs of her jeans, her eyes looking around for any sign the walls would cave in on her.

“Everything okay?”

His hand came out and caressed her arm. It wasn’t just a comfort at the moment, but one from the past. “Yes. I’m sorry. I just wanted to talk to you with Ash.”

She blew out a breath. “Oh.”

“Hey, Mom,” Ash said. “Damn, you made cranberry muffins.”

Brooke had them on a tray and was bringing them out, but Ash stole one from it.