Page 96 of State of Grace

“Sort of. I guess.” She shrugged. “I don’t know. I know she needs time and I am willing to give it to her but I don’t want to lose her.”

Sophia nodded twice. “Your lives are very different. Alexis isn’t a public person, and you, well, you’re you.” She attempted a laugh, but it fell short. “Alexis needs time. You know Alexis. She overthinks things and has to process when unexpected things happen. I know you want to fix everything right now but, in this case, showing her you love her means walking away and giving her the space that she needs.”

Blake knew Sophia was right. She didn’t like that fact; she hated it, actually. But she was right. She did know Alexis, and Alexis did need space. As badly as Blake didn’t want to, she knew giving Alexis the space she needed was the right thing to do.

Nodding slowly, Blake fought back the tears as she stuffed her hands into her pockets.

“Tell her I love her, and I’ll be waiting on her call.”

“I will.”

“Thank you.”

The olive branch Sophia had extended was more than Blake expected.

Hopefully Alexis would call her sooner rather than later.

Chapter 32

Two weeks had passed since Blake had left the Cove, and Alexis had thrown herself into anything and everything that would distract her mind from the absence. She spent any free time outside of work with Harper trying every kind of adventure she could think of. They’d gone fishing, ridden bikes around the Cove, and taken a pottery class. They had even taken Tucker, the newest member of the family, to the dog park every night, which Alexis had quickly realized was the only way to wear out his energetic ass. Alexis felt guilty she’d skipped game nights two weeks in a row and knew that sooner or later, her friends weren’t going to let her get away with it. They’d come over and drag her out of her funk and into talking about her feelings.

Alexis wasn’t ready for that moment.

Nor was she ready to find out if it was Blake or Sophia who had bought her the new Honda Civic that’d showed up a few days ago.

“Mommy, what are we doing today?” Harper’s mouth was full of Mickey Mouse-shaped pancakes they’d had practically every morning for the last two weeks. Alexis had decided to exchange the blueberries she usually included with chocolate chips, and clearly, the kiddo approved the change. There was more chocolate on her face than on the pancakes, Alexis was sure. “Are we gonna see Blake today?”

“Harp, I told you.” Alexis resisted the urge to groan. She was beyond tired of Harper asking the same question every single day for the past two weeks. They’d had the conversation that Blake went back to Vancouver to work, but Alexis hadn’t told Harper that she didn’t know when Blake was coming back. Alexis hoped her daughter’s ever distracted brain would simply choose something else to focus on.

Clearly, that hadn’t happened yet.

“Blake is back at work.”

“But why hasn’t she come home?”

“She is home, Harper.”

“Nuh-uh.” Harper defiantly shook her head. “She’s not at Aunt Isla’s.”

“How do you know that?”

“Cause that’s what Nonna said.”

“Of course,” Alexis muttered under her breath. She’d avoided talking to Sophia alone since Blake left, but clearly, Sophia was still talking about her in front of Harper. Alexis didn’t know how she felt about that. Breakfast time with Harper wasn’t the place to figure out her thoughts on it either. “Why don’t you finish eating your breakfast and go let Tucker out of his crate so you two can play.”

“Ok!” Pushing the plate away, Harper jumped up from the stool and ran into the laundry room where the puppy had been surprisingly quiet since his breakfast and morning bathroom break. She really couldn’t complain about him; he’d been a great puppy so far and seemed to bring a much-needed distraction for both Alexis and Harper.

She could hear Harper talking sweetly to the puppy as she opened his crate and let him out. The two came running into the living room and immediately began playing with Tucker’s favorite tug toy. Even for a pup, he was strong, and Alexis laughed at his tiny baby growls that mixed melodiously with Harper’s sweet giggles.

Picking up her Star Wars coffee mug, Alexis headed out to the small balcony to enjoy the fresh morning air. She’d picked up a double shift at the bar the night before, so the few minutes of quiet she could steal helped her regain calm and focus. Thankfully, things hadn’t been too awkward between her and Isla at work. Granted, that was mostly because Alexis avoided Isla at all costs, but there was nothing either of them could say about the person they were both clearly missing.

Alexis had allotted herself time, mostly at night once Harper was asleep, to fully process how meshing her life with Blake’s would work going forward. She wanted it to work, of course. More than anything in the world Alexis wanted things to work out with Blake. But how exactly would their relationship affect Harper?

She didn’t have the answers. Unfortunately, Alexis knew that without giving them a second chance to be a couple - an actual couple that went out in public with Harper with no regards as to who was watching - she wouldn’t have the answers she was looking for.

It was that unknown that scared her.

“I thought I might find you out here.” Sophia stepped out onto the balcony and slid the door shut behind her. As she sat down in the plastic chair beside Alexis, Sophia held up her hands as if she knew exactly what Alexis was thinking. “Emily’s in there with her, so she’s ok.”

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