Page 64 of A Little More

Nash looked up. Juliana waved from beside a tiny, two-door, ice blue coupe. Becky’s car.

“Looks like we’re already saved.” He climbed out.

“I thought you two weren’t dating,” Gina said as she walked up to join them, leaving an annoyed Junior on the steps.

“We were out surveying the property.” He motioned toward Juliana and Becky. “And now we’re meeting our friends.” That sounded reasonable. No one would look twice at him going to the movies with either Becky or Juliana alone. They’d all been friends way too long for rumors to start.

Gina lowered her voice, turning her back on Lexi. “I’m not dumb. I just don’t know what you see in her. She’s—”

“I don’t want to hear it, Gina. Go back to Junior.”

“Not until I say this.” Her voice was uncommonly serious. “Honey, You and I make sense. I was raised by a farmer. I know how your life works. And besides, she’s…” Gina glanced over her shoulder, but Nash finished her sentence.

“Gorgeous?”

“That’snotwhat I was going to say,” Gina muttered.

“Beautiful? Smart?” And about a dozen other descriptions that fit the woman he was in love with.

“She’s kind of old.”

What? Old?

He barked out a laugh. It was the only response he could give for such a ludicrous insult.

Lexi stepped up beside him. “I am pretty old, you know.” Her deadpanned expression didn’t fool him. “Ancient, really.”

Nash shook his head and looked back at Gina. “For the last time, you and I are not going to happen.”

Gina crossed her arms, her chin tilting into the air like she was about to start another argument or pout.

Junior walked up, standing tall like he would go up against Nash. “Hi, again, Nash. Is everything okay? It seems like you upsetmydate.”

Becky bounced into the circle. “Isn’t this a pleasant little meeting? Such happy faces on everyone.” She held out her hand to Lexi. “I’m Becky. We met at the diner. And you know Juliana.”

Lexi shook Becky’s hand before giving Juliana a hug. “Nice to see a friendly face,” she mumbled.

Juliana laughed softly and pulled away. “Good to see you, too.”

Becky motioned to the movie theater. “Let’s go in.” She paused and raised her eyebrows at Nash. “You did invite us. Technically.”

“Technically, I invited Juliana.” He reached in his back pocket for his wallet, handing her three twenties. “Grab me a Coke and some popcorn, please.”

“Let’s go, Lexi. The previews for the newAquamanmovie are running, and I don’t want to miss it.”

Juliana rolled her eyes. “You liar. I know you’ve watched that preview at least a dozen times on your phone.”

Nash crossed his arms. His friends were diffusing the situation with Gina. He owed them.

Becky shrugged. “I didn’t say I hadn’t seen it yet. I said I didn’t want to miss it. Watching Aquaman on my phone just doesn’t do the man justice. They might show the new Thomas Fitzgerald movie as well.” Becky wiggled her eyebrows at Juliana.

Juliana smiled brightly. “Then what are we waiting for?” She snagged Lexi’s arm and pulled her to the theater.

Nash would deal with a lot of crap from a lot of people, looking the other way or keeping his mouth shut for the sake of avoiding an argument, but when it came to Lexi, he didn’t give a damn any longer.

“Gina, for once and for all, I don’t care what you think. When you getold,I hope you don’t give a damn about what other people think either.” Nash stared hard at Junior.

Junior finally lost some of the fight in his eyes.

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