Page 12 of Rex

“Yeah, I’m good,” I reply, then take a sip of water and wipe my eyes with my napkin.

“So, did they? It looked like that’s where it was going when we parted for the night. Lisa couldn’t take her eyes off Reeves’ ass and—” Les says before getting interrupted by Mom.

“Les! That’s not a topic to discuss over lunch. First, it’s none of your business. Second, that’s Lucy’s sister you’re gossiping about. Lucy is going to be our family soon, and that makes Lisa family too. Gossiping is in bad taste. Besides, I’m not sure whichone is Reeves. Is he that gorgeous one with the longish hair and nearly golden eyes? Oh, my, that one is fine. Like really fine,” Mom says with her voice softening toward the end.

Les and I both burst out laughing at her, and I watched as her cheeks pinkened. Even my prim mother has noticed Vex’s hotness.

“No, Mother, the one you’re calling ‘really fine’ is Vex, and he’s very married. Sorry to say. Reeves works at the security office with Rex and Pigeon. Reeves looks a lot like Rex, except that Rex is always neat and well-groomed. Reeves always looks like his razor died three days ago. His hair is always in need of a trim, and Rex looks like he just walked out of GQ magazine. Pigeon has the long hair and is the one that constantly says, ‘my wife’ this or ‘my wife’ that in every conversation,” I explain.

“Oh, I see. Well, either way, it’s impolite to gossip,” Mom answers with a pointed look at Les.

Silently thanking my mother’s interruption, I turn back to my food. I just might make it through this meal without Les picking up on anything from me. It’s always been hard keeping things from my brothers, and they know me well enough to notice my tells. I sneak a peek at Les and instantly regret it. He’s staring at me with a questioning look in his eyes. I decide to forfeit the rest of my meal and get out of here before he starts asking questions I don’t want to answer.

“I have to get back to the office. I need to look at my next patient’s chart before she arrives,” I say as I set my napkin down and stand. “Thanks for lunch, Les. I know you’re just dying to pay for mine, so I’ll graciously let you. Bye, Mom. Chat later.”

I make my escape and breathe easier once I’m in my car and exiting the parking lot.

Getting home from work, I decide to treat myself. I strip and only put on a short silky robe, then I get everything laid out for a night of pampering. I put hair oil on my scalp and a hair mask on the rest of my hair. I wrap a turban around my hair and sit down at my makeup table. I wax my brows, then do a lash lift. I add a lip stain that looks crazy because it starts out a bright blue but changes once it’s removed. I go full out and apply a mud mask, then go back to waxing other areas that I’m too embarrassed to ask for at a spa.

I giggle a little to myself when I apply the hot wax because I’ve seen the video of Axel’s waxing experience. Men are such wimps. Women survive way worse than waxing every day. Hearing my doorbell, I pause and frown.

I wasn’t expecting anyone, so I grab my phone and pull up the doorbell app. Spotting my brother Drew, I hit the speaker symbol.

“Hey, bro, what’s up?” I ask while getting a good look at myself in the full-length mirror. Yikes!

“Let me in, Aria. I have food,” Drew, better known as Chubs here in Denver, answers with a large grin.

“Uh, I’m not really decent and—” I start to explain but get cut off.

“Throw on some clothes and let your big brother in before I sit down on your step and start eating in full view of yourneighbors,” Drew warns while eyeing the many bags and cartons in his hands.

Brothers can be a blessing or a curse, and right now, mine is no blessing.

“Fine! Just a minute,” I answer with a grumble.

I’m kind of scary to see right now, but it’s just my brother, and food sounds good. Checking to make sure my robe is decent enough, I make my way to the front door. Unlocking it, I pull it open and step out of Drew’s way as he rushes through the door.

“Not one comment on how I look either. You just interrupted me treating myself with a full-on beauty routine kind of thing,” I mumble since moving my mouth isn’t that easy now that the mud has dried on my face.

“Not one word, I promise.”

I whirl in surprise to the still-open door and find a grinning Rex stepping through it. My mouth would have dropped open in horror if the mud wasn’t holding it almost completely closed.

“Eeeek!” I squeak while remaining frozen in place. “Oh, my fucking God.”

“Where is my beautiful sister, and what did you do to her?” Drew asks before laughing loudly.

My head swings to see him pulling out his phone, and that’s the exact moment I decide I need to exit the room. It’s also the exact moment I realize the wax I had put in some delicate places has now cooled and hardened. It’s pulling on some areas that should never be pulled, and I’m not sure what kind of permanent damage I’m about to do by running to the safety of my bedroom.

“Don’t you dare! Put that fucking phone away or so help me, I’m—” I sputter indignantly.

“I’m texting Lucy that I’m going to be a few minutes late,” Drew interrupts me to say. “And while I would never video you like this, Les would pay me good money for one if I did. What have you done to yourself? Is all of this supposed to be a beauty thing?”

I drop my head for a beat before checking to make sure my robe is covering everything it needs to. Avoiding Rex’s eyes, I flip my bother off, and then I walk out of the room as carefully as I can manage. It still hurts, and I know I’ve lost more hair down there than I intended. Brazil, here I come.

Shutting my bedroom door behind me, I give in to the urge to moan painfully. Having forgotten that I had already applied the wax, then walking through the condo, I’ve now got wax smeared pretty much everywhere. I, with much discomfort and now sympathizing a little with Axel, take care of the wax situation before heading for the shower.

I get dressed and pull my wet hair up in a clip before deciding I have stalled long enough. I have to go back out there and face Rex again. Why is he even here? It would have been nice if I didn’t see him again until I’d lost weight or got a new haircut. Anything to make him realize he’d messed up by letting me slip through his fingers, but no. That’s not how my life works. At least I won’t be forgettable this time, even if it’s for all the wrong reasons.

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