Page 41 of Rex

“Thought you were picking up the Aunts?” Cash asks.

“Terry refused, so Livi and James are bringing them,” Lars answers. “What’s Mac in trouble for?”

“Could be a dozen different things, but most likely swearing,” I answer with a shrug.

Cash and Lars continue talking, but I only half listen. I’m watching the door, waiting for Aria to arrive. Texting last night, she said she was coming with her mom and Les. She’s not leaving here today without me securing another date with her, and barring death, I’m making it to this one.

“Who are you waiting for?”

I was so intent on watching the door I hadn’t realized Lucy was standing next to me. With her height, we’re nearly face to face, and she’d spoken close to my ear. It startled me, and I jerked back in surprise.

“No one,” I quickly say and realize at the same time I’d said it too quickly to be believable.

Lucy simply arches one brow and stares at me in silence.

My mind draws a complete blank, and I stare back at her for several long seconds, trying to come up with an explanation she’d buy. When the door flies open and the Aunts enter, I breathe in a sigh of relief. Standing quickly, I give Lucy a brief smile and rush across the room.

“There you ladies are! I was beginning to worry about you,” I say as I throw an arm over both Lola and Lottie’s shoulders, pulling them tight to my side and attempting to escort them into the room.

Lottie looks up at me and grins while Lola pulls us to a stop. Looking up at me, she tilts her head and then whispers, “What are we the cover for?”

“Nothing! I’m just glad you’re here,” I reply and try again to move them forward but fail. Both stay firmly planted where they are.

“Don’t make us ask Craig,” Lottie states in a firm tone.

“Don’t do that! Shit! Fine, I’ll tell you. I was watching the door for Reeves, and Lucy wanted to know why. It was personal, so I used you as my excuse to get away from her,” I state.

“Your lying sucks goose ass, Rex. Keep your secrets to yourself. I’m heading to the bar,” Lola says before stepping out from under my arm and walking away.

“Secrets always come out. I can wait,” Lottie adds before following her sister.

“Did you seriously think that was going to work on them?” a female voice asks.

I jolt in surprise and turn to find Livi and James standing behind me. Both smiling, both shaking their heads. While James is carrying Liam on his hip, Livi has her hands full of a large, covered casserole dish. Without thinking, I reach to take it out of her hands before realizing there’s a reason she’s wearing oven mitts.

“Fuck! It’s hot as hell!” I shout and would have dropped the dish, except Livi hadn’t let go of it yet.

Without a word, Livi shifts the dish to one hand and waves the other one at me.

“Oven mitts. They’re not a fashion statement,” she says with a smirk. “How bad did you burn yourself?”

Looking at each red-streaked palm, I answer, “Not bad. Just stinging a little.”

“Since you’re not dying, please explain that load of bullshit you tried on the Aunts,” James states but does so with a blinding white smile.

“After your partner tried scorching my hands off? I think not! Please excuse me while I go administer first aid and cold water to my injured parts,” I say before turning and hustling to the kitchen.

Stopping at the sink, I turn on the cold water and place my hands in the stream. It instantly soothes the burns, so I continue standing there, watching the women move efficiently throughout the kitchen. When my eyes meet Ava’s, hers narrow ever so slightly. So slightly, it may be just my guilty imagination and not reality. When she sets down the pan she was holding and starts coming toward me, I tense. The cold water feels good, butI’m willing to suffer if I must make a run for it. Glancing around the room, I make sure I have a clear path to an exit if needed. Stopping next to me, Ava stares at me for a moment before looking down at my hands.

“What did you do?” Ava asks while carefully pulling one of my hands out of the water.

“Burnt them on Livi’s dish. I was only trying to help,” I mutter quietly.

“I’ll grab the first aid kit. We have aloe vera for burns,” she replies before releasing my hand and walking away.

When she returns, she points to a stool, and I sit. She carefully dries my hands, smooths aloe vera over the red skin, and gently wraps them. I watch and silently thank her for the cool gel-like substance that instantly relieved the burns.

“Why have you been avoiding me, Rex?” Ava suddenly asks.

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